Funded Projects

Problem:

There is a national shortage of skilled health professionals to care for and increase knowledge about children with a wide range of developmental and behavioral (DB) health challenges, particularly for children from underserved communities.

Goals and Objectives:

Goal 1 Objective 1: Train 6 RFK DBP fellows and 2 RFK DBP Mini-Fellow Long-Term Trainees (LTTs) (1 primary care mini-fellow 1 specialty discipline mini-fellow) per year, in a high-quality interdisciplinary (ID) graduate level program that prepares them for leadership roles in DBP as teachers, investigators, and clinicians. Goal 2 Objective 1: Train ~ 650 Short-Term (ST) and 66 Medium-Term (MT) trainees per year including residents from 3 pediatric residency programs; child and adolescent psychiatry fellows; family medicine, neurology, pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation residents; medical students, and allied health professionals to recognize and manage DB health issues, emphasizing integration of services supported by local communities, regional organizations, and public and private providers. Goal 2 Objective 2: Provide > 200 practicing providers per year with continuing education (CE) on the recognition and management of autism/developmental disabilities (DD) and behavioral health concerns, including emerging DB health issues. Goal 2 Objective 3: Provide at least 10 technical assistance (TA) activities per year to local, state, and national programs and agencies to improve the systems of care for children and families who may have DB health issues and reduce inequities in the delivery of their services. Goal 2 Objective 4: Design and implement 2 activities per year, involving LTT's and partner organizations, to increase equitable access to DB health care services in underserved areas. Goals 2 Objective 5: Ensure at least 30% of MT/LT trainees and 50% of ST trainees are from diverse backgrounds, including those from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups (URG). Goal 2 Objective 6: Continue to engage AECOM faculty from 15 core disciplines, family members and self-advocates who have lived experience with autism/DD, to participate in ID training, teaching, and mentorship. Goal 2 Objective 7: Engage with the national network of DBP programs to foster collaboration, coordinate program efforts, conduct and disseminate research for the field, and provide peer mentorship opportunities.

Methodology:

We will build on our record of preparing leaders with competencies to meet each goal through an extensive set of didactics, clinical, scholarly, and community experiences. We emphasize ID collaboration and family partnership, using a public health approach. We stress awareness of life course implications of biopsychosocial issues in the care of children, including those with autism/DDs. Training takes place in a culturally and linguistically diverse environment.

Coordination:

We will engage in activities with national, regional, state and/or local health agencies and/or organizations in the area(s) served by the project, including Title V primary care programs, and NYC and NYS Depts of Health.

Evaluation:

We follow quantitative performance measures and qualitative feedback based on our goals and objectives, to allow trainees and faculty to self-assess and implement changes, facilitating ongoing modification of systems and methods.