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WESTERN NEW YORK RURAL AREA HEALTH EDUCA
WARSAW, NY · EIN 161570657 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE E70 · Health Care · Medium ($1M-$10M) · r-ahec.org
revenue
$1.1M
expenses
$1.1M
net assets
$2.0M
employees
19
program ratio
78%
mission · from form 990

TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF HEALTHCARE IN OUR REGION THROUGH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, AND RESOURCES.

profile · synthesized from sources

Western New York Rural Area Health Education Center (R-AHEC) improves healthcare quality in a 12-county rural region through workforce development, education, and health information technology support. It provides training for current healthcare professionals, career exploration programs for youth, and broadband infrastructure development to expand telemedicine access. The organization also administers the AHEC Scholars program and supports healthcare workers through housing assistance.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2022

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $207K
    PIPELINE PROGRAMMING FOR YOUTH: HEALTH CAREER EDUCATION AND CAREER PATH DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUTH IN GRADES 9-12. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS, FIELD TRIPS, SHADOWING EXPERIENCES WITH LOCAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, ALL DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE YOUTH TO CONSIDER HEALTH CAREERS AND ENCOURAGE DIVERSITY.
  2. #2 $170K
    RURAL HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT: R-AHEC IS THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE WESTERN NEW YORK RURAL BROADBAND HEALTHCARE NETWORK (WNY RBHN). THE WNY RBHN IS A CONSORTIUM OF PARTNERS IN RURAL, URBAN, AND MEDICALLY UNDESERVED AREAS OF WESTERN NEW YORK AND SURROUNDING REGIONS, WHICH FOCUSES ON INCREASING THE UTILIZATION OF HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (HIT) AMONG PUBLIC AND NON-PROFIT HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS - MAKING IT EASIER FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER, ACCESS ONLINE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND EXPAND THEIR TELEMEDICINE INITIATIVES.
named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

AHEC Scholars Program
Offers interprofessional training for health professions students through 40 hours of experiential and didactic learning focused on cultural competency, behavioral health, and social determinants of health.
Health Career Education and Career Path Development
Provides healthcare career exploration for youth in grades 7-12 through classroom presentations, field trips, shadowing experiences, and career fairs.
Hospitality House
Offers discounted housing rates and scholarships for healthcare workers, students, and community members to support workforce stability.
Western New York Rural Broadband Healthcare Network (WNY RBHN)
Administers broadband infrastructure for rural and underserved healthcare providers to enhance telemedicine, health information technology access, and connectivity.
Workforce Development Training
Provides continuing education, skills training, and career ladder development for healthcare professionals, including New York State-approved continuing education credits.
activities · 7 groups

What they do

  • Healthcare Workforce Training & Career Pathways 4 activities
    • Deliver AHEC Scholars training program
      Offers community-based experiential and online training for healthcare students focused on patient-centered care, requiring 40 hours of annual didactic education in topics such as cultural competency, practice transformation, behavioral health integration, and interprofessional care coordination, plus at least two hours of case study or collaborative learning.
    • Deliver healthcare career education for youth
      Provides healthcare career exploration and education programs for students in grades 7–12 through classroom presentations, career fairs, field trips, shadowing experiences, camps, and newsletters. Also offers post-secondary opportunities including internships, immersive programming, scholarships, case management, and tabling events.
    • Deliver workforce development and training programs
      Provides workforce development, training facilitation, and professional skills development across 23 counties in Western and Central New York, including career ladder development and continuing education for healthcare workers through grant-based and independent initiatives.
    • Recruit and train diverse healthcare professionals
      Recruits and trains individuals from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds to increase representation in the healthcare workforce, with a focus on medically underserved rural and urban communities.
  • Healthcare Delivery Networks and Coalitions 1 activity
    • Administer Western New York Rural Broadband Healthcare Network
      Administers the Western New York Rural Broadband Healthcare Network (WNY RBHN), a consortium that enhances health information technology utilization among public and nonprofit healthcare providers to improve connectivity, access to online education, and telemedicine capabilities.
  • Teacher Professional Development 1 activity
    • Deliver Metagenomics Education Partnership program
      Implements the Metagenomics Education Partnership to train high school teachers in bioinformatics using a hands-on, cyber-learning approach and supports student engagement in STEM and healthcare careers.
  • Community Broadband Infrastructure Development 1 activity
    • Fund rural healthcare providers' technology infrastructure
      Provides funding support to eligible rural healthcare providers for network connections, broadband equipment, telemedicine software, and related technology to improve healthcare access and connectivity. This includes accepting proposals via email, reviewing and scoring vendor bids, creating proposal summaries, and supporting awardee selection.
  • Student Housing and Residential Services 1 activity
    • Generate revenue through non-mission use of Hospitality House
      Lists the Hospitality House on Airbnb during periods of non-mission use to generate revenue that supports student housing initiatives.
  • Medical Travel and Housing Support 1 activity
    • Operate Hospitality House lodging facility
      Operates an eight-bed, fully accessible lodging facility in Warsaw, NY, providing discounted rates and scholarships to healthcare professionals, students, patients, families, and community visitors. The facility includes six private guest rooms with private bathrooms, shared kitchen, laundry, and living spaces, with on-site staff support Monday–Friday 8 AM–4 PM and after-hours phone support available daily.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Provide practice transformation funding
      Provided funding in past programs to support rural healthcare providers in implementing Meaningful Use of electronic medical records and establishing patient-centered medical homes.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.12M
Contributions & grants$713K64%
Program service revenue$350K31%
Investment income$3K0%
Other revenue$54K
expenses
Total expenses$1.11M
Program expenses78%
Admin / overhead20%
Fundraising3%
Salaries & benefits$666K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$2.04M
Cash$204K
Investments$0
Liabilities$77K
Net assets$1.96M
Liquid reserves2.2 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -24.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
MELANIE RHODES MBA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 38 $114K
board members · 12
  • ALYSSA COFFEY — DIRECTOR
  • ANN BATTAGLIA — DIRECTOR
  • DAN IRELAND — DIRECTOR
  • DENAE GIBSON — DIRECTOR
  • ERICKA ELLIOTT — DIRECTOR
  • HEATHER ALDRICH — PRESIDENT
  • JENNIFER RODRIGUEZ — DIRECTOR
  • JOHN CURRY — DIRECTOR
  • KAITLIN PETTINE — VICE PRESIDENT
  • KARLA GADLEY — DIRECTOR
  • NICHOLAS APOSTOLERIS — TREASURER
  • TIFFANY YERICO — SECRETARY
relationships · 34

Who they work with

  • Buffalo Niagara Waterkeepers Partner — Collaborates with WNY R-AHEC on the Metagenomics Education Partnership.
  • Erie-Niagara AHEC Partner — Collaborates with WNY R-AHEC on the Metagenomics Education Partnership.
  • Five Star Bank Partner — Board member organization providing operational and integration leadership from the financial sector.
  • GENESEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT Partner — Board member organization contributing expertise in public health and health promotions.
  • Genesee Community College Partner — Board member organization contributing health professions outreach and intervention expertise.
  • Genesee Valley BOCES Partner — Board member organization involved in regional medical career programs coordination.
  • Health Resources and Services Administration Government — Primary federal grant funder supporting the New York State Area Health Education Center System.
  • Health Resources and Services Administration Government — Receives funding and support from HRSA under the New York State Area Health Education Center System grant.
  • Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Funder — Receives funding through HRSA under Grant number U77HP16459 as part of the New York State Area Health Education Center System.
  • Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Government — Primary grant funder under project number U77HP16459 for the New York State Area Health Education Center System.
  • Healthy Community Alliance Partner — Board member organization led by its CEO, contributing community health leadership.
  • Livingston County Government — Board member organization through its Public Health Director, representing local government public health interests.
  • NY State Department of Health Government — Recipient of eight Health Workforce Retraining Initiative awards from the New York State Department of Health beginning in 2001.
  • NYS AHEC Scholars Program Network — Participates in the NYS AHEC Scholars Program, a statewide initiative to train health professions students in care for underserved populations.
  • NYS AHEC System Network — Part of the New York State AHEC System, collaborating to support health workforce development and student training in underserved areas.
  • National AHEC Organization Network — Member of the National AHEC Organization network, which supports AHEC programs nationwide.
  • National AHEC Organization Network — Recognized by the National AHEC Organization, which awarded R-AHEC the "Center Award for Excellence" in 2006.
  • National Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Program Network — Member of the National AHEC Program network, participating in a national initiative to connect students to healthcare careers and improve health in underserved communities.
  • National Institutes of Health Government — Funds the Metagenomics Education Partnership through a Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA).
  • New York State AHEC System Network — Member of the New York State AHEC System, a state and federally funded workforce development initiative.
  • New York State Education Department Government — Approved provider of continuing education by the New York State Education Department’s State Boards for Social Work, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Mental Health Practitioners, and Speech Language Pathology.
  • Rochester Regional Health Partner — Board member organization represented by senior leadership from the Finger Lakes Rural Hospitals division.
  • St. Bonaventure University Partner — Board member organization represented by its Dean & Professor in the School of Health Professions.
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Government — Receives funding through HRSA, an agency of HHS, for the Area Health Education Center System.
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Government — Federal agency overseeing HRSA funding and the New York State Area Health Education Center System grant.
  • USAC Government — Follows USAC Allowable Contract Sign Date for contract execution.
  • USDA Government — Administered Distance Learning and Telemedicine grants as part of past programs.
  • Underberg & Kessler LLP Partner — Board member organization contributing legal expertise through an associate member.
  • University of Buffalo Partner — Collaborates with WNY R-AHEC on the Metagenomics Education Partnership.
  • University of Rochester Partner — Board member organization represented by the Assistant Director of the UR Career Pathways Program.
+ 4 more
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Community-Embedded Clinical Training
    methodology: community-based_training
    By placing students in medically underserved rural and urban settings, we build clinical and cultural competence because direct, sustained community-based experience fosters empathy, accountability, and long-term commitment to serving those populations.
  • Diversity and Representation in Healthcare Pathways
    methodology: diversity-focused_workforce_development
    By targeting recruitment and training of individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in medically underserved areas, we increase workforce diversity and improve health equity because representation strengthens cultural competence and community trust in care delivery.
  • Interconnected Workforce Development Ecosystem
    methodology: workforce_development_ecosystem
    By linking students to healthcare careers, professionals to underserved communities, and communities to better health outcomes, we improve regional healthcare quality and access because sustainable change arises from reinforcing relationships across education, workforce, and community systems.
  • Technology-Enabled Care and Infrastructure Expansion
    methodology: technology-enabled_care_expansion
    By expanding health information technology and telemedicine infrastructure, we improve access to specialty care and life-saving treatments in rural areas because connectivity reduces geographic and systemic barriers to high-quality healthcare delivery.