Model State-Supported Area Health Education Centers
The AHEC Program awardees link the academic resources of medical schools and participating health professions schools with local educational and clinical sites, and thereby establish a network of community-based training sites to provide educational services to health professions students, faculty-preceptors and health care providers in underserved areas, and ultimately, to improve the delivery of health care in an underserved region or in an entire state.
Emphasis is placed on community-based training of health professions students, primary care-oriented medical residents, local providers, and also 9-12 grade students.
The BAHEC Program assists schools in the initial planning, development and implementation of community-based Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) which assist schools and organize the training of at least three health professions disciplines at training-service delivery sites in rural and underserved areas, of a region or an entire state.
Schools which complete Basic AHEC Program development, then compete for Model AHEC Program awards in partnership with affiliated (contracted) AHEC Centers to maintain and enhance/expand training programs and training sites responsive to local, State and Federal needs.
The MAHEC programs are an established training infrastructure of local, State and Federal partners which address current health workforce priorities within a region of a State or in an entire State.
The MAHEC and BAHEC programs embrace the goal of increasing the number of health professions graduates who ultimately practice in underserved areas.
Both AHEC programs carry out health careers recruitment and enhancement activities to attract high school students from underserved areas into health careers.
Awards are made to a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine that is operating an area health education center program and that is not receiving financial assistance under Section 751(a)(2) of the PHS Act to encourage State coordination and support for AHEC community-based primary care training activities.
A listing of currently funded programs is available at http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/ahec/modahec.htm.
The Department of Health and Human Services is the Federal government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially to those who are least able to help themselves.
Telephone: (301) 443-6950.
Program Accomplishments
In FY 07, 39 awards were made. It is expected that 42 Model AHEC Program awards will be made in FY 08.
Uses and Use Restrictions
With respect to the costs of operating the model area health education center program of the school, the school must make available (directly or through donations from public or private entities) nonfederal contributions in cash toward such costs of at least 50 percent of such costs.
Amounts provided by the Federal Government may not be included in determining the amount of nonfederal contributions in cash.
With respect to the costs of operating the area health education center program of the school, the school will maintain expenditures of nonfederal amounts for such costs at a level of such expenditures maintained by the school for the fiscal year preceding the first fiscal year for which the school receives an award under this program.
Schools may expend not more than 10 percent of amounts received for demonstration projects cited under Section 746(a)(3)(E).
The aggregate amount of awards to schools in a State for the fiscal year under this new Model AHEC authority shall not exceed the lesser of (i) $2 million; and (ii) and amount equal to $250,000 times the aggregate number of AHEC centers operated in the State by the schools.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
The types of entities eligible to apply for this program include public or private nonprofit accredited schools of medicine and osteopathic medicine and incorporated consortia made up of schools, or the parent institutions of schools.
Applicants must also have previously received funds, but are no longer receiving funds under Section 751(a)(1) of the Public Health Service Act, and are operating an AHEC program.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Accredited schools of medicine or osteopathic medicine, or the parent institution on behalf of such schools, and also, accredited schools of nursing in States in which no AHEC program is in operation.
Credentials/Documentation
Applicants should review the individual HRSA Guidance documents issued under this CFDA program for any required proof or certifications which must be submitted prior to or simultaneous with submission of an application package.
Aplication and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.
12372.
Application Procedures
Grant applications and required forms for this program can be obtained from Grants.gov. Please visit the Grants.gov Web site at www.grants.gov to both find and apply for all Federal grant opportunities. All qualified applications will be forwarded to an objective review committee which will make funding recommendations to the Associate Administrator for the Bureau of Health Professions. The Associate Administrator has the authority to make final selections for awards.
Award Procedures
Notification is made in writing by a Notice of Grant Award issued from Headquarters Office.
Deadlines
www.hrsa.gov.
Authorization
Public Health Service Act, Title VII, Section 751(a)(2), as amended; Public Health Professions Education Partnership Act of 1998, Public Law 105-392.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
From 3 to 4 months after the review of the application.
Appeals
None.
Renewals
Competitive continuation applications may be submitted during the final budget period of the approved project.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Awardees shall make available (directly or through contributions from State, county or municipal governments, or the private sector) recurring non-Federal contributions in cash in an amount not less than 50 percent of the operating costs of the Model State-Supported AHEC Program.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Project periods are limited up to 3 years.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
A Uniform Progress Report(UPR) must be submitted annually.
A financial status report must be submitted within 90 days after the end of each budget period.
Final progress and financial reports must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the project period.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Records
All records must be maintained until expiration of 3 years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. If questions remain following the 3-uear period, such as those raised as a result of an audit or an on-going enforcement action, recipients must retain records until the matter is completely resolved.
Financial Information
Account Identification
75-0350-0-1-550.
Obigations
FY 07 $15,077,970; FY 08 est $14,000,000; and FY 09 est not available.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
For FY 06, $170,311 to $851,555; $378,378.
Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature
This program is subject to the provisions of 45 CFR Part 92 for State, local and tribal governments and 45 CFR Part 74 for institutions of higher education, hospitals, other nonprofit organizations and commercial organizations, as applicable.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
David Hanny, Ph.D., M.P.H., or CAPT Norma Hatot, Program Officers, AHEC Branch, Division of Diversity and Interdisciplinary Education, Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 9-36, Rockville, MD 20857. Telephone: (301) 443-6950.
Headquarters Office
Grants Management Office: Rick Goodman, Director, Division of Grants Management Operations, Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 11A-16. Health Services Branch: (301) 443-2385; Research and Training Branch: (301) 443-3099; Government and Special Focus Branch: (301) 443-3288.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
In determining the funding of applications, consideration is given to: (1) NEED Demonstrates an understanding of the purpose of the AHEC program, and demonstrates an understanding of the identified need(s) as evidenced by the applicant's description of target population(s) and geographic areas validated with supporting data, demographics, health status of the target population(s), and associated contributing factors which the proposed AHEC project intends to address in the area(s) to be served by the area health education center(s); (2) RESPONSE The degree to which the proposed project responds to the program requirements as set forth in Sections 751(a)(l) and 751(a)(2) of the PHS Act, as amended; degree to which project activities address the AHEC Project and Center requirements; clarity of the project objectives and their relationship to the identified need(s); extent to which project objectives are measurable and attainable within the stated timeframe; clarity of the proposed work plan and mechanisms to assure that satisfactory progress is attained; extent to which the project fulfills the cost sharing/matching requirements; degree to which project challenges and plans to overcome barriers are addressed; and degree to which the project meets the Medical School 10 Percent Requirement; (3) EVALUATIVE MEASURES The adequacy of the evaluation strategy to monitor and evaluate project results: potential of evaluative measures to assess the extent to which project objectives are met and to what extent these can be attributed to the project; clarity of methods and techniques that will be used to measure, analyze, and report the outcomes of each objective; and the extent to which the proposed project adequately responds to AHEC Program performance measures and outcome indicators; the points will be allocated across the performance measures of Distribution, Diversity, and Quality; (4) IMPACT The potential of the proposed AHEC program and participating center(s) to continue on a self-sustaining basis; identification of plans for effective, efficient dissemination of project results; potential of project results to be of national significance; and potential for replication of project activities; (5) RESOURCES/CAPABILITIES Evidence of qualifications in key personnel bio-sketches; evidence of adequate staffing plan for proposed project; evidence of ability to implement complex programs with similar requirements; evidence of institutional support, e.g., resources and letters of support; and evidence of successful partnerships and linkages with academic and community-based organizations; (6) SUPPORT REQUESTED Evidence of a reasonable detailed budget and budget rationale to accomplish the project objectives; evidence of fiscal capability to successfully manage cooperative agreements and contracts; and evidence of efforts to become self-sufficient, e.g., other sources of income, income generation plans, and future funding strategies.
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