Funded Projects

Problem:

The challenges faced by mothers and children in Alabama are complex, persistent, and on the rise with multiple burdens relating to nutrition, and long-term health. Improving access and delivery of nutrition care to this vulnerable population on multiple fronts (i.e., in the hospital, the clinic and the community) is essential to improve population health. Shifting demographics, as well as a growing population of children and youth with special health care needs, intensifies the need for nutrition professionals trained in corresponding competencies. Providing community-tailored interdisciplinary, culturally-competent leadership experiences in maternal child health (MCH) and nutrition to the next generation practitioner will be a core component of this training program.

Goals and Objectives:

The UAB LEMCHN Training Program's overarching objective is to leverage the considerable resources available within UAB as well as locally and regionally to enhance the health and well-being of women and children across the life course by increasing the workforce of trained nutrition professionals able to address current and emerging MCH workforce needs through practice, academics and policy. This objective will be accomplished via the following goals. Goal 1:Provide team-centered inter-disciplinary graduate public health nutrition training focused on MCH; Goal 2: Create opportunities for continuing education (CE), consultation and technical assistance (TA) working in collaboration with State Title V and other MCH programs; Goal 3: Pursue evidence-based application to nutrition practice through implementing a research-focused approach to healthcare delivery/nutrition care process; and Goal 4: Provide exemplary clinical care services in environments that are family-centered, community-based, and ethnically- and culturally- competent.

Methodology:

The UAB Nutrition Training Program curriculum incorporates biological, developmental, psychosocial, economic and environmental issues that foster development of leadership attributes in trainees while improving MCH services. The curriculum utilizes the Life Course Framework of building on protective factors and critical periods of life. Faculty and trainees develop, implement, and evaluate an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) to meet objectives and program goals. HP 2020 OBJECTIVES: UAB Nutrition Training Program addresses: Prevention of Chronic Disease (NWS10-13, NWS16-20), MCH (MICH30, MICH31), Adolescent Health: (AH1), Healthy Development: (DH5), Environmental and Community-Based Programs (ECBP1) Mental Health: (MHMD6), Public Health Infrastructure: (PHI15)

Coordination:

Alabama MCH Network, State Title V agencies, Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center

Evaluation:

The evaluation uses both process and project outcome measures to evaluate and track the project goals and objectives across all program components including progress on PM and quality of care. CE and TA are evaluated by participants, with advisory boards feedback. Trainees are assessed at 2, 5, 10 years after training to document leadership experience. ANNOTATION: The primary purpose of the UAB Nutrition Training Program is to train the next generation of health providers to reduce the MCH disparities in the south. This program utilizes a comprehensive curriculum that includes didactic, clinical, public health, advocacy/policy and research to train graduate trainees and in clinical and public health nutrition. The UAB Nutrition Training Program is actively involved with MCH and Title V groups throughout the state/region; provides CE and TA; and involves MCH populations in all program areas.