Indiana General Assembly:
Indiana AHEC Program Secures Stable Funding Future!
 updated July 1, 2009

With the passage of at state budget late on June 30th, Indiana lawmakers secure the Indiana AHEC Program's ability to continue to provide services across the state to prepare a health workforce that is willing and able to serve Indiana's most vulnerable communities. A biennial line item appropriation of $2,775,000 will allow Indiana's AHEC Program to keep it's West Central, Northwest and South Central AHECs thriving and paves the way for expansion into new regions of the state, enhancing our ability to reach out to students and health professionals more effectively.

AHEC leadership would like to thank all of our many partners and supporters across the state for supporting our advocacy efforts to educate the members of the Indiana General Assembly about the health workforce needs in your communities and the vital role of AHEC in helping your community address those needs into the future. We encourage you to personally thank your state Representatives and Senators for their hard work during this special session of the Indiana General Assembly and for passing a budget that includes adequate funding for the Indiana AHEC Program.

Click here to view the full budget.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the Indiana AHEC Program Office at 317-278-8893 or your local AHEC. To find contact information for your local AHEC, click on "AHECs in Indiana" from the above menu bar.

TAKING ACTION:

If you are committed to the future health workforce of Indiana, please take the time to contact your state legislator to share your support for state funding for the Indiana AHEC Program at levels no less than $1,387,500 in each of Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011 (total biennial request of $2,775,000).

You are most effective when you contact the legislators who were elected to serve YOU.  If you don’t know who they are, you can always find your legislators by visiting www.in.gov/apps/sos/legislator/search/.

The following committee members will be working closely with the budgets during the special session: 

House Ways and Means Committee

Chair: Representative Crawford
Vice Chair: Representative Pelath
Members:  Avery, Chair of Budget Subcommittee; Welch, Vice Chair for Budget; Goodin, Vice Chair for Finance and K-12; Klinker, Vice Chair for Higher Education; Stemler, Vice Chair for Medicaid and Health; Candelaria Reardon, Day, DeLaney, Herrell, Kersey, Pearson, Pryor, Tyler. Espich R.M.M., Borror, Cherry, Crouch, Davis, Dermody, McClain, Pond, Thompson, Turner.

Senate Appropriations Committee

Chair: Senator Kenley
Vice Chair:
Members:  Dillon R.M., Boots, Hershman, Lubbers, Miller, Mishler, Wyss, Broden R.M.M., Hume, Rogers, Tallian 

TALKING POINTS:

Indiana’s six Area Health Education Centers provide health workforce development that addresses the needs in vulnerable urban and rural areas for health providers. By linking health providers, training programs, K-12 schools, and communities in training partnerships, AHECs around the state help “grow our own” health care professionals. They help boost recruitment and retention of health care providers in communities that most need improved access to health care.

Indiana needs AHECs. Fifty-nine of Indiana’s 92 counties have federally designated Health Professions Shortage Areas of physicians, dentists, mental health providers. Too few clinicians leads to higher unnecessary ER visits, avoidable hospitalizations, poorer health, and increased costs for all.

AHEC’s “grow our own” methods work. Research right here in Indiana shows that medical students from Indiana rural communities are five times more likely to practice rural. Our medical students that train in smaller communities outside Indianapolis are also more likely to choose primary care and practice rural.

AHEC brings resources into Indiana. The Indiana AHEC program has brought in $8 million in federal funds over the past nine years. For every state dollar invested to date, $8 in federal, local, and in-kind support has been generated.

Cutting AHECs will damage Indiana immediately and long-term. Three of six AHECs will close with 8 jobs lost right away. 8,000 youth will not be exposed to health careers, 1,600 middle and high school students will lose opportunities for academic enrichment, and 1,500 health professions students will not be trained in the rural and urban Indiana communities that most need them. Loss of competitiveness for federal funding will likely eliminated remaining AHECs within 2 years.

AHEC is demonstrating positive outcomes and return on investment. Preliminary data indicate that AHEC youth graduate and choose health professions at higher rates than their peers. And 49% of AHEC-trained health professions students report increased interest in caring for medically underserved patients as a result of their AHEC experiences.

AHEC is cost-conscious. AHEC’s request for FY10 and FY2011 reflect a reduction from the $1.75 million that was appropriated to AHEC for FY2009.

For materials that you can share with your legislator, please click here. 

CONTACT AHEC:

Please contact Angela Holloway at anhollow@iupui.edu or 317-319-6461 if you have any questions or would like additional information.

Archives of Previous Updates:

June 29, 2009:

Legislators continue budget negotiations.

The General Assembly continued to negotiate the FY10-11 budget over the weekend and into today. As of June 28, 4:00 pm, there has been no statement from officials.

The Indiana AHEC Program seeks an appropriation of $1,387,500 for each of the two fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (total $ $2,775,000 for the biennium).

Other important budget considerations to support the needs of the medically underserved communities in Indiana include expanded funding for Community Health Centers to address the growing needs of the uninsured displaced workers across the state and the Indiana Minority Health Coalition’s efforts to expand their efforts to address the state’s health disparities.

June 26, 2009:

Legislature hears public testimony before final budget negotiations ensue.

Select members of the Indiana General Assembly gather today for one last round of public testimony before beginning their final budget negotiations, planned to take place through the weekend. To view testimony, click here and then select the link to “Watch video from the House Ways & Means Committee." The legislature hopes to bring forth a compromise budget by Monday, June 29, in time to pass a budget before the current budget runs out on June 30. Indiana AHEC Program Director, Dr. Richard Kiovsky, will be in attendance at today’s hearings and hopes to present testimony before the gathered legislators.

The Indiana AHEC Program seeks an appropriation of $1,387,500 for each of the two fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (total $ $2,775,000 for the biennium).

Other important budget considerations to support the needs of the medically underserved communities in Indiana include expanded funding for Community Health Centers to address the growing needs of the uninsured displaced workers across the state and the Indiana Minority Health Coalition’s efforts to expand their efforts to address the state’s health disparities.

BIG NEWS for the medically underserved in Indiana…

Inside Indiana Business reports, “Nearly four months after Indianapolis-based Indiana Health Centers received $1.3 million in federal stimulus funds, it will open the new Community Health Center of Miami County. The facility will be able to provide health care for roughly 9,700 people in Miami County. It is scheduled to open June 29.” Indiana AHEC Program Executive Board Member, Lynn Clothier is the founder and C.E.O. of Indiana Health Centers, Inc.

For questions or additional information, please contact the Indiana AHEC Program Office at 317-278-9983.

June 24, 2009:

Senate Passes Budget with AHEC Line Item Intact. 
The Senate passed their version of the budget on Tuesday, June 23rd. Their version includes AHEC line item funding at $1,387,500 for each of the two fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (total $ $2,775,000 for the biennium).  Click here to see the Senate’s Passes Bill and Amendments.

Senate passes SB0001. 
On June 23^rd, the Senate passes SB0001, which provides for continuation of appropriations in the event that the General Assembly cannot pass a budget before the end of the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2009. Click here for information on the bill.

Conference Committee to Work on Compromise Budget. 
According to Inside Indiana Business, “Kenley says House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Crawford (D-Indianapolis), Representative Jeff Espich (R-Uniondale) and Senator John Broden (D-South Bend) are expected to work through the weekend to develop a proposal on Monday, one day before the current budget is due to end.”

June 22, 2009:

House-passed budget includes AHEC line item. The Indiana House of Representatives passed a one year budget bill on Thursday, June 18, 2009. The bill included a one-year, $1,610,000 line item for the Indiana AHEC Program. Click here for a to find the full House budget bill HB1001.

Senate proposes 2-year budget which includes AHEC line item. The bill moved to the Senate where deliberations began Friday morning. On Friday, June 19th, the Senate released their version of a two-year budget bill ,which included funding for AHEC at $1,387,500 for each of the two fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (total $ $2,775,000 for the biennium) . The Senate plans vote on their version by mid-week.

Members of the Indiana Senate need to hear from constituents who support funding for the Indiana AHEC Program. Click on the above button to Take ACTION Now with your Indiana Senator.