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A imaginative and prescient to develop a statewide, health-care targeted highschool in a single rural West Alabama city could quickly turn into a actuality.
In an effort to deal with the rising health-care employee scarcity in Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey introduced throughout her March 7 State of the State deal with a proposal to develop the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences in Demopolis in Marengo County.
More:State partnership with Saban Center could add $25 million or more to project
Ivey mentioned the proposed faculty would welcome ninth-Twelfth graders from throughout the state and provide an revolutionary curriculum of science, expertise, engineering and arithmetic. Hundreds of scholars would have entry to health-care academic alternatives and hands-on scientific coaching experiences by means of the college, pending the Alabama Legislature’s approval of the proposal.
The faculty would purpose to not solely practice college students, however assist put them in positions to be employed instantly after commencement.
“When these students receive their diplomas, they will be ready to fill a broad spectrum of health-care jobs or pursue a higher education,” Ivey mentioned throughout her State of the State deal with.
State Finance Director Bill Poole mentioned the college would have a proposed building funds of $62 million and might be adjoining to Whitfield Regional Hospital, which is a part of the UAB Health System, in Demopolis.
Poole mentioned Demopolis was chosen because the proposed website for the brand new well being care faculty for a number of causes, together with the rising want for health-care staff in rural areas.
“We have an acute shortage of health-care workers all across the state, but particularly in rural areas,” mentioned Poole, a Demopolis native who was appointed finance director by Ivey in 2021 after serving because the consultant for House District 63, which incorporates Tuscaloosa County, within the Alabama Legislature.
Poole mentioned Demopolis’ partnership with the UAB Health System additionally made the town an ideal house for the potential faculty.
Demopolis Mayor Woody Collins mentioned he’s 100% supportive of the challenge and is honored that Demopolis has been chosen because the proposed website for the college.
“I truly appreciate the governor. Demopolis is going to have the opportunity to represent not only west-central Alabama, but rural communities across the state and show look what can be done in a rural atmosphere and in a rural community,” Collins mentioned.
“I think we fit the mold very well, because the school that we’re proposing is located next door to a hospital here in Demopolis that is a UAB affiliate. So these kids will have opportunity to shadow health-care professionals and it is located in a very, very safe area of town,” he mentioned.
Collins mentioned the challenge has been within the works for years and he mentioned he was excited when Ivey lastly introduced it throughout her State of the Address.
“Well, we’ve actually been pursuing this and discussing it for a pretty good period of time.. But when the governor actually announced it, I’ll be honest, I did not know she was going to … I was thrilled,” Collins mentioned.
Collins mentioned he has loads of respect for the governor and her imaginative and prescient to assist enhance rural Alabama.
![Bill Poole interacts with pre-kindergarten students at Taylorville Primary School in this 2017 file photo. Poole, who now serves as state finance director, said a proposed health-care focused high school in Demopolis could help solve Alabama's acute shortage of health-care workers in rural areas. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.]](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2023/04/08/NTTN/46949b4a-aed9-4aa1-be1f-00c304b77dd4-AL_TUS_PreKGrowingGC745.jpg?width=660&height=356&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
“Health care in the rural areas, has been a tough issue for a long time. And I think the governor in her vision has realized that, if so many of these younger health-care professionals are introduced to rural America, and understand what rural America is really all about, that they may be willing to locate in rural America, once they get out of school,” Collins mentioned.
Poole mentioned the challenge continues to be within the early phases of improvement and the subsequent steps embody having open discussions with extra stakeholders and doing the mandatory work to make sure the proposed faculty turns into a actuality.
“Now, I want to broaden out, have more stakeholders be a part of that discussion and think strategically about what is the pathway to bringing a vision into a reality. And there are a lot of hurdles that remain in that process, but beginning to go through that process with public input is the objective,” Poole mentioned.
If the proposal is accredited by the Alabama Legislature, the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences could be the fourth statewide magnet faculty, following the Alabama School of Fine Arts, Alabama School of Math and Science and Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering.
Reach Jasmine Hollie at JHollie@gannett.com.
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