Teaching health center (THC) graduate medical education (GME) payment program - the cahaba-UAB rural psychiatry residency, a new 4-year program, aims to address the critical shortage of mental…

The Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Bureau of Health Professionals awarded Cahaba Medical Care Foundation $587,116 on March 1, 2026, under the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Payment program (CFDA 93.530) to establish and operate the Cahaba-UAB Rural Psychiatry Residency, a new four-year psychiatry residency program serving rural, underserved counties in central Alabama including Bibb, Chilton, Perry, and Wilcox.

The residency program delivers comprehensive psychiatry and behavioral health training through Cahaba Medical Care Foundation, a federally qualified health center, using a longitudinal integrated curriculum. The program trains 12 resident FTE positions across four postgraduate years (3-3-3-3), with 3 residents beginning in the first year of funding (2025-2026). Training rotations include UAB Hospital in Birmingham. The program aims to address the critical shortage of mental health professionals in rural areas and to encourage graduates to continue practicing in underserved regions across Alabama.

Cahaba Medical Care Foundation, based in Centreville, Alabama, operates the program independently. The organization has a track record in graduate medical education, having successfully operated the Cahaba-UAB Family Medicine Residency since 2013, and submitted the psychiatry residency application for ACGME accreditation.

Place of performance is Brent, Alabama. The period of performance runs through June 30, 2029.

Teaching health center (THC) graduate medical education (GME) payment program - the cahaba-UAB rural psychiatry residency, a new 4-year program, aims to address the critical shortage of mental health professionals in rural, underserved counties in central alabama, including bibb, chilton, perry, and wilcox. Utilizing a longitudinal integrated curriculum (LIC), the residency program provides comprehensive psychiatry and behavioral health training through cahaba medical care foundation (CMCF), a federally qualified health center (FQHC) that serves a diverse patient population, primarily uninsured or underinsured individuals with limited access to mental health services. The program's dual objectives are to deliver immediate, high-quality mental health care to these communities and to encourage graduates to continue practicing in similar underserved areas across alabama, ensuring long-term healthcare improvements. Name of the graduate medical training program: cahaba-UAB rural psychiatry residency discipline of the residency program: psychiatry type of application: new eligible entity type: FQHC, cahaba medical care foundation operation of residency program: operated alone by CMCF year program first began training residents: 2025 organization website address: WWW.cahabamedicalcare.COM the program is sponsored by cahaba medical care foundation, which has submitted the application for acgme accreditation. CMCF has a strong track record in medical education, having successfully operated the cahaba-UAB family medicine residency since 2013, with an ongoing commitment to healthcare workforce development in rural areas. The rural psychiatry residency will build on these established foundations and partnerships to provide diverse, high-quality training experiences. Total resident FTE positions requested for all post-graduate years: 12 (3-3-3-3) resident FTE positions requested for the first AY of funding (2025-2026): 3 (3-0-0-0) rotation sites: UAB hospital, birmingham, AL: a world-renowned tertiary care center providing extensive clinical experience and faculty support, integral to residents' training. UAB medical west, bessemer, AL: core hospital offering family medicine inpatient service and labor & delivery training, essential for rural track residents. Bibb medical center, centreville, AL: primary admitting hospital for rural psychiatry, providing inpatient emergency experience. Cahaba medical care, centreville, AL: FQHC offering diverse rural psychiatry training at multiple clinical sites, with a focus on integrated care, outpatient psychiatry, and community health in underserved areas. This robust training framework will ensure that graduates are well-prepared to meet the mental health needs of rural alabama, thereby strengthening the region's healthcare infrastructure.