Project Grant T8R53143

PRIMARY CARE TRAINING AND ENHANCEMENT: PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT RURAL TRAINING IN MENTAL AND BEHAV. HLTH - MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (MSM) PROPOSES IMPLEMENTING THE RURAL MENTAL-BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ACCESS IN PRIMARY CARE SERVICES (RURAL MAPS) PROGRAM. THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE PA STUDENTS WITH INTENSIVE TRAINING IN INTEGRATED PRIMARY CARE AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH FOR RURAL POPULATIONS, PARTICULARLY THE MOST UNDERSERVED AFRICAN AMERICAN AND NATIVE AMERICAN DISPARATE GROUPS IN THE TARGETED COMMUNITIES. THE PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE PRIMARY CARE PRECEPTORS IN RURAL SETTINGS WITH TRAINING IN INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE AND WILL PLACE PA STUDENTS IN CLINICAL ROTATIONS WITH THESE TRAINED PRECEPTORS IN GEORGIA AND MAINE IN YEARS 1-5. TO PREPARE FOR SUSTAINABILITY, WE WILL EXPAND INTO CALIFORNIA AND OTHER RURAL MSM REGIONAL CAMPUS LOCATIONS IN YEARS 3-5. THIS TRAINING PROGRAM WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIPS WITH MORE IN COMMON SPIRIT ALLIANCE (MICA), A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND THE NATIONAL COMMONSPIRIT ALLIANCE HEALTH SYSTEMS, NORTHERN LIGHTS HEALTH SYSTEMS IN MAINE, VALLEY HEALTH SYSTEMS IN CENTRAL GEORGIA, AND PHOEBE PUTNEY HEALTH SYSTEMS IN SOUTH GEORGIA. THE GOAL OF THE RURAL MAPS IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PAS TRAINED TO DELIVER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES IN RURAL AREAS, INCLUDING PREVENTING, IDENTIFYING, DIAGNOSING, TREATING, AND REFERRING SERVICES. THREE OBJECTIVES SUPPORT THIS GOAL: (1) IMPLEMENT A 3-MONTH MINIMUM INTEGRATED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINICAL ROTATION(S) IN A RURAL PRIMARY CARE SETTING(S); (2) DEVELOP A PROGRAM CURRICULUM TO ADDRESS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS; (3) ESTABLISH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS THAT SUPPORT PRIMARY CARE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTEGRATION IN RURAL AREAS. THE PROGRAM WILL TRAIN 50 PA STUDENTS OVER THE COURSE OF THE FIVE-YEAR PROGRAM. STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE THE MSM INTEGRATED CARE LEADERSHIP CURRICULUM (STUDENT VERSION) AND A 3-MONTH CLINICAL ROTATION IN A RURAL SETTING. TRAINING COMPONENTS INCLUDE PROJECT ECHO, A TELE-MENTORING PROGRAM THAT BRINGS TOGETHER HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS USING VIDEOCONFERENCE TECHNOLOGY, BRIEF LECTURE PRESENTATIONS, AND CASE-BASED LEARNING; PEER TO PEER LEARNING; AND INTERPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS/PATIENT NAVIGATORS AS A TRUSTED LIAISON TO THE COMMUNITIES TO BE SERVED. PRIMARY CARE PRECEPTORS WILL BE TRAINED IN INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE TO PREPARE THEM FOR THE STUDENT TRAINEES. PRECEPTORS WILL COMPLETE MSM'S INTEGRATED CARE LEADERSHIP CURRICULUM FOR PROFESSIONALS AND PARTICIPATE IN PROJECT ECHO. THE PROGRAM WILL BE EVALUATED FOR PROGRAM OUTCOMES, CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT, AND REPORTING OF PERFORMANCE MEASURES. THE PROGRAM WILL BE SUSTAINED THROUGH THE HISTORIC MORE IN COMMON ALLIANCE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN MSM AND COMMON SPIRIT HEALTH SYSTEMS THAT ADDRESSES THE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF HEALTH INEQUITIES, INCLUDING THE LACK OF REPRESENTATION AMONG CARE PROVIDERS. TOGETHER, WE ARE SPEARHEADING A 10-YEAR, $100-MILLION INITIATIVE TO EXPAND UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION AND TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF CULTURALLY COMPETENT HEALTH CLINICIANS AND RESEARCHERS.