Founded in 1998, the New York State Area Health Education Center (NYS AHEC) System is a state and federally funded workforce development initiative. Their mission is to increase the diversity of qualified healthcare professionals by recruiting and training individuals of all races and ethnicities, with a special emphasis on medically underserved areas in both rural and urban communities. Through youth exposure programs, the NYS AHEC System aims to implement a "grow your own" model, in which students from medically underserved areas in both rural and urban communities are encouraged to develop an interest and desire to ultimately work in a healthcare career in their local community.

The Erie-Niagara & Western New York Rural AHEC Centers have partnered with the SEPA project. The Erie Niagara AHEC Center serves the teachers and students within Erie and Niagara Counties and the WNY Rural AHEC Center serves the teachers and students within Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming, and Yates Counties. The AHEC Centers recruit and work with high school teachers and students (grades 9-12) to support career paths for students in both scientific research and the health professions, emphasizing assistance to those from underrepresented and disadvantaged groups, as well as to familiarize teachers with basic bioinformatics concepts that they can introduce into their classrooms.