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.
WHEREAS, the Southwest Georgia Area Health Education Center (SOWEGA-AHEC) is
a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase access to healthcare by improving the
number and equitable distribution of healthcare providers across 38 counties in southwest
Georgia; and
WHEREAS, the vision of SOWEGA-AHEC is to cultivate a healthcare workforce that
closely reflects the state's population in diversity, ensuring communities have an adequate
number of practitioners in key disciplines, particularly primary care, to improve access to
healthcare; and
WHEREAS, under the leadership of Chairman Dr. Winston Price, Executive Director Laura
Calhoun, Administrator Zina Whittaker, and Board Member and Co-Founder Dr. James
Hotz, SOWEGA-AHEC has exceeded its goals year after year; and
WHEREAS, Zina Whittaker dedicated 25 years of service to SOWEGA-AHEC before her
retirement, Dr. James Hotz served for 34 years before transitioning to Emeritus status, and
Dr. Winston Price served for nine years before moving to Emeritus status; and
WHEREAS, despite the challenges of a global pandemic, major structural damage to its
headquarters necessitating temporary relocation of operations, and a statewide shortage of
available housing for students on rotation, the number of students successfully placed on
clinical clerkships continued to grow; and
WHEREAS, in 2024, SOWEGA-AHEC engaged more than 5,800 participants, recruited
3,898 students, and facilitated the retention of 1,266 healthcare providers in southwest
Georgia communities; and
WHEREAS, SOWEGA-AHEC conducted more than 2,000 classroom presentations through
its AHEC Scholars IPE program, Pathway to Med School, high school camps, and health
professional facility shadowing experiences in 2024; and
WHEREAS, since 2022, SOWEGA-AHEC has coordinated a highly successful Community
Paramedicine Program in Clinch Memorial Hospital, Coffee Regional Medical Center,
Colquitt Regional Medical Center, Irwin County Hospital, and Southwell, enhancing
community wellness, reducing hospital readmissions, and minimizing patient use of
emergency departments for chronic and non-emergent cases; and
WHEREAS, the SOWEGA-AHEC RN Reentry Program, which has been active since 2007,
has played a critical role in strengthening the healthcare workforce over the past nine years,
ensuring that the state could meet the demands of first responders during the global pandemic
and beyond.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body commend the Southwest Georgia Area Health Education Center
for its outstanding contributions to healthcare workforce development and its continued
efforts to improve access to healthcare across southwest Georgia as well as extend best
wishes for continued success.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the
Southwest Georgia Area Health Education Center.