About East Central AHEC

Our programs work to promote rural health careers to students, support students in becoming health professionals who practice in rural areas, provide rural health professionals with opportunities for continuing education, and support the communities we serve with health education initiatives.

Entrance to Gibson Area Hospital.Host organization: Gibson Area Hospital & Health Services is a leader in the health care industry, both locally and nationally, and the largest critical access hospital in Illinois. It operates seven rural clinics and works with school nursing programs, community centers, public health departments and nursing homes to enhance community health, from pediatric to geriatric preventive medicine and wellness. Its modern facilities and skilled, caring staff have made it a model of excellence in rural health care, as recognized by CMS and the Joint Commission.

Nursing intern, hands-on training.Area opportunities: The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) campus offers many undergraduate and graduate degrees for aspiring health professionals. The UIUC Carle Illinois College of Medicine combines engineering with clinical medicine. At Eastern Illinois University, the pre-health profession programs provide opportunities for students to pursue an advanced professional degree. Kankakee Community College, Parkland College in Champaign, and Lake Land College in Mattoon offer certificate programs that combine classes, lab work, and clinical experiences.

Community partners: Area health departments, hospitals, clinics, and educational institutions provide students with experiences outside the classroom. Our region’s dedicated health care professionals serve as valuable preceptors, assisting students in gaining practical health care experience.

Demographics: Home to approximately 600,000 people, the region is predominately rural, with several important cities. One county is designated as 100% rural. The area is predominately White; however, all cities have a significant minority populations. While household income is average, child poverty is elevated in six counties and two counties have slightly above average unemployment.

A giant colorful brain helps with AHEC's community outreach.Local health challenges: The region performs well in most health measures, except for one county where residents reported extreme stress. Six counties face serious environmental issues. Many residents reported fair or poor health and, alarmingly, many people in all counties reported elevated numbers of both physically and mentally unhealthy days. While obesity rates are elevated in six counties, only four report lower than average rates of physical activity, and all have better than average food access. Season flu vaccine rates are low, and in 10 counties preventable hospitalizations are above average. Four counties have high rates of opioid-related deaths. Firearm and motor vehicle mortality is also high in many counties.

Our programs: Our programs and activities bring participants in touch in a practical way with health care in rural and underserved communities. Take a look.

Gentle rapids at Kankakee River State Park.Our region: Area residents enjoy the amenities of rural living, with local businesses, schools, churches, and civic organizations creating a hub for each community. We have ample opportunities for outdoor recreational activities. Close proximity to several larger cities means that a wide variety of cultural events and entertainment are always within a one or two hour drive.

Detail map of East Central region

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Advisory Board