EDUCATION

Project #9:      Addressing the Nursing Shortage in the Delta

Project Type:   Education       
Lead Agency:  Delta State University, School of Nursing
Principal Investigator:   Lizabeth Carlson

  • Increase recruitment/retention efforts
  • Provide scholarships and loans, in return receiving practice commitments
  • Increase number of nursing facilities and provide equipment for nursing laboratories
  • Expand classroom capacity and increase capital improvement investment in the Delta


The Addressing the Delta Nursing Shortage Project was developed two years ago in direct response to a critical need for a higher quantity and higher quality of nursing graduates serving the Delta region. This collaborative relationship aims to (1) expand recruitment/retention efforts, (2) provide scholarships and loans, (3) reduce attrition and graduation rates, (4) increase nursing faculty, and (5) make capital improvements. In the fall 2008 semester the Delta State University School of Nursing experienced a 59% increase in qualified applicants. The retention rate for nursing students increased from 50% in 2006 to 80% in 2008. The community impact of this project is educational opportunities, funding, and employment security that will increase the quality of care for Delta communities.

Project #19:    HealthCare Workforce Initiative: High School Nursing Program

Project Type: Education
Lead Agency:  Mississippi Hospital Association
Principle Investigator: Mendal Kemp

  • Increase the number of nurses practicing in the MS Delta
  • Provide career incentives
  • Provide practical training

The HealthCare Workforce Initiative aims to increase the number of nurses practicing in the Mississippi Delta region. Outcomes will include 40 extern positions for summer 2009, 90% of student externs will complete an 8 week extern course and receive college credit, 60% of nurses will seek employment in the facility they completed the externship, and to expand the clinical placement program. The community impact of this project is educational advancements and employment opportunities that will increase the quality of care for Delta communities.

Project #21:    Addressing the Teaching Shortage in the Delta

Project Type:   Education
Lead Agency:  Delta State University, College of Education
Principal Investigator: Ann Webster

  • Foster stronger leadership in schools and communities
  • Establish scholarships
  • Create the presence of caring, capable teachers

The College of Education at Delta State University aims to foster leadership development in Delta schools and communities while establishing the presence of caring, capable teachers who can impact life choices. The outcome will be high quality leadership for Delta area schools/communities and scholarships/support for the recruitment, training, and retention high quality teachers for Delta schools. The impact of this project would be sustainability of excellent teachers in a highly underserved area while providing Delta children with scholastic skills.

Project #23:    Enhancing the Workforce Through Technology Training

Project Type:   Education
Lead Agency:  Mississippi Delta Community College, CAPPS Center
Principal Investigator: Perry Jenkins

  • Deliver basic, advanced, and customized skills based on client demand
  • Develop two labs to provide computer training
  • Targets the chronically under-and-unemployed

 

The Capps Center aims to continue to make delivery of work skills and enhanced/advanced technical training more available to Delta workers and area industries, and to increase the number of under skilled/unskilled/unemployed workers trained. The Capps Center specifically focuses on improving skills of healthcare workers, both professional and staff, to improving competencies, satisfaction, retention, and performance. Outcomes include pre-employment education and certification training to 20 new workers within the period of the program, training to 125 existing employees of small businesses, healthcare clinics, and companies; identify training needs specific to the healthcare industry; monthly healthcare-specific training sessions; customized training sessions for home health agencies and home nurses. The community impact of this program will be a stronger economy, a higher-skilled workforce and more financial stability for Delta families.

Project #26:    Imagination Library and MIOW

Project Type:   Access / Education
Lead Agency:  Mississippi Valley State University
Principal Investigator:  Eunice Bray

  • Utilizes student readers and provide books to students
  • Aimed at young families with infants and small children
  • Provids new parents with information and training needed to navigate their local healthcare systems

 

The Health Literacy program represents a collaboration between MVSU and the DHA to target one of the most critical needs in the Delta- children’s health and wellness. The project aims to (1) expand DHA’s Maternal Infant Health Outreach Worker program to improve access to appropriate health services for low-income families with young children and (2) expand the Imagination Library program to foster reading to young children. The project expects to have 2,000 children enrolled by the end of the 2008 grant cycle with 100 families participating in MIHOW services. The community impact will be a significant increase in children entering school with the literacy skills needed for future development, and more families of young children that are linked to appropriate services and programs that foster early development.

Project #32:    Delta Early Learning Program (DELP)

Project Type:   Education
Lead Agency:  Mississippi State University
Principal Investigator: Cathy Grace

  • Address the targeted areas of young children’s health development and mental health
  • Offers programs and services to parents, ensuring the healthy development of their children
  • Address the need for high quality early childhood education programs

 

The Delta Early Learning Project (DELP) is designed to address the targeted areas of young children’s health development and mental health in Indianola, MS (Sunflower County).  This project will: (1) implement a MIHOW Program to increase access to care for families of young children; (2) implement a Baby College Program to foster early childhood development; (3) implement a Delta Promise School to facilitate the transition to kindergarten; and (4) conduct a feasibility study for the purposes of expansion of the DELP components. The community impact will be families with young children receiving appropriate care in a timely fashion with children who are given the tools and skills needed for early success in school.

Project #33:    Delta Infant Mortality Elimination (DIME)

Project Type:   Education
Lead Agency:  Mississippi State Department of Health
Principal Investigator:  Daniel R. Bender

  • Reduce infant mortality in the Delta
  • Target ongoing gaps in comprehensive women’s and infants’ health services
  • Increase efficiency and utilization of available healthcare services for women and infants
  • Enhance knowledge and skills of healthcare consumers and providers in the Delta

 

The Delta Infant Mortality Elimination (DIME) project will target ongoing gaps in comprehensive women’s and infants’ health services in the 18 counties of the Delta Health Alliance initiative.  The purpose of this project is to reduce infant mortality through linking high-risk mothers to prenatal care and providing training and support for consumers and providers in the Mississippi Delta.  The community impact of this program will increase maternal health and decrease the risk of infant mortality in the Delta.

Project #34:    D.A.R.E. to Take Charge of the Delta

Project Type:   Education
Lead Agency:  Delta Council
Principal Investigator:  Frank Howell

  • Reduce crime and violence among adolescents
  • Improve health and increase educational opportunities for our youth
  • Strengthen the foundation required for strong economic development in the Delta region


The Delta Council is an area economic development organization that will work with area sheriff offices and schools to implement the nationally recognized DARE model for the prevention of drug abuse and crime in 14 counties of the Delta that do not currently provide programs of this nature.  The community impact will be reduced crime, reduced violence among adolescents, improved health, and increased educational opportunities for our youth, strengthening the foundation required for strong economic development in our region.

Project #39:    Continuing Medical Education in the Delta

Project Type: Education
Lead Agency:  University of Mississippi Medical Center
Principle Investigator:  TBA

  • Provide two continuing education programs co-sponsored by the Department of Medicine at UMMC and the Delta Health Alliance
  • Promote health science research

The Continuing Medical Education in the Delta project will provide two continuing education programs co-sponsored by the Department of Medicine at UMMC and the Delta Health Alliance. There are two (2) specific goals for the Continuing Medical Education project: (1) Plan, coordinate, and implement a continuing education program for the Department of Medicine’s annual Internal Medicine Update; (2) plan and coordinate the annual Department of Medicine’s Research Day in conjunction with the Department’s Research Council.