UAB MCH Leadership Education
Grant Status: Completed
Training Category: Centers of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health Education Science and Practice
Project Director(s):
Beverly A Mulvihill, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Health Care Org & Policy 1530 3rd Avenue South RPHB 320
Birmingham, AL 35294-0022
Phone: (205) 975-7942
FAX: (205) 934-8248
Email: bmulvihi@uab.edu
Problem:
Southern states lack sufficiently trained MCH professionals to address traditional MCH needs. The needs of the MCH population in the South are great as is the need for well-trained leaders to provide vision and direction to meet the rapidly evolving challenges facing the MCH population.
Goals and Objectives:
Goal 1: Graduate Education. Provide an on-going graduate education program of excellence to educate and prepare public health professionals from diverse backgrounds for MCH leadership roles. Objective 1: Annually, enroll 20+ new MCH students (~18+ MPH and ~2+ DrPH). Partially met, enrolled 9 new MCH students (9 MPH) Objective 2: Annually, new student enrollment will include +30% non-Alabama resident students to expand coverage to geographically underserved areas. Met and exceeded, enrolled 44% non-Alabama resident Objective 3: Annually, new student enrollment will include 35+% minority students. Met and exceeded, enrolled 56% minority students Goal 2: Provide continuing education, technical assistance and professional consultation to MCH organizations and agencies in the Southeast region and beyond. Objective 1: Annually, perform 3+ continuing education (CE) activities per FTE faculty. Met and exceeded, performed 9 continuing education activities per FTE faculty Objective 2: Annually, perform a CE needs assessment survey of partner agencies in AL, TN and MS. Partially met, still in process Objective 3: Annually, perform 4 technical assistance (TA) or community consultation activities per FTE faculty. Met and exceeded, performed 5 technical assistance or community consultation activities Goal 3: Collaboration with Title V Agencies. Maintain, develop, and enhance collaborative relationships with state Title V MCH and CSHCN agencies. Objective 1: Annually, communicate with new and on-going partners and collaborators. Met Objective 2: Annually, establish student/faculty recruitment efforts in AL and partner states to strengthen collaborative relationship and increase the geographic diversity of our trainees and faculty. Met Objective 3: Years 1 and 2, extend graduate education outreach. Met Goal 4: Develop, disseminate and market new knowledge and conduct research and other scholarly activities related to the study, evaluation and interpretation of MCH population health and services. Objective 1: Annually, conduct research activities to advance knowledge and practice-based information for the MCH community. Met Objective 2: Annually, disseminate research in a variety of venues. Met Goal 5: Promote the health and well-being of the MCH population through efforts directed at advocacy, policy formation, analysis and implementation. Objective 1: Annually, interpret and disseminate MCH policy information relevant to the research and practice communities. Met
Methodology:
The MCH Program at UAB focuses on Graduate Education: The MCH program offers three graduate degree programs: 1) MPH; 2) the coordinated MPH/MSN and MPH/MSW; and 3) DrPH. An online degree is targeted for fall 2012. In addition, a certificate is offered at the school level in International Health-Global Studies. Students participate in internships, field experiences, and other leadership development in the community and classroom. Continuing education is also provided for current MCH professionals and Technical Assistance is offered to MCH Title V agencies in Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The MCH program will assess the needs and provide partner identified training through a relationship with the South Central Public Health Training Center via satellite broadcasts, on-line courses, and other venues to our partner states and nationally. Examination of existing on-line courses in management, leadership, and communication is in process. Faculty within the program will provide TA or consultation activities. Collaboration: The program works closely with Title V agencies in partner states and other entities, including the Alabama MCH Leadership Network to identify and meet training needs. Conducting and disseminating research: Program faculty publish and present. Students are engaged in faculty-led research and its dissemination through assistantships. Interpreting and disseminating MCH policy: program faculty and students will publish policy reports and presentations.
Coordination:
The program activities are coordinated with the Advisory Committee which includes culturally diverse, multi-disciplinary representatives of public/Title V and private agencies serving MCH populations. The program coordinates its efforts with the Alabama MCH Leadership Network, a partnership of MCHB funded training programs in Alabama. The Advisory Committee and Network provide valuable direction to the MCH program within the HCOP Department.
Evaluation:
The goals of the program are linked to documented attribute descriptors and performance objectives that include specified time frames for accomplishment. Faculty performance information is obtained from the UAB SPH Annual Faculty Activity Report. MCH Student Database information is linked with information obtained from an annual MCH Graduate Survey. Information from these data sources is used to assess the department's success in meeting identified performance indicators on an annual basis.
Experience to Date:
For the grant year of 10-11, the program set 5 goals and 12 objectives. Of the 12 objectives 10 were met and 2 were partially met. The lower number of MPH students enrolled can be attributed to the school-wide change in the GRE score requirement from 1000 to 1080. As a result, there was a decrease in the number of accepted applicants. Since then, guidelines have been adjusted and the GRE is not weighed as heavily as in the previous year. We continue to work with our partner states on a continuing education needs assessment. An increase in our collaborative efforts with the HRSA-funded training centers, the University of South Florida and Tulane University has been productive and continues. However, these increased efforts have altered our timeline for this objective. Our collaboration with Title V included guest lectures in core MCH classes, assistance with Title V needs assessments, home visiting, and other relevant projects. Our faculty has been actively involved in MCH-relevant research and its dissemination at the national, state, and local levels (11 peer-reviewed publications; 13 conference presentations). All of these efforts have assisted with efforts of advocacy and policy development.