An Interprofessional Education Workforce Development Program in a Rural State

Abstract

Purpose: There are unique challenges to healthcare delivery in the state of Montana with most of the population residing in rural areas and a shortage of behavioral health providers. Integrating behavioral health (IBH) providers into primary care settings is shown to improve behavioral health outcomes. Workforce development strategies aim to address rural health disparities by training graduate behavioral health students in IBH. The main objective of our program was to expand the behavioral health workforce serving rural, vulnerable, and medically underserved populations in Montana through enhanced didactic and experiential training in IBH models.

Method: Graduate students (psychiatric/mental health Doctor of Nursing Practice), masters of social work, masters in counseling education, and PhD clinical psychology) were placed at IBH clinical sites and received didactic and in-clinic interprofessional training. Level of integration and student experiences were assessed.

Findings: Sixty-five students completed the program. On average, sites had close collaboration between behavioral health and primary care providers. A total of 65% of clinical sites were used all four years of the program. Post-program responses indicate that alumni feel more effective in their current position because of the program, most respondents serve rural residents, and many respondents practice IBH.

Conclusions: A model of training the future workforce using experiential interprofessional learning may improve IBH in rural states.

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.14574/ojrnhc.v24i2.765