Project Title: D'Youville University Health Careers Opportunity Program Applicant Organization Name: D'Youville University Address: 320 Porter Avenue, Buffalo, New York, 14201-1032 Project Director Name: Megan Whelan, PhD, RDN, CDN Contact Phone Numbers - Voice: (716) 829-7755; Fax: N/A E-Mail Address: whelanm@dyu.edu Web Site Address: https://www.dyu.edu Amount Requested: $3,249,990 Funding Preference: Comprehensive Approach The D'Youville University Health Careers Opportunity Program (DYU HCOP) will aid economically and educationally disadvantaged students in the Buffalo and rural Western New York region to enter and graduate from a health professions program. The project will improve recruitment, matriculation, retention, and graduation rates through enrichment programs addressing disadvantaged students’ academic and social needs. It will provide HCOP students with community-based experiential health careers training in underserved communities. Ultimately, the project aims for HCOP Ambassador, Pre-Matriculation, and Summer Programs students to graduate from a health profession program and practice their health profession in medically underserved communities. The project will serve all HRSA-designated target population categories. The HCOP Ambassador Program at DYU will target undergraduate and graduate health professions students. The HCOP Pre-Matriculation Program at DYU will target allied health professions students and adult/non-traditional learners seeking enrollment in a health profession program. DYU's HCOP Summer Program will target rising high school juniors and seniors. The partnering organizations of the DYU HCOP are (1) Erie Niagara Area Health Education Center; (2) Western New York Rural Area Health Education, Inc.; (3) Community Network for Engagement, Connection, and Transformation; (4) Houghton University; (5) State University of New York - Erie; (6) Jericho Road Community Health Center; (7) West Side
Community Services; (8) DYU's Collegiate Science and Technology Program; (9) DYU's Upward Bound Program; (10) DYU's Arthur O. Eve HEOP; and (11) DYU's Health Profession Hub. Over the five-year HCOP grant period, 300 economically and/or educationally disadvantaged students will participate in and benefit from HCOP programming. A total of 125 students will become HCOP Ambassadors, and at least 100 (80%) will persist in their health professions program or graduate. A total of 50 students will enroll in the Pre-Matriculation Program, and at least 35 (70%) pre-matriculants will persist in their program of study or matriculate into a health profession program. Of the 125 high school junior and senior Summer Program attendees, at least 115 (92%) will complete the annual summer program, graduate from high school, and matriculate into a pre-health professions or health professions program at a 2- or 4-year accredited college/university. Additionally, 250 HCOP students will experience interprofessional healthcare delivery at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and other community-based organizations; 300 economically and educationally disadvantaged students will participate in the simulated healthcare delivery; and 175 will become certified community health workers. DYU and its partners are requesting approval of funding preference. The team utilized a comprehensive approach to develop the HCOP programs. This application includes signed formal agreements with common objectives with higher-learning institutions and other community-based entities. The arrangements reflect the increasing coordination of HCOP-related activities and services to students with disadvantaged backgrounds. These students will receive enhanced preparation to pursue a health-professional career. In addition to HCOP students practicing healthcare delivery in a state-of-the-art simulation laboratory, students will experience healthcare delivery to medically underserved popul
ations at an FQHC and other community-based health clinics.