The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco

Problem:

Since the ethnic and racial diversity of California is changing, we need culturally competent nursing leaders who are experts on the health needs of underserved adolescents and young adults. This population confronts significant barriers to access culturally and linguistically appropriate health care and prevention-oriented, comprehensive, coordinated services.

Goals and Objectives:

The overall goal of this project is to train nurse leaders as clinicians, educators, and researchers to improve the physical and mental health of California’s ethnically diverse, underserved adolescents and young adults by: (1) developing an innovative, culturally competent, interdisciplinary educational program that incorporates MCH training competencies, 21 critical health objectives for adolescent and young adults as reflected in Healthy People 2010 and Bright Futures; (2) teaching an evidence-based curriculum to prepare trainees to identify the complex interplay of community, family, biologic and social factors that affect adolescent and young adults’ physical and mental health and to provide coordinated services addressing the multiple determinants of positive health behaviors; (3) providing interdisciplinary clinical opportunities in underserved, low-income, diverse communities; (4) developing research questions to address the health needs of adolescent and young adult populations; (5) promoting an environment which supports MCH agencies, community groups, and staff to improve the social, emotional, and physical environment for adolescents and young adults in California. Activities Undertaken to meet Project Goals: The project will offer nursing Master’s (Pediatric and Family Nurse Practitioners) and Doctoral students didactic and clinical/ practicum specialty training in adolescent and young adult health care with a positive youth development perspective. Two online continuing education programs will be developed and interdisciplinary conferences will be organized. New collaborative partners will be established, community clinical placements, consultation and technical assistance to MCH nurses and agencies with a focus on underserved adolescents and young adults. HP 2010 Objectives: The project’s curriculum includes the 21 critical health objectives for adolescents and young adults, including mortality, unintentional injury, violence, substance use, mental health, reproductive health and prevention of adult chronic diseases.

Coordination:

This nursing project will coordinate mentoring, recruitment and retention programs, continuing education programs, dissemination, and technical assistance activities with UCSF’s Division of Adolescent Medicine’s Leadership Education in Adolescent Health project, Institute for Health Policy Studies, School of Dentistry, California’s Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program, and UC, Berkeley’s Maternal and Child Health program.

Evaluation:

Courses and clinical/research experiences are evaluated quarterly using standardized UCSF Evaluation Forms. A Project Tracking Form will be developed to track trainees’ training hours, clinical experiences, and research residencies. Annual graduate surveys will be conducted to track employment, competence, leadership and future curricular needs.