AHEC History

The Area Health Education Center (AHEC) program was developed by Congress in 1971 to recruit, train, and retain a health professions' workforce committed to rural and underserved populations in the US.

The Colorado AHEC system was established in 1977 by School of Medicine Dean Richard Krugman. All AHECs are funded by HRSA AHEC Model grants which are renewed in 5-year grant cycles to attend to the overall mission of AHECs in the US.

Today, AHECs serve 85% of the counties in America including American territories. This Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funded network provides health education services to students, faculty, and local practitioners, ultimately improving healthcare delivery link between university health science centers and rural and underserved areas of our nation.