Funded Projects

Problem:

Alabama State University (ASU) is a historically Black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. Throughout its 148-year history, ASU supported the needs of minority and disadvantaged students through education, research and service. The majority of the State of Alabama has been classified as a Medically Underserved Area and has a Health Professional Shortage Area designation. Therefore, consistent with the purpose of the Maternal and Child Health Pipeline Training Program (MCHPTP), Alabama State University (ASU) proposes to further implement a project that will promote the development of a culturally diverse and representative health care workforce by recruiting minority applicants and training students from economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds to identify an interest in, to pursue, and to succeed in maternal and child health professions.

Goals and Objectives:

The goal of this project is to enroll a cadre (minimum of 100) of undergraduate students from economically disadvantaged and racially/ethnically diverse backgrounds in a Pipeline Training Program, engage them in intense year-long series of courses ultimately leading to an undergraduate certificate in MCH. The program will also include a seminar series, a leadership summit, the Life Course model and clinical experiences designed to develop in them the skills, commitment, and passion for working with children in maternal and child health environments. This goal will be operationalized through six (6) objectives, which provide outcomes as well as details of the priority activities. When viewed collectively, the objectives and corresponding activities will respond appropriately to the depth and scope of the ASU Maternal and Child Health Pipeline Training Program (MCHPTP). The objectives are as follows: Objective 1: Admit 20 undergraduate students from economically disadvantaged and racially/ethnically diverse backgrounds to the ASU MCH Pipeline Training Program each year; Objective 2: ASU MCH Pipeline Training Program trainees will complete the required Seminar Series with a participation rate of at least 85% annually; Objective 3: Develop and implement additional courses that offer college credit; Objective 4: 85% of trainees will have strengthened their academic and professional profiles as a result of participating in summer enrichment programs or clinical internship opportunities, ultimately resulting in entry into a graduate/professional program that train individuals to work with maternal and child health populations; Objective 5: ASU MCH Pipeline Training Program trainees will complete the required Summer Academy activities with a participation rate of at least 85% annually; and Objective 6: The program staff and trainees will conduct midyear and annual evaluations to assess the effectiveness of the ASU MCHPTP program.

Methodology:

This project will annually enroll a cohort of 20 undergraduate students from economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. The major goals will be operationalized through engagement in a comprehensive series of courses over a five year period. Ultimately, trainees participating in this program will be afforded the opportunity to complete an undergraduate certificate in MCH approved by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education or an undergraduate certificate in Leadership, while pursuing their traditional degree programs. The ASU Pipeline program has been structured to expose college freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors to a series of activities designed to introduce them to career choices in the health professions which serve MCH populations. The program's five curriculum themes will be threaded throughout the experiences across the academic year -- academic skill acquisition, career development, leadership, cultural competency, life course model I & II: health disparities and quality of life, a 5-week Summer Academy, seminar series, a leadership summit and clinical experiences designed to facilitate development of the knowledge, skills, commitment, and passion for working with maternal and child health populations.

Coordination:

Successful Collaborative relationships exist with the University of Alabama of Birmingham (UAB) and the Alabama MCH Leadership Network. The Leadership Network will teach a public health course titled Emerging Issues in MCH to participating trainees, as well as opportunities for clinical and leadership experiences in association with mock Grand Rounds during summer terms. A new collaborative partnership will exist with the Center for Leadership in Disability (CLD) and the Georgia Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Programs (GaLEND) at Georgia State University, to provide structured programming related to MCH, leadership and disability relates issues, as well as technical support of infusing leadership modules in the certificate program. Additional opportunities will be available through formal partnerships which provide mentorship with MCH community agencies. ASU serves as a rich referral source of African American students who are committed to MCH careers and are well on their way to understanding health disparities and cultural competence.

Evaluation:

Evaluation of the effectiveness of the Program's objectives will be conducted using a variety of evaluation methods. It is anticipated that by the post five year follow up, this project will have realized a significant success in the direct credentialing of MCH professionals.