COVID-19: FY23 CTAC Grant

Scope of Work UK CTAC shall provide a multi-tiered approach to support the mental health needs of the healthcare and education workforces and families of K-12 students. The federally funded KY Emergency COVID-19 grant project is from August 1, 2022 through May 31, 2023. Universal messaging to healthcare organizations (physical and mental health) shall be provided via fifteen (15) short topic-specific podcasts to support workforce resiliency targeted to state professional organizations and licensure boards that represent the health/behavioral health workforce of Kentucky (e.g. Kentucky Psychiatric Medical Association, Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure, Kentucky Medical Association, Kentucky Hospital Association, Kentucky Nursing Association, etc.). The final targeted list of organizations will be finalized based on the discussions with the Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (DBHDID). An additional fifteen (15) short topic-specific podcasts will be developed and posted for caregivers and parents, of which 20% will be accessible in Spanish. The goal of this approach shall be to disseminate messaging that: 1. normalizes and validates biopsychological responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent mitigation efforts, and 2. provides tools for individuals and organizations which can use to build resiliency and promote positive coping. 2. Tier 2: UK CTAC shall use assessment strategies and the Project ECHO framework (https:// echo.unm.edu/) to deliver targeted technical assistance to healthcare organizations to support workplace resiliency (those with positive COVID-19 cases and those working with the highest risk organizations). A series of five (5), COVID 19 Wellness and Resiliency ECHO Sessions for health/behavioral health professionals and five (5), for school personnel will be conducted during the project period. Project ECHO is an evidence based collaborative model of education and care management that empowers health and behavioral healthcare professionals to use evidence and expert mentoring, in this case, to assist organizational leaders in improving the wellness and resiliency of their staff. The ECHO model uses tele-mentoring model of learning and skill acquisition to improve access to the specialty-focused expertise needed to address difficult and complex conditions such as COVID-19. The goal of this approach is to tailor technical assistance to organization need and use evidence-based strategies to deliver these services in a manner that enhances knowledge and skill of how to promote wellness and resiliency in healthcare professions, while considering the current pandemic context. The project ECHO model has the benefit of facilitating generalized learning across potential application so that technical assistance can be sustained beyond the learning encounter. 3. Tier 3: UK CTAC shall provide focused linkages to resources to address distress, burnout or secondary traumatic stress via a Wellness and Resiliency Resource Center for individual healthcare workers with identified need. Healthcare workers would be directed to this resource center via the podcasts, direct messaging to all Tier 1 and 2 organizations, and during all ECHO sessions as well as any other channels recommended by DBHDID. The goal of this approach is to provide targeted services and supports to individual healthcare workers who are experiencing generalized stress, burnout, secondary traumatic stress or moral distress by increasing awareness of available crisis line and counseling resources available in the community, based on screening to determine individualized need.