ESAHEC FY25 Annual Report

ESAHEC ANNUAL REPORT 2024-25 Fiscal Year

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Table of Contents 3

Executive Director’s Message

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Our Board of Directors

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ESAHEC 2024-25 Highlights

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Grant Revenue

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About ESAHEC

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ESAHEC Program Highlights

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Our Vision and Mission

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Thank You

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Our Staff

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Contact Us

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A Message from Our Executive Director Dear AHEC Partners and Supporters, Thank you for your continued dedication to improving the health and well-being of communities across the Eastern Shore. This past fiscal year has brought both tremendous growth and significant fiscal uncertainty. Despite these challenges, we remain steadfast in our mission—working collaboratively to strengthen the healthcare workforce and promote healthier communities through our AHEC programming.

While we are proud of our accomplishments, we must also share a pressing concern. In June 2025, the current administration proposed eliminating the AHEC program as part of a broader reorganization of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This proposal poses a significant threat to the future of AHECs nationwide. We urge you to join us in advocating for continued federal support to preserve this essential work.

Looking ahead, our focus will shift toward strategic planning—ensuring we have a clear roadmap to achieve our long-term objectives, remain mission-aligned, and secure financial sustainability.

In closing, none of our progress would be possible without the dedication of our staff, the support of our partners and funders, and the trust of our communities. It is an honor to work alongside such a committed and passionate team focused on strengthening the healthcare workforce and improving the health of rural populations.

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ESAHEC 2024-25 HIGHLIGHTS Addition of Virtual Reality experiences for students to inspire their interest in a healthcare career New initiatives with the School of Medicine Updated Employee Handbook

Third-year medical students began rotations with AHEC preceptors

Rural-MD Scholars enrolled in the AHEC Scholars Program

Participation in the National AHEC Conference in Lexington, KY

Development and implementation of a Dental Careers Exploration Program

Growth of Diabetes Prevention Program to include additional cohorts across the midshore counties

Rural-MD Scholars Program is a The first annual AHEC Preceptor Expansion to include an AHEC longitudinal clinical experience designed to dinner was held which aims to Health Department Elective which prepare medical students for careers in celebrate the dedication and rural health. Scholars participated in an means more medical students will commitment of our local preceptors enlightening, interdisciplinary poverty be experiencing rural medicine to mentor the next generation of simulation exercise at University of 4 right here on the Eastern Shore healthcare providers Maryland Eastern Shore

About ESAHEC The Eastern Shore AHEC is a private, non-profit, 501 (C) (3) organization which became programmatically operational in 1997. Governed by a 16 person Board of Directors, AHEC serves the nine counties comprising Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

To accomplish our mission, AHEC works to recruit and retain health professionals in the medically underserved areas on the Eastern Shore. This includes healthcare education programs for both health professionals and students from high schools, colleges, and universities in Maryland and surrounding areas.

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Our Vision and Mission Our Mission ESAHEC provides educational resources and support through equitable community-based

Our Vision

activities and services in order to

We envision service and provider

recruit, retain and train health

expansion covering Maryland’s

care professionals on the Eastern

Eastern Shore while promoting

Shore by way of collaborative

healthy communities and a well-

and innovative partnerships.

trained health workforce in underserved areas.

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Our Staff Lisa Widmaier

Theresa Cardillino

Special Initiatives Program Coordinator

Geriatrics and Clinical Education Manager

Jennifer Hudson

Non-profit Finance Manager

Shakira Abdulai

Kelly Schwarz

Public Health Initiatives Program Manager

Diabetes Prevention Coordinator

Erica Copper

Damaris Bourland

Judith Murillo

High School Health Careers Coordinator

Bilingual Community Health Worker and EARN Program Coordinator

Executive Director

Administrative Specialist

Beth Spencer

Grants Specialist

Caitlin Donohue-Vega Oral Health Outreach Coordinator

Kimberly Finch

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Our Board of Directors Jennifer Schermerhorn President

David Timms

Roger Harrell

Bob Laun

Vice President

Treasurer

Secretary

Del. Tom Hutchinson

Kelley Callaghan

Laura Chambers

Terry Satchell

Lana Sherr

Laurie Fitzgerald

Sandra Garbely

Katherine Jacobson

Sara Sietz

Non-voting Member

Elizabeth “Libby” Yost

Non-voting Member

Robin Cahall 8

Grant Revenue Other Funding 4.6% Federal Funding 11.3%

ESAHEC Received $1,071,958 in funding for the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year State Funding $ %

State funding has grown by 4.5% since 2024 Local funding has grown by 7.2% since 2024

Local Funding 19.8%

The annual audit for June 30, 2025 will be State Funding 64.4%

conducted by PKS & Company, P.A. based in Salisbury, Maryland.

Financial summary is subject to audit.

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High School Health Careers

High School Health Careers Coordinator, Damaris Bourland, RN, BS, LMT presented 22 hands-on, interactive, in-class programs. She also coordinated 11 field trips for 8 high schools in 5 Eastern Shore counties. The program demonstrated growth across the board with an 18% increase in the numbers of students reached, 33% increase in field trip destinations, and a 14% increase in new school partnerships.

487 Eastern Shore Students Impacted

175 Students Attended Field Trips

312 Students Engaged in Classroom-based Learning

94% of students had an increased awareness of health careers

90% of students had an increased interest in health careers

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Dental Careers Exploration In FY25, the Dental Careers Exploration Program officially launched with the goal of increasing awareness and interest in dental professions among high school students on Maryland’s rural Eastern Shore. The program is designed to address the critical dental workforce shortage by introducing students to a wide range of dental career paths and empowering them with hands-on learning experiences, mentorship, and professional exposure.

173 Students Participated in 13 In-class Presentations and Hands-on Activities

296 Students Attended Career Fairs

103 Students Explored Health Careers Using Virtual Reality Headsets

98% of students had an increased awareness of dental careers

88% of students had an increased interest in dental careers

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Simulation-based Learning ESAHEC offers simulation-based learning focused on poverty and aging as a transformative approach to education for healthcare students and practitioners.

Cost of Poverty Experience (COPE) During the Cost of Poverty Experience, participants explore the lived experience of poverty firsthand through the eyes of real families. This experience inspires participants to rethink poverty, respond effectively, and partner with those who can drive change.

Aging Simulation ESAHEC educates healthcare practitioners and students on what life is like for older adults experiencing age-related sensory loss. This training helps participants increase their awareness of and empathy for the needs of the aging population.

292 Participants across both learning simulations

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Events hosted this year 3 COPE 3 Aging Simulation

92.5%

of COPE participants report that they have gained increased empathy, understanding, and knowledge of the barriers faced by individuals experiencing poverty 12

GERIATRIC PROGRAMMING FOR STUDENTS Geriatric Assessment Interdisciplinary Team (GAIT) and Assessment Tools Workshop both have the goal of bringing together health professionals from all University System of Maryland (USM) campuses for didactic and clinical sessions at geriatric sites located in medically underserved communities across the state. These include medical & rehabilitative hospitals, independent living & long-term care communities, and hospice & palliative care settings.

89% of GAIT attendees report an increased interest in pursuing employment in geriatrics

96%

of Assessment Tools Workshop attendees felt that this training has had a positive impact on their future healthcare practice.

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EARN Maryland is a competitive workforce development grant funded by the Maryland Department of Labor. Since 2014, ESAHEC has proudly partnered with the three Eastern Shore community colleges to fund Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training, addressing the healthcare workforce shortages in our region.

This year, an exciting new collaboration with Dwyer Workforce Development (DWD), provided comprehensive wraparound services and case management to individuals in the EARN CNA pipeline.

Our Goal Provide financial assistance for 51 students to earn their CNA credential.

We are halfway through our grant cycle and have already reached 32 students!

“I have been a caregiver for over 10 years... [EARN] is a very rewarding accomplishment for me that has jump started my career!” EARN Graduate 14

AHEC Scholars The AHEC Scholars Program is a structured curriculum for health profession students that combines interdisciplinary didactic instruction with communitybased clinical and experiential learning, primarily in rural and underserved settings. Through this program, students have the opportunity to interact with distinguished professionals, foster meaningful peer connections, and develop a network of mentors and colleagues.

AHEC Scholar Student Disciplines Nurse Practitioner 3.8%

Physician's Assistant 34.6%

Pharmacy 61.5%

53% Increase in enrollment from Cohort 5 to Cohort 6 “The AHEC Scholars Program has enriched my educational journey in numerous ways, providing invaluable experiences that will significantly enhance my professional practice.” - Amar Yousif, Student Pharmacist, UMES, Class of 2025 15

Clinical Education Each year, medical students from the University of Maryland School of Medicine participate in clinical rotations with ESAHEC, gaining invaluable hands-on experience in rural and underserved communities.

These rotations offer students a unique opportunity to develop their clinical skills while deepening their understanding of the challenges faced by these populations. Our dedicated and compassionate preceptors generously share their time, expertise, and patient experiences, creating a supportive and enriching learning environment that fosters the growth of future physicians.

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Medical students completed a rural medicine rotation with one of

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local Eastern Shore physicians

100% of clinical education students reported an increased interest in working in a medically underserved community

100%

of clinical education students reported that their clinical skills, knowledge, and cultural competency in working with underserved patients were enhanced

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GERIATRIC PROGRAMMING FOR PROFESSIONALS The Geriatrics & Gerontology Education and Research (GGEAR) Program is a University of Maryland, Baltimore-based program that facilitates interprofessional education and interdisciplinary research activities in the field of aging in partnership with campus affiliates and agencies and organizations serving Maryland’s older adults and their caregivers.

GGEAR provides professional education conferences that are geographically and financially accessible to professionals and paraprofessionals in the senior service and care industry, as well as older adults and their families.

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98%

Geriatric professionals trained

of conference attendees said they learned something new

99%

74

of conference attendees said they will utilize something they learned from this program

Individuals earned a total of

335

Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) 17

Community Health Worker Training The Community Health Worker (CHW) Training program is an online curriculum taught in collaboration with AHEC West. The goal of this program is to increase the CHW workforce in rural MD. Enrolled students complete 100 classroom instruction hours and a minimum of 40 practicum hours.

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96%

CHWs were trained during the 2024-25 training year

of CHW trainees agree or strongly agree that the overall quality of their training was satisfactory

100%

198

of CHW trainees agree that our learning objectives were met

CHW trainees attended additional ESAHEC continuing education (CE) courses 18 for CHWs

Community Health Worker Outreach Our outreach programs are dedicated to building health awareness and strengthening connections within the Eastern Shore community. Through these initiatives, we promote the importance of preventive health by offering free blood sugar and blood pressure screenings, helping individuals take proactive steps toward better well-being.

In addition to screenings, our team shares valuable resources and information about the wide range of programs available through ESAHEC. These efforts not only highlight the services we provide but also empower community members with knowledge and tools to support healthier lifestyles.

Our outreach events embody ESAHEC’s mission of improving access to care and fostering healthier communities across the Eastern Shore.

4,159 participants served

78

Outreach events on the Mid-Shore 19

Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) DPP is a year-long initiative recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with the aim of coaching participants on implementing small lifestyle modifications that may prevent or delay the development of type 2 diabetes. Participants gain skills like staying physically active, adopting healthier eating habits, managing stress effectively, and overcoming various challenges while becoming members of a supportive community across 5 mid-shore counties.

698 lbs.

of TOTAL weight lost by all 95 participants at all 7 DPP locations

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participants have successfully completed the Diabetes Prevention Program 20

Oral Health Outreach ESAHEC offers a broad array of oral health programs and initiatives, including: Youth Vaping Prevention Education: Promotion of tobacco-free lifestyles for 2,165 students in collaboration with local health departments Dental Continuing Education Events: Supporting the professional growth of local dental providers across the Shore.

Eastern Shore Oral Health Task Force: Quarterly meetings to identify and engage with key stakeholders to improve access, education, and oral health outcomes across the region.

Tooth Fairy’s Helper Program: In-school oral health education from a special visitor

ESAHEC’s beloved Tooth Fairy’s Helper program reached 3,609 children this year across the region. Educational sessions were held in: Judy Centers Library story times Early learning centers Licensed home daycares Elementary schools ESAHEC delivered impactful oral health education to 648 adults through a variety of communitybased partnerships, including: Behavioral health facilities Senior centers Community baby showers ID/DD residential schools School-based events engaging parents and 21 guardians

THANK YOU

for supporting ESAHEC!

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Contact Us Call us:(410) 221-2600 Email us: admin@esahec.org Follow us: @EasternShoreAHEC Visit us at www.esahec.org 814 Chesapeake Drive Cambridge, MD 21613 23