MOUNT AIRY, Md. (AP) — Community colleges in Carroll, Frederick and Howard counties are celebrating the opening of a joint center for health-care education in Mount Airy.

U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski and Rep. Elijah Cummings are joining college officials at the event Monday morning.

The federal government contributed $1 million toward the project. It includes three lecture rooms, a computer lab, two allied health labs and two biological science labs.

The complex will train up to 500 students a year to alleviate a shortage of health-care workers in Maryland.

Mikulski says the center will help meet the rising demand for workers ranging from dental hygienists to paramedics.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)