Gov. Ivey signs bill approving Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences

DEMOPOLIS, Ala. ( WIAT ) — The city of Demopolis will usher in a brand-new high school, thanks to some help from Alabama’s governor.

On Tuesday, Governor Kay Ivey signed the School of Healthcare Sciences Bill. The legislation establishes Demopolis’ plans for the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences, which will prepare students to pursue jobs in the medical field.

Gov. Ivey says the school is the most significant investment west Alabama residents have received in decades.

“But it’s much more than that,” she said. “The Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences will help more Alabama students open the door to their futures.”

Lawmakers who pushed the bill through the legislature said Alabama needs more healthcare workers in rural areas.

“We were stressed during those COVID years,” said State Rep. Cynthia Almond (R-Tuscaloosa). “Hope to never have that happen again, but we want to be prepared- particularly in the rural areas of our state.”

State Sen. Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro) pushed the bill through the Senate, as rural hospitals continue to close across west Alabama.

“We don’t have enough workers to be there to keep them open,” Singleton said. “This is gonna give us that pipeline to build the kind of ecosystem in healthcare that we need.”

Laura Beth Glass is a nurse practitioner at Whitfield Regional Hospital. She said that the school is about providing better quality care for patients.

“We hope that bringing the healthcare school here will increase the healthcare workforce in our area and help us provide better quality care for patients in our region,” Glass said.

Demopolis Mayor Woody Collins said the school has already set the standard nationwide.

“We’ve already had people as far away as California contact us and ask ‘Wait a minute, How y’all doing this? How are you gonna bring these high school kids in?'” Collins said.

The school plans to welcome its first class of students in 2026.

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