PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
AND RESOURCES
Funding for the Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center Program is provided by the Federal Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Pennsylvania’s Medical Community and Communities at Large provide additional support.
NATIONAL AHEC ORGANIZATION
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The National AHEC Organization represents a network of more than 300 AHEC program offices and centers that serve over 85% of United States counties. The NAO mission is to help its members achieve the AHEC mission through advocacy, education, and research.
HEALTH RESOURCES SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
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The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), provides health care to people who are geographically isolated, and/or economically or medically vulnerable. HRSA supports the training of health professionals, the distribution of providers to areas where they are needed most, and improvements in health care delivery.
PA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
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The mission of the Pennsylvania Department of Health is to promote healthy behaviors, prevent injury and disease, and to assure the safe delivery of quality health care for all people in Pennsylvania. Through the use of community-based strategies, the Department of Health has successfully reduced the number
PENN STATE CLINICAL & TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE INSTITUTE PROJECT ECHO
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Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) moves knowledge instead of patients. The heart of the ECHO model is its knowledge-sharing networks, led by expert specialist teams mentoring multiple community providers.
PENNSYLVANIA ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS
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The Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers (PACHC) represents and supports the largest network of primary health care providers in the commonwealth. This network of health centers includes Community Health Centers (FQHCs and FQHC Look-Alikes), Rural Health Clinics and other like-mission providers serving more than 917,000 patients annually at 330-plus sites in underserved rural and urban areas throughout Pennsylvania.
PA OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH
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The Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health (PORH) was formed in 1991 as a partnership between the federal government, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and The Pennsylvania State University. PORH provides expertise in the areas of rural health, agricultural health & safety, oral health, and community & economic development.
PA COALITION OF ORAL HEALTH
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The Pennsylvania Coalition for Oral Health is a diverse group of leaders from across the state from schools of public health, philanthropic organizations, businesses, dental organizations, health insurance firms, advocacy organizations, state agencies and other champions.
NATIONAL CENTER FOR INTEGRATED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
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The National Center for Integrated Behavioral Health prepares primary care clinicians with the expertise and leadership for integrated behavioral health care. Primary care providers are critically-positioned to identify and respond to mental health and substance use disorders, we provide education programs to adequately train clinicians in existing evidence-based best practices.
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF PHARMACY PROGRAM EVALUATION AND RESEARCH UNIT
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The Pennsylvania Coalition for Oral Health is a PERU is dedicated to meaningful work that facilitates each patient or community member's ability to achieve optimal health, well-being, recovery and choice. Since its founding in 2006, PERU has expanded its program development and research to four areas: substance use disorder education and research; opioid use disorder prevention, intervention, and treatment; medication adherence; and organizational health for healthcare systems.
NATIONAL HEALTH CORPS
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National Health Corps (NHC) is an AmeriCorps National Service program that recruits, trains, and places paid volunteers in resource-limited organizations called "host sites." NHC's members help build healthy communities by providing essential health education and access services to individuals throughout the United States. A key priority for the NHC program is to eliminate health disparities and the underlying structural oppression* that perpetuates them.
THE COLLABORATIVE FOR RURAL PRIMARY CARE, RESEARCH, EDUCATION & PRACTICE
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Rural PREP is a collaboration between the University of Washington School of Medicine (grant recipient), Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and other partners established with support from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The mission of Rural PREP is to improve and sustain rural health through community engagement and research in primary care health professions education.
RURAL HEALTH INFORMATION HUB
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The Rural Health Information Hub, formerly the Rural Assistance Center, is funded by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy to be a national clearinghouse on rural health issues. We are committed to supporting healthcare and population health in rural communities. The RHIhub is your guide to improving health for rural residents—we provide access to current and reliable resources and tools to help you learn about rural health needs and work to address them.
RURAL HEALTH RESEARCH GATEWAY
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The Rural Health Research Gateway provides easy and timely access to research conducted by the Rural Health Research Centers, funded by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Gateway efficiently puts new findings and information in the hands of our subscribers, including policymakers, educators, public health employees, hospital staff, and more.
THE WRIGHT CENTER
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The mission of the Wright Center is to improve the health and welfare of our community through inclusive and responsive health services and the sustainable renewal of an inspired, competent workforce that is privileged to serve.
NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS
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The National Health Service Corps builds healthy communities by supporting qualified health care providers dedicated to working in areas of the United States with limited access to care. NHSC provides loan forgiveness for providers working in NHSC-approved sites and scholarships for students pursuing eligible primary care health professions training.
PA LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM
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The Department of Health provides loan repayment opportunities through the Pennsylvania Primary Care Loan Repayment Program (LRP) as an incentive to recruit and retain primary care practitioners willing to serve underserved Pennsylvania residents and to make a commitment to practicing in federally designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs)
RTT COLLABORATIVE
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The purpose of the RTT Collaborative is to sustain health professions education in rural places through mutual encouragement, peer learning, practice improvement, and the delivery of technical expertise, all in support of a quality rural workforce. The RTT* Collaborative (“the Collaborative,” or RTTC) is a board directed cooperative of participating programs and individuals committed to this mission.
PA AHEC Testimony at April 13, 2022
Rural Legislative Briefing
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Presented by PA AHEC Program Director
N. Benjamin Fredrick, MD
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