Wisconsin AHEC, founded in 1990, is largely funded by the Heath Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and UW School of Medicine and Public Health. Although the UW Medical School and the Medical College of Wisconsin jointly created the state program, MCW ended its formal role in the program in 1999. 

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Wisconsin AHEC’s Statewide Program Office is located on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. The Program Office provides oversight of statewide activities in partnership with a statewide board of directors composed of representatives from each of the seven centers, the academic partners, as well as state and community organizations. Wisconsin AHEC programs operate through contracts between the host medical school and regional AHEC centers. 

 

Milwaukee AHEC was incorporated in 1992 and is one of seven regional centers in the state. The creation of Milwaukee AHEC focused on addressing the central city healthcare worker shortage issue by utilizing the experience and knowledge of community-based organizations and providers.  

 

The composition of the Milwaukee AHEC Board of Directors was planned in a manner to maintain a balance between health profession educators, medical service providers and healthcare consumers. In 2003, Milwaukee AHEC expanded its boundaries to include Kenosha, Racine, Walworth, and Waukesha Counties. 

 

Today, Milwaukee AHEC student programs target high school through college graduate students, as well as continuing education students in health professions throughout Southeast Wisconsin. We have trained nearly 300 community health workers in our employer-endorsed training program with partner health systems in the metro-Milwaukee area resulting in greater health education, and improved health behavior throughout the community. 

 

Our Youth Health Service Corps members, who are Milwaukee high school students, gain the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to successfully become our next generation of community-engaged health professionals.  

 

Our Community Health Internship students have contributed nearly 700,000 hours in local health departments, community service agencies and health centers through our program resulting in a more community-engaged and culturally humble health workforce. 

 

Milwaukee Area Health Education Center will continue to be a catalyst for change for many years to come.