Grants and Contracts Details
Description
Purpose: Preparing RElated Services Personnel for Rural Employment (PREPaRE) will help alleviate the
regional shortage of appropriately, highly qualified personnel in occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy
(PT), and speech-language pathology (SLP) who can work collaboratively in early intervention and schools
in high-poverty, rural areas, especially Appalachia. The Department of Occupational Therapy at Eastern
Kentucky University and The Divisions of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Physical Therapy in
the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Kentucky are unique in that they have a
history of interdisciplinary, interdepartmental, inter-institutional programs which have used distance
technology to educate therapists in rural areas. A research-based, graduate entry-level curriculum
consisting of specially designed enhanced, interdisciplinary course work, and fieldwork/clinical experiences
will be provided for OT, PT, and SLP scholars to serve infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities in
early intervention and schools in rural areas. All team members must be educated to provide coordinated,
research based services otherwise there will continue to be a disparity between the most appropriate
services and the services actually provided. Scholars will be evaluated on achievement of a core set of
competencies that will ensure that as graduates they become competent, autonomous, and integrated
service providers in early intervention and schools. Mentorship, support, and continued learning
opportunities will be provided for graduates as they assume positions in early intervention and schools in
rural areas where there is minimal supervision. Proposed Products: The 70 supported graduates (14/year,
4 in OT & PT and 6 in CD) of the program will pass their respective licensure examinations. OTs and SLPs
will receive a Master of Science degree and the PTs a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. Over 400
additional entry level graduate students will have available to them the enhanced program of study to
prepare them to work in early intervention or schools as will future generations of program students. Over
73% of funding is for student support.
Status | Finished |
---|---|
Effective start/end date | 8/15/13 → 8/14/14 |
Funding
- Eastern Kentucky University: $99,108.00
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