Funded Projects

Problem:

Developmental and behavioral (DBP) conditions are significant and increasing, and the number of trained professionals to care for those children is inadequate. Graduates of our program will be trained to positively impact this national problem by becoming leaders in the field of DBP.

Goals and Objectives:

Goal 1: To train fellows to be active and professional participants in interdisciplinary clinical care, providing quality care to patients that is culturally sensitive and family- centered. Objective 1: Fellows will participate in interdisciplinary clinical assessments to evaluate children for developmental and behavioral problems throughout their training. Objective 2: Fellows will participate in Problem-based learning sessions, wherein multidisciplinary trainees investigate topics for and provide guidance to culturally and economically diverse families who present with need(s) regarding the care of a child with a developmental disability or chronic condition. Objective 3: By the end of their training, fellows, with DBP faculty, will have participated in the Curriculum Enhancement Module Series, including self-awareness activities, (http://www.ncccurricula.info) as part of Program Improvement for the training program. Goal 2: To train fellows in the awareness of the larger community in which they practice, training them to be future leaders in the DBP field and advocates for children, particularly vulnerable populations. Objective 1: Fellows will receive training in child advocacy and will participate in research project(s) or evidence-based program(s) in child advocacy. Objective 2: By the end of their training, fellows will have, with faculty oversight, partnered with Title V or other community-based program, state or local government or agency to develop or assist in a project needing DBP expertise, and/or provide technical assistance. Objective 3: Fellows will participate in a structured leadership curriculum involving DBP faculty and leadership experts from the faculty of The University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service. Goal 3: To provide fellows with exemplary training in the knowledge base needed to be competent developmental behavioral pediatricians, and to train them to share that knowledge with others through teaching. Objective 1: Fellows will complete a structured didactic curriculum that includes the 21 core knowledge areas in DBP, as defined by the ACGME (Program Specific Requirements for Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics). Objective 2: Fellows' didactic curriculum will also include additional MCH Knowledge topics, such as disease prevention, family-centered care, advocacy for the disadvantaged, and training in coordination of systems of care. Objective 3: By their third year, fellows will provide didactic teaching sessions for medical students, residents and other learners in the community. Goal 4: To train fellows in foundations of research, so that they can be effective researchers themselves and also critically analyze the literature in order to improve their own life-long practice of DBP. Objective 1: Fellows will complete at least two Research classes through the UAMS College of Public Health by the end of their second year of training. Objective 2: By the end of their first year of training, fellows will develop a Scholarship Oversight Committee, for mentorship in research project development and implementation. Objective 3: By the end of their training, fellows will complete an individual research project in the field of DBP during their training, submit abstract(s) for presentation, and prepare manuscript(s) for publication.

Methodology:

Fellows participate in three years of training that includes: 1) Interdisciplinary clinical and didactic experiences in an academic center, community settings, and a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD); 2) Mentored training and participation in DBP research and teaching; 3) Advocacy training, with involvement in evidence-based programs in disease/injury prevention at Arkansas Children's Hospital; 4) Particpation in projects with MCH/Title V in Arkansas,; 5) Unique training experience in leadership skills, via curriculum developed through DBP collaboration with The Clinton School.

Coordination:

Our training program partners with state MCH/Title V organization, The Clinton School or Public Service, UAMS College of Public Health, and the UCEDD to provide the training to our fellows.

Evaluation:

Evaluation includes measure of fellows' progress within the ACGME General Educational Competencies and MCH Leadership Competencies. We also measure our program's attainment of our stated objectives, and monitor our effectiveness at impacting MCH Performance Measures.

Experience to Date:

As we did in the 2009-2010 year, our program sponsored a CME conference on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) during the 2010-2011; however, with the second annual, we were able to build upon our initial success, obtain nationally recognized specialists as presenters, and hosted more than 400 attendees of varying disciplines. Our fellows were involved with the planning of that program, with curriculum imformed by needs assessment of Title V personnel. We have continued our productive collaboration with The Clinton School of Public Service and our state's Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities program, providing our fellows unique and excellent leadership training. Our program has been able to advance our triage model for screening for ASD into a state-wide initiative made up of regional teams, who are trained to identify children with ASD and other developmental delays/problems earlier, and get them into necessary services, and make more educated referrals for tertiary center evaluations when necessary.