2010 NAO Conference FAITH-BASED HEALTH CAREER INITIATIVE

1. 2010 NAO ConferenceFAITH-BASED HEALTH CAREER INITIATIVE Tavy Smalls, BS Pee Dee Area Health Education Center Health Careers Program Coordinator

2. South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium (SC AHEC) • Vision: • To be a leader in building a collaborative educational system designed to optimize the health of South Carolinians • Mission: • To achieve excellence in health care through recruitment, retention, and education • Core Values: • Excellence, Integrity, Effectiveness, Professionalism, Service, Efficiency

3. SOUTH CAROLINA REGIONAL COVERAGE

4. Four Regional AHEC Centers • Provide Three Major Services • Health Careers Program - to promote a diverse health care workforce through working with students in middle and high school • Health Professions - community-based education for undergraduate and graduate students • Continuing Education – education credits for health care professionals

5. Health Careers Program • Promotes Health Professions Careers • Increases representation of Underrepresented Minorities in the Health Care Workforce

6. Health Career Programs • High School Health Careers Academy (HCA) • Medical Academy • Nursing Academy • Dental Academy • Summer Institute • Summer Enrichment

7. Health Careers Program High School Locations • Schools associated at this time – • Horry Co. Academy for the Arts, Science, and Tech • Darlington High School • Hartsville High School • Lake City High School • Lamar High School • Lake City High School • Lee Central High School • Marlboro County High School • Mayo High School • South Florence High School • Sumter High School • Timmonsville High School • West Florence High School • Wilson High School • Central Meeting Location - McLeod Regional Medical Center - Family Medicine Building

8. List of Activities • Health Career Information • College Admissions Information • Financial Aid Information • SAT resources • Shadowing • Networking • Character-based Curriculum

9. HCA Year 1 (Freshmen) • “Stand Up!” (Character) • “Me Time!” (Planning/Time) • “Body Quotient” (Health) • “Build Bridges!” (Culture) • “Color My World!” (Diversity) • “Write On!” (Journaling) • “BodyWorks!” (Medical Terminology) • HCA / SCHA & Introduction to Medical Fields • HCA Disaster Preparedness • Community Service Goal - 5 hours

10. HCA Year 2 (Sophomores) • “Sling Ink!” (Writing Basics) • “Drill In!” (Homework/Cyber) • “Fail Forward!” (Thinking/Test-taking) • “Got Bounce?” (Resiliency) • HCA—Teens & Career Choices • Health Careers Focus Days • Community Service Goal – 10 hours

11. HCA Year 3 (Juniors) • Based on Youth Health Service Corps Curriculum • Vulnerable Populations • Ethical and Legal Issues • Applied Health Services • Cultural Competence • Health Education and Disease Prevention • Emergency Preparedness • Peer Education • Community Service Goal – 50 hours

12. HCA Year 4 (Seniors) • Anatomy and Physiology • Resumé Writing • Personal History Impact • Medical Terminology • Study Skills • Individual Capstone Project – 20 hours

13. Summer Enrichment Program • Summer Institute • 4-Day, Residential Summer Program • Comprehensive Program Involving Academic Prep, College Planning, and Career Enhancement • 2010 Institute: June 15-18 at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC

14. Duke Endowment Grant • Create a South Carolina Diversity Inventory • Establish Regional Coalitions to Increase the Number of URM Students Who Pursue Careers in Healthcare • Established regional Teach-the-Teacher Programs

15. Coalition Establishment • Higher Education Representation • Health Care Facilities • Youth-Oriented Organizations • High School Specialists • Community Organizations DIVERSITY IN THE HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE

16. Coalition Representation • Allied Technical Education Center • Dillon County Technical Center • Poynor Adult & Education Center • South Carolina Personal Pathways, SC Dept. of Education • Florence Darlington Technical College • McLeod Regional Medical Center • University of South Carolina – Sumter • Regional Education Specialists • Florence-Darlington Technical College • Florence County Career Center • Northeast Education and Business Alliance • Office of SC Congressman Clyburn

17. Coalition Parameters • Co-Chairs of Coalition • Monthly meetings • Usually work in subgroups • Conduct business as an independent organization

18. Coalition Initiatives • Marketing items • Hand Held Paper Fans with Dental Student Photo • Brochures with Coalition Information • Pens, Pencils, Stress Balls, Pill Boxes, First Aid Kits • Toolkit • Health Career Videos • Health Career Posters • Link to Virtual Career Website • Marketing Items • Faith-Based Initiative

19. Faith-Based Initiative • Coalition decided there were many ways to get information and materials to students. • Many South Carolina faith-based organizations have special forums for students. • Students are likely to attend a faith-based service on a regular basis. • Many South Carolina faith-based organizations have special personnel to coordinate programs for school-aged children.

20. Faith-Based Initiative • Formulate a list of contacts for faith-based organizations in the surrounding counties, i.e. Florence and Darlington • Create a pilot to be used for additional Pee Dee counties • Create a Faith-Based Health Career Manual to disseminate to participants • Organize a Faith-Based Initiative Event to host individuals within organizations who work with students • Cultivate interest in health careers

21. Faith-Based Event • Disseminated letters and e-mails to faith-based organizations on the prepared list • Planned to provide lunch to attending participants • Provide each participant with a manual and jump drive containing information from manual • Provide contact information for each coalition member

22. Overall Project Goals • ESTABLISH AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO EXPAND THE REACH OF HEALTH CAREER PROGRAMS TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO PURSUE CAREERS IN HEALTH, WHICH WILL IN TURN RAISE THE LEVEL OF HEALTH IN RURAL COMMUNITIES BY... • Equipping church personnel with resources and information • Providing resources to develop and facilitate academic programs • Providing information to help plan and facilitate programs designed to promote interest

23. Faith-Based Manual • Provide agenda outlining the day’s events • Cover depicting health career student turned health care professional • Table of contents outlining manual • Tabbed manual to allow for easier following during presentation

24. Health Career Fair • Provided instructions and tips for having a successful health career fair • Included letters to preceptors and speakers • Offered suggestions for organizing students and professionals • Provided follow-up materials

25. How-To-Do a College Tour Provided instructions on facilitating a trip to colleges and universities Template for contacting school representatives and faculty Guides for following up and correspondence

26. Lunch Buddy Program • Program that pairs students with preceptors for weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly meals • Allows one-on-one time between students and practicing professionals • Template for organization and design • Activities, games, health career content

27. Preparation for Students • Icebreakers for Students • Audience Manners • Instructions to Help with Preparation for Guest Speakers • Prep Questions for Students

28. Additional Resources • Websites for exploration • Additional publications • Scholarship information • Organizations that work directly with students interested in careers in health

29. Project Outcomes • Success indicators • # of churches in attendance (40) • # of attendees (85) • Evaluations (94% of evaluations thought program was relevant, excellent, and needed) • Requests for programs • Program was requested and duplicated at another church in the area • 100 people attended • Health Care Professionals attended and provided a panel discussion • Many have requested Pee Dee AHEC Coalition representation at Church Health Fairs

30. Lessons Learned • Invitations were mailed to many different churches. • Many letters returned • No RSVPs received • Part-time personnel at churches usually receive mail, therefore no responses • Difficult to know who should receive correspondence • Feedback at program confirmed that some individuals who should have received the information did not receive it

31. Lessons Learned • Various methods will be used to disseminate information to targeted groups. • Radio broadcasts were used and will be used more widely in the future. • Email blasts will be introduced. • Telephone calls will accompany mailed information. • Attendance at particular church functions increase awareness.

32. Lessons Learned • Evaluations were very informative. • Information mailed to churches was not publicized as initially thought • Pinpointing contact people within each church provided the best method to disseminate information • Information provided was excellent • Individuals in attendance were willing to share information with other churches

33. Advantages of Programs • Working with faith-based institutions provided a new avenue to encourage students to participate in health careers • Community organizations contributed to development of program and manual, which allow for pooling of resources • Individuals who have received information, have since marketed information to others • Realization of how many institutions believe that student development begins in high school • May open the door for other collaborations in the future

34. Resources Tavy D. Smalls, BS Health Careers Program Coordinator Pee Dee AHECtsmalls@mcleodhealth.org(843)777-5351