HR488: HR488 Southwest Georgia Area Health Education Center; commend

25 LC 112 3249 House Resolution 488 By: Representatives Greene of the 154th, Taylor of the 173rd, Yearta of the 152nd, Campbell of the 171st, Williams of the 148th, and others A RESOLUTION Commending the Southwest Georgia Area Health Education Center; and for other purposes.1 WHEREAS, the Southwest Georgia Area Health Education Center (SO WEGA-AHEC) is2 a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase access to healthcare by improving the3 number and equitable distribution of healthcare providers acros s 38 counties in southwest4 Georgia; and5 WHEREAS, the vision of SOWEGA-AHEC is to cultivate a healthcare workforce that6 closely reflects the state's population in diversity, ensuring communities have an adequate7 number of practitioners in key disciplines, particularly primar y care, to improve access to8 healthcare; and9 WHEREAS, under the leadership of Chairman Dr. Winston Price, Executive Director Laura10 Calhoun, Administrator Zina Whittaker, and Board Member and Co- Founder Dr. James11 Hotz, SOWEGA-AHEC has exceeded its goals year after year; and12 WHEREAS, Zina Whittaker dedicated 25 years of service to SOWEGA-AHEC before her13 retirement, Dr. James Hotz served for 34 years before transitioning to Emeritus status, and14 Dr. Winston Price served for nine years before moving to Emeritus status; and15 H. R. 488 - 1 - 25 LC 112 3249 WHEREAS, despite the challenges of a global pandemic, major str uctural damage to its16 headquarters necessitating temporary relocation of operations, and a statewide shortage of17 available housing for students on rotation, the number of stude nts successfully placed on18 clinical clerkships continued to grow; and19 WHEREAS, in 2024, SOWEGA-AHEC engaged more than 5,800 participa nts, recruited20 3,898 students, and facilitated the retention of 1,266 healthca re providers in southwest21 Georgia communities; and22 WHEREAS, SOWEGA-AHEC conducted more than 2,000 classroom presentations through23 its AHEC Scholars IPE program, Pathway to Med School, high scho ol camps, and health24 professional facility shadowing experiences in 2024; and25 WHEREAS, since 2022, SOWEGA-AHEC has coordinated a highly successful Community26 Paramedicine Program in Clinch Memorial Hospital, Coffee Region al Medical Center,27 Colquitt Regional Medical Center, Irwin County Hospital, and So uthwell, enhancing28 community wellness, reducing hospital readmissions, and minimiz ing patient use of29 emergency departments for chronic and non-emergent cases; and30 WHEREAS, the SOWEGA-AHEC RN Reentry Program, which has been active since 2007,31 has played a critical role in strengthening the healthcare workforce over the past nine years,32 ensuring that the state could meet the demands of first responders during the global pandemic33 and beyond.34 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that35 the members of this body commend the Southwest Georgia Area Health Education Center36 for its outstanding contributions to healthcare workforce devel opment and its continued37 H. R. 488 - 2 - 25 LC 112 3249 efforts to improve access to healthcare across southwest Georgi a as well as extend best38 wishes for continued success.39 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized40 and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the41 Southwest Georgia Area Health Education Center.42 H. R. 488 - 3 -