High Sierra Area Health Education Center, Inc.

High Sierra Area Health Education Center, Inc. is a woman-owned, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization registered in SAM.gov since 2004, located in Reno, Nevada. The organization works in affiliation with the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and focuses on addressing healthcare workforce shortages, providing rural healthcare education, and supporting underserved communities across several Nevada counties including Carson, Churchill, Douglas, Lyon, Storey, and Washoe. As a designated Area Health Education Center (AHEC), the organization is committed to recruiting, training, and retaining health professionals dedicated to increasing access to primary care in underserved urban and rural communities.

Through federal grant awards, High Sierra Area Health Education Center has consistently delivered comprehensive healthcare workforce development and community health improvement services. Its recent federal grants, primarily from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, have focused on diverse initiatives such as developing healthcare networks for sexual and gender minority populations, implementing rural health network development planning, providing COVID-19 investigative services for pregnant women, and creating pipeline programs for healthcare career readiness. The organization has collaborated with key partners including the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education, Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, and Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon & Storey Counties. Notable grant activities include establishing interprofessional education programs, supporting student ambassador initiatives, developing cultural competency training, executing healthcare career exploration events, and creating programs like Project Prevent, Project ROARR, and the LEVEL UP Community Health Worker program to support underserved student populations.