Thursday, November 21, 2024
11/21/2024
Title - Bridging Gaps: PA Training for Substance Use Disorder in Underserved Regions Abstract Project summary: Northern Arizona University (NAU) Physician Assistant (PA) Program will implement a comprehensive education and training program for students enrolled in the NAU PA Program, and interdisciplinary learners in the state of Arizona to increase their capacity and confidence to deliver evidence-based care for people with SUD, with a focus on rural and underserved communities. Abstract: The mission of the NAU PA Program is to educate individuals from inclusive backgrounds and lived experiences and graduate PAs who provide high quality, compassionate medical care to the people of Arizona. In the Class of 2023, 80% were from Arizona, 36% grew up in rural communities, and 34% identified as underrepresented minority. Students complete their clinical training in Arizona, with the majority spending over 50% of their training in rural and underserved communities. In Arizona, 25% of the population resides in rural areas and almost 40% of the population lives in a shortage area. Arizona meets only 8.5% of the mental health needs of the population. In this project, we will partner with clinical training sites to train PA students in the assessment and management of people with SUD, and with health professions programs to implement Project ECHO©, an evidence-based model to improve care for people with SUD. Project goals: 1) Improve the capacity of the current and future interdisciplinary healthcare workforce in the screening, assessment, and management of people with SUD through Project ECHO©, by delivering a chronic illness and recovery management-focused curriculum. 2) Increase the number of PA students trained in the screening, assessment, and management of people with SUD through direct clinical training experiences in mental health and SUD, in predominantly rural and underserved communities. 3) Improve dissemination of evidence-based practices in the screening, assessment, and management of people with SUD by providing other health professions training programs with a guide to recreate this program at their own institution. Summary objectives: By the end of year one: 1) >75% of NAU PA students (n=20; 33%) will complete the SUD clinical training program in mental health (MH) shortage areas. 2) We will deliver Project ECHO©, an evidence-based curriculum on the screening and management of SUD to 300 new interdisciplinary participants. 3) >75% of NAU PA students in the SUD clinical training program will receive >80% on their end-of-rotation examination. 4) >80% of Project ECHO© interdisciplinary participants will report feeling confident/very confident in treating people with SUD on the participant survey. By the end of year two: 1) >75% of NAU PA students (n=45; 75%) will complete the SUD clinical training program in mental health (MH) shortage areas. 2) We will deliver Project ECHO©, an evidence-based curriculum on the screening and management of SUD to 300 new interdisciplinary participants. 3) >75% of Project ECHO© interdisciplinary participants will report an increase the number of SUD people treated within their practice on the participant survey. 4) >75% of NAU PA students in the SUD clinical training program will receive >80% on their end-of-rotation examination. By the end of year three: 1) >75% of NAU PA students (n=60; 100%) will complete the SUD clinical training program in mental health (MH) shortage areas. 2) We will disseminate a replication tool for medical and health professions programs. 3) By the end of the three-year project, Project ECHO© will train 900 interdisciplinary learners, and 305 PA students will receive MH/SUD clinical training for a total of 1,205 program participants.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
