Under a program focused on expanding apprenticeships, the AHIMA Foundation will receive a $4.9 million grant to fund the Managing the Talent Pipeline in Health Information apprenticeship program. This program will target 1,200 recent college graduates and working learners, providing on-ramps to healthcare data management careers. The AHIMA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).

The grant awarded to the AHIMA Foundation by the U.S. Department of Labor and announced by President Obama on Sept. 9 in Warren, Mich., will allow the AHIMA Foundation to work with employers ranging from Kaiser to the Seattle Children's Hospital using a competency based, on-the-job apprenticeship training program in healthcare informatics.

A unique aspect of the program is to develop a track to help individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders apprentice in medical coding.

"We're honored to have the opportunity to help so many qualified people find a role in health information management," said William Rudman PhD, RHIA, executive director of the AHIMA Foundation and AHIMA vice president of education visioning. "This program benefits not only our participants, but also the healthcare industry across the country that will have well-qualified employees to meet the increasing needs for health information."

The Managing the Talent Pipeline program is accepting applications for both employer sponsors and potential apprentices at ahimafoundation.org.

"Health information management is a growing field with good-paying jobs," said AHIMA CEO Lynne Thomas Gordon, MBA, RHIA, CAE, FACHE, FAHIMA. "The Managing the Talent Pipeline program is a critical initiative in helping meet the demand for health information where and when it's needed so patients and healthcare providers are empowered to make enlightened decisions."

The Foundation's grant is part of the $175 million being given through the American Apprenticeship Grants program to 46 public-private partnerships of employers, organized labor, nonprofits, local governments, and educational institutions to expand apprenticeships. The grantees have pledged to train and hire more than 34,000 new apprentices in high-growth and high-tech industries including healthcare, IT and advanced manufacturing over the next five years.

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About AHIMA

The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) represents more than 101,000 health information professionals in the United States and around the world. AHIMA is committed to promoting and advocating for high quality research, best practices and effective standards in health information and to actively contributing to the development and advancement of health information professionals worldwide. AHIMA's enduring goal is quality healthcare through quality information. www.ahima.org

About the AHIMA Foundation

Established in1962, the AHIMA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) philanthropic affiliate of AHIMA. The Foundation envisions the future of healthcare, and we prepare for that future with investments in research, workforce development, education, and innovative strategies that advance the HIM profession and, ultimately, better serve the healthcare community. The Foundation focuses on readying the HIM professionals of today to be the leaders of tomorrow. We operate under the values of philanthropy, innovation, leadership and integrity and strive to be recognized for excellence in health information leadership and research for the healthcare industry and the public.  www.ahimafoundation.org