The Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) continues to make great strides in health and wellness with the ground breaking for their newest facility, the Arkansas College of Health Sciences.

Arkansas College of Health Sciences will be housed in a new, 66,000 square foot building located on the ACHE campus. The $25 million-dollar facility will be the home for Physical Therapy (PT), Occupational Therapy (OT), and Physician Assistant (PA) programs once accreditation is completed. Construction will be completed in early 2020 with the first classes planned for the Fall of 2020.

ACHE Board members and vice presidents break ground on new facility.

“It is all about our mission,” said Kyle Parker, President and CEO of ACHE. “We are breaking ground not only for this new facility, but also on the urgent need for quality healthcare professionals, research, and healthy living for the people of Arkansas. Our tremendous progress is the result of the vision of our Board of Trustees, an excellent Administrative Team, and from the generous support of our community. The facility was made available by another incredible anonymous gift after an extensive study on the most pressing needs of our State and region. This type of support is helping us to fulfill our mission to serve the underserved and to make a positive healthful impact. This effect will be felt in the lives of those served and also have a positive impact on the economy of the community and state.”

“Today is the day” stated Dr. Benny Gooden, Executive Director for Institutional Relations for ACHE. “The fields of PT, OT, and PA are among the highest areas of need for the current decade. That is why we are here today with an ambitious next step to address health care needs on Arkansas’ newest higher education campus devoted exclusively to graduate level preparation for health care professionals.”

Arkansas Colleges of Health Education is a private, non-profit institution located on 228 acres in Fort Smith, Arkansas. ACHE’s first college, the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM) welcomed its inaugural class of 150 osteopathic medical students in August 2017. ACHE is the first and only private institution in Arkansas that is dedicated solely to healthcare and wellness.