DWP is an initiative designed to nurture local workforce ecosystems and increase economic competitiveness by providing grants to support workforce training and education programs throughout the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt regions. The program supports projects and initiatives that create a more vibrant economic future for the Delta region by expanding opportunities to recruit, train, and retain a diverse and local workforce; aligning workforce and economic development strategies; creating sustainable talent pipelines; establishing or enhancing locally and regionally significant sector-based partnerships; and supporting enhanced workforce productivity through investments in innovative programming and services.

West Central Alabama Area Health Education Center, in coordination with partners across Hale, Marengo, and Perry Counties, has been awarded $450,000 for the Longleaf Outreach Project. This innovative, community-based workforce development project aims to increase the healthcare workforce pipeline in rural Alabama.

$1.2M Rural Health Network Development Grant Awarded to West Central Alabama Area Health Education Center

Demopolis – West Central Alabama Area Health Education Center (AHEC) has been awarded a $1.2M Rural Health Network Development grant to further expand its Southwest Alabama Healthcare Collaborative (SAHC) with their current community partners to launch the Goldenrod Outreach (GO) Initiative. The purpose of this four-year project is to expand access to, coordinate and improve the quality of essential health care services and enhance the delivery of healthcare in the Southwest Alabama counties of Choctaw, Clarke, Escambia, Marengo, Monroe, and Sumter.

The GO Initiative will support a coordinated community-based approach involving multi-sectoral interventions to increase services for prevention, treatment, and long-term management among those at risk for diabetes and heart disease. The SAHC will continue to build necessary infrastructure to become a recognized entity, address chronic diseases in the service area, and create support programs for both individuals and healthcare providers to prevent, treat, and support those at-risk of diabetes and/or heart disease.

The funds provided through this program are not used for direct delivery of services but have an overarching goal of improving healthcare providers and community capacity for care while aiming to reduce social, economic, and environmental barriers to better health for individuals.

The 2023-2027 Rural Health Network Development Grant Project: The Goldenrod Outreach (GO) Initiative is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1.2M with 0 % financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

West Central Alabama AHEC will receive $204,000 over the next three years to expand its current Health Professions Academy Program (HPA). The U.S. Dept. of Labor has awarded the National AHEC Organization a $2 million grant to expand health career exploration programs, postsecondary education/training, and workforce development for youth from rural and underserved communities. West Central Alabama AHEC was one of seven AHEC centers to receive funding. The organization is a sub awarded by the National AHEC Organization. The grant funding began October 1, 2023.

The organization also received $305,000 for one year (with the potential of 1.5 million in five years) from the University of Alabama. West Central is sub awarded to help support comprehensive efforts to identify and respond to health care disparities in Cardiovascular health and improve related outcomes. This initiative will allow the hiring, training, and deployment of community health workers (CHWs) to provide a continuum of care by supporting clinical interventions and addressing social services and support needs across nine West Alabama counties. The program began September 30, 2023.

‌These projects will help address West Central Alabama AHEC’s mission of improving health equity by supporting healthcare and community based initiatives aimed at addressing social determinants of health. The project also aligns with the organization’s vision, connecting students to careers, professionals to communities, and communities to better health.