ARPA Grant and Integrated Care
The UNMC College of Nursing was awarded an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant totaling nearly $500,000 over three years to implement the Immersive Interprofessional Integrated Care Training Project.
Through this project, the existing primary care clinic at the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) Student Health Center was expanded to serve as an interprofessional integrated care training hub. The program provided training opportunities for family nurse practitioners, psychiatric advanced practice providers (APRNs and PAs), primary care, internal medicine, and psychiatry medical residents, behavioral health providers, and other members of the healthcare team. The initiative strengthened Nebraska's integrated behavioral health workforce while expanding access to comprehensive mental health services for UNK students through team-based, integrated care.
The project supported two primary training pathways. The first focused on interprofessional trainees seeking education and experience in integrated care, including graduate and postgraduate family nurse practitioners, physician assistants, medical residents, medical students, and behavioral health providers. The second pathway provided advanced integrated care training for postgraduate psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners.
Project Outcomes
The project successfully:
- Established a fully functioning integrated behavioral health clinic within the UNK Student Health Center.
- Improved access to timely, evidence-based mental health services for students through coordinated screening, triage, consultation, and treatment within primary care.
- Increased the knowledge, confidence, and capacity of primary care and behavioral health providers to assess, treat, and manage common mental health conditions using an integrated care model.
- Developed an experienced interprofessional integrated care team that served as clinicians, educators, mentors, and trainers for students, residents, and advanced practice providers.
- Prepared an interprofessional workforce with foundational knowledge, practical skills, and experience implementing integrated behavioral health in real-world clinical settings, supporting the future expansion of integrated care throughout Nebraska.
Access Free Integrated Care Training and Psychiatric focused content for the primary care environment at Integrated Care Training for inter-professionals website. Just Register and Start your Journey!
Integrated Care Citations:
Emerson, M. R. (2019). Implementing a Hybrid-Collaborative Care Model: Practical Considerations for Nurse Practitioners. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 1-6.
Kinnan, S., Emerson, M. R., Kern, J., & Ratzliff, A. (2019). How a Health Center Eliminated the Waiting List for Psychiatric Services. Psychiatric Services, 70(12), 1176-1179.
Emerson, M.R., Huber, M., Mathews, T., Kupzyk, K., Walsh, M., & Walker, J. (2023). Improving Integrated Mental Health Care Through an Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioner Led Program: Challenges and Successes. Public Health Reports.138(1) Supplement of Public Health Reports
Mathews, T., Burge, S., Reed, J. Emerson, M.R., & Kupzyk. (Accepted for publication 4/2024). Interprofessional Education Simulation Project Using the Collaborative Care Model in Integrated Behavioral Health Care. Educational Innovation.
ARPA Citations: one in review
UNK Student Health Integrated Program Established in 2022. Below is a promotional flyer outlining this service line.