Sunday, February 5, 2023
2/5/2023
LSUHSC-NO, SPH, 2020 Gravier Street, 3rd Floor, New Orleans, LA 70112 PI: Kari Brisolara 504.568.5725; 504.568.5711 (fax) kbriso@lsuhsc.edu www.sph.lsuhsc.edu Budget: $ 1,165,911 Funding preference: (1) Serving individuals who are from disadvantaged backgrounds specifically Number of Underrepresented Racial and Ethnic Minority Trainees (23.9% or 39/163) and (2) Graduating large proportions of individuals who serve in underserved communities as 25 of the 41 (61%) graduates from AY 20-21 are practicing in a setting defined as MUA. Louisiana State University Health-New Orleans Scholarships for Public Health Education, outReach, and Equity (LSU SPHERE) program will expand enrollment in the Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) and Masters in Public Health (MPH), both of which are accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. The expanded enrollment will yield public health graduates prepared to work in governmental public health departments or other positions as may be required to prevent, prepare for, and respond to recovery activities related to COVID-19 and other public health emergencies. Without the burden of student loans, these new public health professionals will be better able to devote their careers to public health. For the LSU SPHERE Program we will engage in 8 major tasks: 1. Promote the availability of Public Health Scholarships. 2. Recruit potential scholarship recipients to increase the diversity of the student body. 3. Administer scholarship awards consistent with internal and HRSA reporting requirements. 4. Provide students with a public health education, including a foundation on the core functions of public health, with support services to assure high rates of graduation. 5. Affirm additional practice placement positions. 6. Support employment of graduates in governmental public health or other public health positions. 7. Reallocate resources to fulfill the operations of the Program. 8. Focus development effor ts on scholarships to sustain the Program. While tuition at LSU Health is relatively low ($17,717 vs. $33,981 MPH national average), many applicants are unable to accept offers of admission without financial aid. Of our applicants who declined admission offers last year, 21% came from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Further, a number of students each year accept positions after graduation without direct public health responsibilities (e.g. pharmaceutical companies) due to student loan debt. With this Program, the SPH can expand the availability of public health degrees. Our current student body includes 24% from underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups, and, among those using the centralized application system, 26% from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds and 15% with families receiving public assistance. We can do better. The BSPH and MPH degree programs include curricula that provide a solid foundation on the core public health functions. From the generalist BSPH to the five program options of the MPH, graduation rates exceed 90% in all programs and 100% for scholarship students. All degree programs require practice placements. We currently have more available practice placement sites than students, though we will further expand the list of sites to assure capacity. The individualized career services through Academic Affairs aids students in securing jobs upon graduation. Over 60% of graduates last year are working in a setting defined as Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) by HRSA. This Program will enable scholarship support to 28 students in the first year and 35 in the second and third years. Upon completion of the Program, the School of Public Health is committed to both internal funds reallocations to support administrative aspects of the Program and to fundraising efforts to develop an endowment for a higher level of scholarship support. The LSU Health Sciences Center Foundation is committed to working with the School on scholarships to sustain the Program.
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).
