PROBLEM
The two major goals of Healthy People 2010, i.e., to “eliminate health disparities” and of the MCH Bureau Strategic Plan of 1998-2003, i.e., to assure the highest quality of care for the nation’s MCH population, are greatly relevant to the U.S. Associated Pacific Islands (USAPI) jurisdictions. For most of the jurisdictions, MCH programs are the primary (or only) provider of basic MCH services. In addition, these Programs also often take the lead in providing family planning and oral health services, physical examinations for school children, education and counseling to prevent teenage suicide, and similar services. Though some enabling and population-based services are also provided, there is very little efforts towards building the infrastructure required to assure that MCH services are provided within the context of a system of services that is family centered, community-based, comprehensive, preventive, and culturally appropriate. Specific staff training needs that have been identified include: 1) management skills; 2) skills related to data and information systems; 3) skills in developing systems of care to assure that the comprehensive continuum of services are available and accessible.
GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Goal: To enhance the ability of the MCH Program Coordinators in the USAPI jurisdictions to provide coordinated, culturally appropriate, high quality prenatal care services to their MCH populations.
• Objective 1: By the end of the first year workshop, participants will have enhanced understanding of: (1) the concept of systems of care, (2) needed content of prenatal care services, (3) the definitions, rationales, and development of policies and procedures for standards of prenatal care, (4) barriers to implementing a prenatal system of care.
• Objective 2: By the end of the second year workshop, participants will have enhanced understanding of: (1) the need for and important considerations in staff training related to implementing policies and procedures, (2) the role of data in order to monitor implementation and assess any needs for modification of policies and procedures, (3) means for data collection, and (4) new/old barriers arisen when starting to implement policies and procedures for a prenatal system of care in their own jurisdictions
• Objective 3: By the end of the third year workshop, participants will have enhanced understanding of: (1) the necessary collaboration between public health and medicine in implementing a prenatal system of care, (2) the need to establish linkages and collaborate with other public health programs and community agencies/groups, and (3) the role of data and the components of a prenatal care data system for monitoring and evaluating prenatal care services.
METHODOLOGY
A sequence of three yearly workshops will be offered. They will address the health implications of prenatal care for both mother and infant, the steps and component of a prenatal care program, and building of a coherent system of care that will offer comprehensive and high quality services to all pregnant women and infants of each jurisdiction. Forty hours of training will be offered over the period of one-week, on site in Honolulu. Information will be provided through lectures and group discussions, with substantial time devoted to small group work. Introductory and theoretical presentation will be provided by the faculty, while practical application will be discussed and shared by both, MCH professionals from American Samoa and the FSM (who have begun the process of developing a system of care for PNC services) and the state of Hawai’i Title V program. During the months between the workshops, faculty will follow-up and assist participants in the implementation of workshop products through videoconferencing, telephone, and email.
COORDINATION
The primary target audience for the workshops consists of the MCH Program Coordinators in the six USAPI jurisdictions as well as the four FSM State Coordinators. In addition, we will invite the participation of the medical officer (MO) who provides medical services in the MCH clinic in each of the jurisdictions for the third year workshop. The medical officer’s presence will contribute to a better understanding of the inter-relationship of the clinical and public health aspects of PNC and will facilitate the building of a system of care in each jurisdiction. Invitation will be sent to Directors and Ministers of Health to send coordinators of other programs relevant to the building of a prenatal system of care (for example, women’s health and family planning, immunization, health education).
EVALUATION
The main component of the evaluation will be: 1) the product developed by each participant at the end of each workshop, and 2) the report from each participant on the implementation of the plan developed the previous year.
ANNOTATION
The main purpose of this proposal is to improve the managerial skills of MCH professionals in the USAPI to provide high quality PNC services to their populations.
KEYWORDS
Training, System of PNC, U.S. Associated Pacific Islands; continuing education
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