📍Regional Centers: AHEC West, Central Maryland AHEC, Eastern Shore AHEC
Strengthening Community-Based Healthcare Partnerships
Challenge:
Addressing healthcare workforce shortages, particularly in rural and under-resourced communities, requires strategic partnerships and workforce development initiatives. But finding support and partnerships for workforce training can be a major challenge for many organizations.
Solution:
Maryland Area Health Education Center Program (MAHEC Program) including the partner Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) in the state (i.e., AHEC West, Eastern Shore, Central Maryland AHEC) implemented a structured and effective partnership model to develop and sustain collaborations that support healthcare workforce training, distribution, and transformation. Their model is based on the 5Ps of Partnership.
Some of the key initiatives and exemplary partners of the MAHEC Program include the following:
- AHEC Scholars Program: Provides community-based clinical and experiential training for professionals serving in under-resourced areas. Built partnerships with academic institutions through the 5Ps of Partnership engagement process.
- Certified Community Health Worker (CHW) training program: Trains CHWs, virtually and in-person, to enhance population health and provide health services in the community. Offers scholarship and apprenticeship opportunities to reach learners from a variety of backgrounds. Through a collaborative process using the 5Ps, the MAHEC program office and centers combined their resources, strengths, and individual networks to become leaders in Maryland for CHW training.
- Baltimore Population Health Workforce Collaborative (BPHWC): Recruits residents from low–income neighborhoods and trained then as CHWs (2017-2020). Engages healthcare organizations, academic institutions, and community-based organizations in workforce development initiatives, and leverages strategic partnerships for financial sustainability and program expansion.
- Healing Together Consortium/certified peer recovery specialists: Expands access to substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery services. Grew from a partnership of eight organizations to over 40 organizations and individuals.
Impact:
✅ Increased the health workforce, with over 60% of AHEC Scholars from low-income neighborhoods, 41% from under-resourced communities, and 26% from rural backgrounds.
✅ Strengthened partnerships with academic institutions and fostered interprofessional education and workforce development.
✅ Expanded the health workforce by training more than 1000 CHWs and more than 170 Certified Peer Recovery Specialists in healthcare and community outreach.
✅ Through BPHWC, trained an additional 261 CHWs who were then hired for entry level jobs with hospital partners.
✅ Improved access to recovery support services through peer-led initiatives and law enforcement collaborations.
✅ Enhanced sustainability through strategic partnerships, leveraging funding and in-kind resources.