WITH FOUNDATION ECHO®
Project Overview
The Center for Leadership in Disability (CLD) at Georgia State University, in partnership with Adult Disability Medical Healthcare, Inc. (ADMH), has received a $50,000 grant from the WITH Foundation to develop and implement and series of web-based trainings for primary care providers (PCPs) using the established Extension of Community Health Outcomes (ECHO®) model of training delivery. The training will educate PCPs on best practices for providing accessible, responsive, and culturally competent care to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) during pandemics and similar emergencies.
Our Approach
CLD and ADMH will develop and implement an ECHO® model training series for US-based PCPs who work with individuals with IDD. Our training will include 8 modules that address best practices for health care delivery to people with IDD during emergencies. Examples of topics that may be addressed through our training include:
- Working with families to develop an emergency preparedness plan;
- Applying universal design principles to telehealth delivery;
- Providing culturally competent care; and
- Meeting physical and mental health needs during times of crisis.
Consistent with the ECHO® model, each module will include a brief didactic component followed by a case presentation and discussion. We will also develop a one-page resource to accompany module that will be merged into a booklet for PCPs to give to their patients. Through the training content delivery and administration of informational booklets, we expect the project to benefit both PCPs and the individuals with IDD that they serve.
A component of our approach that may increase its effectiveness is that people with IDD and family members, in addition to interdisciplinary health care professionals, will serve as experts in the development and delivery of the training content and informational resources. This approach realizes the CLD’s mission and values of ensuring cultural competence in all services, understanding the positive contributions of individuals, families, and communities, and recognizing that people with IDD are the experts of their own lives.
Details
The training developed and administered by CLD and ADMH will include 8 modules and will be offered weekly from September 22nd through November 11th, 2021. Continuing Medical Education (CME) units will be offered to eligible attendees at no cost to participants. Following this training, the project team anticipates adapting and scaling the modules so that they are appropriate and informative for other key populations who care for individuals with IDD, including clinic staff, nurses, social workers, and direct support professionals.
For more information, please contact Dr. Erin Vinoski Thomas, Project Director, at [email protected]
Contact Us
Address
Center for Leadership in Disability
Urban Life Building
140 Decatur Street SE
Suite 140
Atlanta, GA 30303