Governor signs legislation for new state healthcare high school

From the West Alabama Newsroom–

Governor Kay Ivey signs legislation creating the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences in Demopolis.

With the stroke of a pen, Governor Kay Ivey took an idea years in the making and turned it into a reality.

Ivey signed House Bill 163, the legislation creating the Alabama School of Healthcare Science, at a ceremony Tuesday morning in Demopolis.

“It’s no doubt the most significant investment in west Alabama in decades,” said Ivey.

“It will bring more men and women into our healthcare workforce. It will change the trajectory of rural healthcare in our state.

Ivey said the community’s efforts and support for the project were instrumental to its success.

“This significant legislative achievement would not have been possible without the unbelievable community support.”

“This school will have one of the biggest return on investment that we can see,” said Senator Bobby Singleton.

“Because we’re producing people who’ll stay right here in the state of Alabama, work in our system, work in our hospital, work in our clinics, work in our doctors offices to make sure that we’re being able to provide affordable healthcare across the state of Alabama.”

The new residential high school will offer an innovative STEM curriculum. In addition to hands on clinical training experience at Whitfield Regional Hospital.

“They’ll be able to follow a student from, I mean a patient, from the moment they come into the hospital, all the way through discharge,” said Rep. A.J. McCampbell.

Victoria Eaves of Demopolis is a Registered Nurse at Whitfield Regional Hospital.

“I did not have this opportunity as a high school kid. And I believe this is going to be a great opportunity for young students,” she said.

The Alabama School of Healthcare Science is expected to open in the fall of 2026.