A hub for health-care learning: Demopolis proposed as site for $62 million school

A vision to develop a statewide, health-care focused high school in one rural West Alabama town may soon become a reality.

In an effort to address the growing health-care worker shortage in Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey announced during her March 7 State of the State address 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 said the proposed school would welcome ninth-12th graders from across the state and offer an innovative curriculum of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Hundreds of students would have access to health-care educational opportunities and hands-on clinical training experiences through the school, pending the Alabama Legislature's approval of the proposal.

The school would aim to not only train students, but help put them in positions to be hired immediately after graduation.

"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 said during her State of the State address.

State Finance Director Bill Poole said the school would have a proposed construction budget of $62 million and will be adjacent to Whitfield Regional Hospital, which is part of the UAB Health System, in Demopolis.

Poole said Demopolis was chosen as the proposed site for the new health care school for several reasons, including the growing need for health-care workers in rural areas.

"We have an acute shortage of health-care workers all across the state, but particularly in rural areas," said Poole, a Demopolis native who was appointed finance director by Ivey in 2021 after serving as the representative for House District 63, which includes Tuscaloosa County, in the Alabama Legislature.

Poole said Demopolis' partnership with the UAB Health System also made the city a great home for the potential school.

Demopolis Mayor Woody Collins said he is 100% supportive of the project and is honored that Demopolis has been chosen as the proposed site for the school.

"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 said.

"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 said.

Collins said the project has been in the works for years and he said he was excited when Ivey finally announced it during 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 said.

Collins said he has a lot of respect for the governor and her vision to help improve rural Alabama.

"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 said.

Poole said the project is still in the early stages of development and the next steps include having open discussions with more stakeholders and doing the necessary work to ensure the proposed school becomes a reality.

"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 said.

If the proposal is approved by the Alabama Legislature, the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences would be the fourth statewide magnet school, 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.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Demopolis could be site of $62 million health-care high school