The Advisory Committee on Interdisciplinary,
Community-Based Linkages (the Committee)
provides advice and recommendations on
programs authorized under Title VII, Part
D of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act,
as amended. The Committee is governed
by provisions of Public law 92-463, as
amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2).
The Committee views community-based,
interdisciplinary training as the most
effective way to prepare the health care
workforce to meet the health care-related
needs of our Nation’s most vulnerable
populations including the socio-economically
disadvantaged and geographically isolated,
as well as the elderly, children, the
chronically ill, and disabled people.
Federal Title VII, Part D, Section 751
through 756 Interdisciplinary, Community-based
Training Grant Programs, hereafter referred
to as the Title VII Interdisciplinary,
Community-Based Training Grant Programs,
ensure that health care professionals
are able to address the many challenges
related to providing high-quality services
to unserved and underserved populations
and communities. The efforts of Title
VII Interdisciplinary, Community-Based
Training Grant Program grantees, as educators
and providers of ongoing training, ensure
that sufficient numbers of providers are
well qualified to meet the diverse health
care needs of our Nation.
From October 2003 to September 2004,
the Committee addressed four topics: cultural
competence and diversity; health disparities;
health workforce; and the health workforce
pipeline and faculty development. Brief
summaries of the Committee’s findings
and recommendations in these areas are
listed below.
In addition to developing recommendations
related to the four topics, the Committee
also identified cross-cutting recommendations
addressing ongoing support of the Title
VII Interdisciplinary, Community-Based
Training Grant Programs and strategies
for strengthening program efforts and
optimizing the use of resources. Specifically,
the Committee calls for:
- Reauthorization of the Title VII
Interdisciplinary, Community-Based Training
Grant Programs;
- Collaboration across Federal health
workforce-related efforts, including
those supported by the Departments of
Health, Labor, and Education, in order
to build on existing efforts, avoid
duplication of effort, and optimize
use of resources; and
- Collaboration between the Committee
and other national committees and advisory
bodies addressing the health care workforce
to promote a cross-fertilization of
ideas and a more streamlined approach
to the advisory process.
Cultural Competence
and Diversity
The Committee found that grantees, in
their role of educating and training health
care providers, play a major part in fostering
culturally relevant health promotion and
disease prevention activities targeting
diverse, unserved, underserved, vulnerable,
and disadvantaged populations. The Committee
recommends adoption of cultural and linguistic
standards and practices, collection of
relevant qualitative and quantitative
data to document and evaluate these practices,
and use of evidence-based approaches by
grantees. Funding incentives, collaborative
initiatives, and provider partnerships
are recommended as means for implementing
the strategies mentioned above.
Health Disparities
Recognition and reduction of disparate
health indicators will be enhanced by
data collected in response to specific
reporting requirements for Title VII Interdisciplinary,
Community-Based Training Grant Program
grantees. Educational and clinical experiences
provided by grantees should document the
existence of health disparities and develop
and implement interventions to reduce
their deleterious effects. The identification
and adoption of “best practices,” supported
by targeted funding, is a way for Title
VII Interdisciplinary, Community-Based
Training Grant Programs to reduce health
disparities. Linkages with other Federal
agencies, committees, and commissions
are recommended and should be encouraged
through funding increases. Use of community
health workers and patient navigators
is considered by the Committee to be a
promising and potentially cost-effective
approach to addressing health disparities
in unserved and underserved populations
and communities.
Health Workforce
Optimizing the use of information technology,
distance education, and telehealth is
recommended by the Committee. These strategies
will help to increase the diversity of
the health care workforce and improve
access to health professions training.
In addition, career ladders and health
careers awareness programs offer benefits
by increasing the availability of educational
opportunities.
Grant application processes, review,
and funding should address workforce diversity,
recruitment, and retention. Interdisciplinary
elements of education and training programs
are encouraged, with particular attention
to geriatric education. The Committee
strongly encourages the establishment
of linkages with the Departments of Labor
and Education, the National Institutes
of Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality, the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, and the Health Resources
and Services Administration (HRSA) Bureau
of Health Professions (BHPr).
Health Workforce
Pipeline and Faculty Development
The Committee recommends the identification
of successful and effective health career
program models (i.e. best practices).
The identification process would be facilitated
and enhanced by a HRSA-supported consensus
conference, with specific attention to
workforce competence, diversity, and flexibility.
Also, program support dedicated specifically
for “Kids into Health Careers” activities
that target younger children is recommended.
Expanding scholarships and training grants,
especially to health professions that
are currently not covered by such programs,
is recommended. Faculty development grants
and fellowships are recommended, with
specific language addressing geriatrics
faculty.
The Committee found that collaboration
and coordination are important strategies
in strengthening the health workforce
pipeline. Collaborative efforts among
the Departments of Health and Human Services,
Education, and Labor should be encouraged
through joint meetings, convened by the
respective Secretaries. Increased involvement
in the work of Title VII Interdisciplinary,
Community-Based Training Grant Program
grantees by professional associations
and national committees would enhance
interdisciplinary approaches to health
careers preparation.
Future Directions
In continued pursuit of its Congressional
charge, the Committee has identified and
prioritized issues warranting exploration
at future meetings. These topics include:
allied health professions; assistance
for, and costs of, health professions
education; public health and patient safety;
health literacy and healthy behaviors;
interdisciplinary teams; rural health
issues; and new visions for HRSA.
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