Funded Projects

Goals and Objectives:

The overarching goal of the Collaborative Office Rounds (COR) Project in Washington County, Rhode Island (COR Project) is to improve pediatric and adolescent health and increase the capacity of primary care providers to accurately diagnose and treat developmental and behavioral health issues. Washington County is a federally-designated Mental Health Shortage area. Multiple community initiatives have documented the need for improved developmental and behavioral health services over the past 15 years. The hospital-based community needs assessment from 2013 showed a need for improved behavioral health, substance abuse, and obesity treatment and prevention services. In response, South County Health and Westerly Hospital pursued a Health Equity Zone award from the Rhode Island Department of Health to form Healthy Bodies Healthy Minds and address critical psychosocial developmental aspects of child and adolescent health in Washington County. The proposed COR Project contributes to physician competence in these areas by providing evidence-based continuing medical education. The COR Project will foster relationships between primary care providers, pediatricians and developmental/behavioral specialists and enhances communication and resource utilization. The project will build on previous community work, including receipt of a previous MCH COR award (HRSA-06-078), to expand education, knowledge and collaboration between PCPs and behavioral health specialists around relevant community topics for children and adolescents including ADHD, obesity, LBGT questions, suicidal ideation, and other significant behavioral and mental health concerns. Proposed services include convening a COR Planning and Curriculum Committee; holding 10 collaborative office round sessions with videoconference capabilities; providing CMEs to participants; and disseminating COR materials and evidence-based practices to the wider provider community. Key project objectives are: 1) To increase primary care providers' usage of culturally-competent, evidence-based and family-centered community resources; 2) To increase participants' relationships with providers of other specialties, thus enhancing referral capabilities, effectiveness of therapies and community knowledge; and, 3) To increase participant knowledge about how to handle developmental and behavioral health issues within their practices.