Area Health Education Centers Program

"Organization and staffing of AHECs varies greatly and is dependent on the supporting academic health center and availability of financial resources,"[5] as well as the particular needs of the local area.

"[6] Some AHECs also operate family medicine residency programs, employing medical personnel and support staff.

The Commission also charged universities "to cooperate with other agencies in helping to develop more effective health care delivery systems in their communities and surrounding areas.

This shortage can become even more acute as health insurance expands, leading to even more unmet needs and greater cost inflation, unless corrective action is taken now.

[20] "(In any consideration of the history of the first 11 AHECs, the short time span between the announcement of the federal program on June 12 and the award of contracts on September 30 should be kept firmly in mind.)"

He noted, "An additional source of information is found in the response to a request for information from the congressional surveys and investigation staff contained in a letter of reply dated December 23, 1977 from Daniel R. Smith, Chief, AHEC staff and National Coordinator and the only federal official in the executive branch who has been associated with the federal AHEC program since its implementation.

"[24] In 1971, "Congress passed the Comprehensive Health Manpower Training Act (Public Law 92-157), which in [Section 774(a)] provided the AHEC Program with legislative authority.

"Cost-sharing contracts provide support for planning and development (not to exceed 2 years) and operation of the AHEC Program.

"[31] AHEC programs competitively seek funding from their states and the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Further, Gessert and Smith's 1981 report cites these specific findings reported to Congress in 1979 by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare on assessment of the original 11 AHEC programs funded in 1972:[35] In 1999, Ricketts reported that "AHEC programs have coordinated and supported the training of nearly 1.5 million health professions students and primary care residents in underserved areas with an explicit focus on rural areas in most state programs.

1969 GPO map showing states, counties and regional economics divisions that was used for planning the Area Health Education Center Program. It demonstrates the early interest and discussion by officials on the need and value of a nationwide AHEC-type system based on manpower shortage areas. (Source, personal collection, Daniel R. Smith, former National AHEC Coordinator).
Map of suggested AHECs in 1970 Carnegie Commission Report. (Source, United States Congress. Departments of Labor and Health Education and Welfare Appropriations for 1979, p. 465.)
Schematic showing Carnegie Model by the National AHEC office. (Source, personal collection Daniel R. Smith.)