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Problem:
Adolescents are under-served with serious disparities; minorities have greater morbidity and mortality and less access, especially those with special health needs. Health care professionals, agencies and public health are often unprepared to provide comprehensive interdisciplinary care to youth.
Goals and Objectives:
Goal 1: Prepare health professionals to become leaders in adoelscent health
Objective 1: To annually educate 7 long-term interdisciplinary health professionals from medicine, nursing, social work, nutrition/dietetics, and psychology in an interdisciplinary perspective on adolescent health.
Objective 2: To assist (each year) at least 35 short- and intermediate-term interdisciplinary health professionals to acquire additional clinical competency in adolescent health care so that each will be better prepared to provide comprehensive care to youth and families.
Objective 3: To provide culturally competent, family-centered, interdisciplinary health care to at least 3,000 at-risk adolescents in order to meet the needs of trainees.
Goal 2: To assist local, state, regional and national programs to improve the health of adolescents and their families including Title V and X programs
Objective 1: Annually conduct/participate in regional/national interdisciplinary continuing education adolescent health program and disseminate educational materials developed by this and other training programs.
Objective 2: In collaboration with the Indiana LEND, LEPN, ITitle V, Department of Education (IDOE), private industry and Information Technology Services provide local, state and regional distance learning opportunities in adolescent health
Objective 3: Annually coordinate activities with other Region V and national programs in Leadership Education in Adolescent Health and host one meeting of the LEAH programs
Goal 3: To improve adolescent health through consultation and technical assistance
Objective 1: Annually provide consultation and technical assistance to Title V, federal agencies, professional organizations, academic programs, research and policy makers.
Goal 4: To improve adolescent health through research and scholarly activities
Objective 1: Develop rand conduct egional, national and international collaborative research to expand our understanding of adolescent health and behavior
Objective 2: Publish at least 10 scientific articles annually
Objective 3: Make at least 10 major presentations at national/international meetings annually
Methodology:
All facets of the competency-based curriculum provide trainees with 1) discipline specific role models, 2) formal instruction, 3) supervised application of new knowledge and skills, and 4) the opportunity to teach others. Trainees participate in a core curriculum that includes seminars in Leadership Education and Health Outcomes. Culturally competent, family-centered, community-based coordinated care is taught and practiced. Collaborative relationships with State Title V, state and county health and education departments, federal agencies, local and national researchers and other LEAH programs afford opportunities for leadership education in consultation and technical assistance. Collaboration with Title V, Indiana Department of Education, Indiana LEPN, LEND, and information technology and other LEAHs support an emerging web-based distance learning program in adolescent health. Integrated activities with university and community adolescent health programs provide trainees a rich clinical experience in providing culturally competent interdisciplinary care for high risk, minority, and special health care needs adolescents. The active research portfolio of LEAH faculty enhances adolescent health through dissemination of important health research findings to influence clinical care and health policy. Trainees actively participate in this research.
Coordination:
Indiana University LEAH, LEND and LEPN coordinate training, collaborate, consult and provide technical assistance activities with/to state Title V state and county health and education departments, local and national university researchers, federal agencies and other LEAH programs. Adolescents and parents serve an advisory capacity to the project as one mechanism to evaluate cultural competency and appropriateness of the program and its services.
Evaluation:
External review consists of regular evaluation by an Advisory Committee to the Riley MCH Partners, University Academic procedures and the Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics, and Deans of the Schools of Nursing, Social Work, Medicine and Science. Performance indicators are used to assist in the evaluation of the program. Progress toward achieving specific competencies is measured using time-delineated performance indicators.
Experience to Date:
The Indiana LEAH is an interdisciplinary center of excellence in leadership education, service and research in adolescent health. During this reporting period, 10 long-term, 45 medium-term and 145 short-term trainees participated representing all disciplines; 8 long-term trainees graduated. Twenty percent of the current long-term trainees and 25% of the faculty belong to under-represented minority groups. Faculty and trainees made 127 educational presentations to over 21,000 professionals, 40 presentations awarded 61 hours of CE to nearly 7,000 professionals, including 22 speech/presentations and 24 workshops/short courses. LEAH co-sponsored 2 regional/national continuing education programs. Three state-wide distance-learning programs were presented to school personnel throughout Indiana. Faculty and trainees made 46 national/international scientific presentations at meetings; published 39 scientific papers, 14 chapters/ books, and 3 distance learning sessions. Faculty and trainees participated in 677 consultation/technical assistance activities at local, regional, and national levels. LEAH faculty served on national advisory and review committees and grant review panels. Over 5,600 at-risk adolescents and their children (representing over 20,000 visits) were served by the program; 75 % were minorities and 85% relied on Medicaid, self-pay or county support for care.
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