University of Iowa

Problem:

Cultivation and development of new leaders is necessary to develop quality health care services available to all, regardless of income, ethnic background or geographic location. Children with neurodevelopmental disabilities are at particular risk because of their multiple and complex needs.

Goals and Objectives:

Goal 1: Develop leadership skills and clinical competence in trainees to improve systems of care for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families. Objective 1: Prepare trainees to be competent in all clinical domains of interdisciplinary care of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities as outlined in the clinical curriculum for each discipline, within the designated training period. Objective 2: Facilitate the development of leadership abilities in trainees in the design and implementation of effective, family-centered, culturally competent, community-based and integrated systems of health care outlined in the Interdisciplinary Leadership Core Curriculum Objective 3: Evaluate the knowledge, skills, and practice of leadership by trainees in the field of health and related services for children with special health needs, at the beginning, middle and upon completion of their training Goal 2: Improve health outcomes for children with special health care needs and their families by building the capacity of state and community health systems Objective 1: Provide at least six needs-based and collaborative continuing education and development programs each year, employing a range of appropriate formats, including a track at Iowa's Maternal and Child Health Conference. Objective 2: Provide at least 35 public health technical assistance consultations each year to professionals, policy makers, and parents to improve direct health, enabling, population-based, and infrastructure building services at the state and community levels. Objective 3: Develop and disseminate at least 10 new curricular materials, technical models and other education resources and references each year in response to research findings and developments in the field of maternal and child health.

Methodology:

Graduate level trainees and fellows will be recruited from eleven core disciplines. Individualized Training Plans (ITPs) will be designed and implemented that draw on the resources and activities of the ILEND disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Leadership Core Curriculum. Trainees will participate in a variety of academic seminars, clinical training, and practica of many types (including observations, case coordination, agency needs assessments, research, and program planning/policy analysis), many of which occur in community rural settings—with an emphasis on Title V community programs. Trainees and fellows will learn leadership skills through mentoring relationships with core faculty who are themselves involved in systems improvement initiatives. ILEND faculty and staff will also be engaged in a wide range of continuing education and technical assistance activities that build the capacity of Iowa’s health care systems to support children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families. Activities will range from consultation on improving early intervention programs for infants and toddlers to helping Iowa’s Disability Determination Service refine their process for assessing adaptive functioning in children with possible disabilities.

Coordination:

The ILEND Project is a collaborative effort of the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Medicine, The Carver College of Medicine, and the Center for Disabilities and Development, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, in close association with the Child Health Specialty Clinics (CHSC), Iowa’s Title V program for children with special health care needs. Iowa’s Title V Advisory Committee will provide recommendations regarding the curriculum and project implementation.

Evaluation:

The effectiveness of the program will be assessed in terms of the changes in trainee’s clinical skills and leadership abilities related to improving health care systems serving children with special health care needs. Evaluation methods include pre and post tests to assess learning for family centered care, leadership competencies and cultural competence, as well as an objective web exam administered at the beginning and end of the program.

Experience to Date:

LEND Trainees have participated in a variety of Leadership activities and projects this year. Trainees helped plan and conduct two Midwest LEND Consortium activities with South Dakota and Nebraska; one of the activities was on-site at Nebraska and focused on Leadership. The second activity focused on legislative/policy issues with Kim Musheno from AUCD and utilized the IP video conferencing to link Kim with the three programs. Other legislative/policy activities included meeting with state legislators, completing individual assignments to familiarize themselves with the Iowa political system, learning how to be an effective advocate and learning about the process used in passing new legislation. All trainees participated in Systems Improvement activities this year, working in tandem with LEND Training Directors and state agencies, in improving services for children and families in Iowa. Parents as Mentors (PAM) was an integral part of the program during the year. Each trainee was assigned a family and met with these families in their homes, at school conferences, medical appointments and other related activities. Trainees participated in 60+ hours of didactic seminars, covering topics related to Leadership and Interdisciplinary clinical work. Cultural Competence information and activities were interwoven into clinical work, the PAM program and into the noon seminar discussions. Trainees also took part in a number of cultural activities in Iowa City and nearby communities.