Are you a health professions student looking to set yourself apart or do you know a health professions student looking to set themselves apart? Do you want to make a difference in rural and underserved communities?

Become an AHEC Scholar! The AHEC Scholars program brings together students from multiple health disciplines, emphasizing a team-based approach to addressing health disparities. The application for the 2022-2024 cohort is now open! Apply before September 30, 2022, for consideration. 

Through this program, students will gain...

Questions? Contact Jacelyn at jlawson@jannus.org.

We are excited to partner with the Idaho Oral Health Alliance to share with you a high-need, patient-focused continuing education opportunity. Recognizing that we are all serving large patient loads while balancing our needs to stay abreast of learning to increase patient care, we are offering a virtual webinar series: Putting the Mouth Back in the Body: How Oral Health Affects Whole Patient Care. This series will be led by nationally-recognized medical and dental professionals, addressing specific topics from oral systemic issues (including cancer, diabetes, and drug interactions) to behavioral health and care throughout the lifespan. Every other month we will have a different focus on connections between oral health and whole person health. The courses will be held from 12 pm to 1 pm (MT), and each participant may earn 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 credit™ credit for attendance.

The Idaho Oral Health Alliance (IOHA), works collaboratively with oral health champions to bring optimal oral health to Idahoans through education, advocacy, and program development. One of their significant initiatives is to increase medical-dental collaboration, working with medical partners to encourage the inclusion of oral health assessment and reimbursable preventive care in medical settings. We look forward to sharing this opportunity to collectively learn how to improve patient outcomes. Part two of this eight-part series takes place next week on September 20. See below for more information. Pre-registration is required through the CloudCME portal. Register Now.

Idaho has a critical need for social workers. If you have ever thought that you would like to work in social services and help others, this might be the right time for you to enroll in an MSW Program. Come and learn about ISU's Master of Social Work Program. Please register on our webpage for an informational meeting on Wednesday, September 21 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Contact Fredi Giesler at ednagiesler@isu.edu if you have questions. Register Now.

Dana Gaudet, assistant director of enrollment and student services at ISU-Meridian received the 2022 Leadership in Collaboration Award for unique and outstanding services provided. Read More.

High school and college students from around the state are invited to Idaho State University’s Pocatello and Meridian campuses to learn about dozens of health professions programs, tour the campus, and get a flu shot at Health Science Experience Night. The event will be Tuesday, Oct. 18, 5-7:30 p.m. in Meridian, and in Pocatello, Thursday, Nov. 9, 4-8 p.m. Read More.

Dr. Melody Weaver, graduate faculty in the School of Nursing, received Idaho's 2022 NP Award for Excellence at the American Association of Nurse Practitioners annual conference in Orlando. Read More.

He rose from the faculty rank of instructor to clinical assistant professor. He has a master’s degree in public health, a master’s degree in education, and a bachelor’s degree in health science from ISU. He is also a certified paramedic who is trained in Advanced Disaster Life Support. Read More.

So she launched what’s now known as the Patient Voice Project. Read More.

Jim Yong Kim, co-founder of the global health nonprofit organization Partners in Health and former president of the World Bank Group, as well as one of TIME Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World,” spoke at the inaugural Carl and Jean Grosz Health Sciences Lecture Series on Sept. 14. The rest of the series will be held at the Morrison Center and will be free and open to the public. Tickets for the series are free, but an RSVP is required. Read More.

HRSA has engaged experts from the UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs and the Pacific Southwest Addiction Technology Transfer Center to provide an informative and exciting presentation on emerging and important issues pertaining to adolescent mental health and SUD treatment. Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) and Cultural Humility will be held Wednesday, September 28, 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET. Register Now.

AmeriCorps recently announced the next round of funding for the Public Health AmeriCorps program. The program is a groundbreaking initiative made possible through a partnership between CDC and AmeriCorps and is funded by the American Rescue Plan.

Organizations across the country interested in hosting one or more Public Health AmeriCorps members may apply for the 2023 Public Health AmeriCorps Grant. Public Health AmeriCorps members will provide support to recipient organizations and become a valuable part of our nation’s public health workforce. Learn More.

ECHO Idaho, a free, virtual continuing education platform available to all Idaho healthcare professionals, has begun recruitment for a new Quality Improvement cohort aimed at improving care for patients with chronic hepatitis C.  

The cohort is being offered as part of ECHO Idaho's ongoing Viral Hepatitis and Liver Care series, which convenes on Zoom the second and fourth Monday of every month, from noon to 1 p.m. Mountain time. The project is focused on improving care standards by developing and implementing strategies to increase screening rates for adult patients with chronic hepatitis C in Idaho. 

The first cohort meeting is September 19. Read more about ECHO Idaho's QI cohort in the ECHO Idaho Viral Hepatitis and Liver Care QI Protocol. MDs, DOs, and PAs are encouraged to register now. 

For more information about the QI cohort, MOC Part IV, and AAPA Category 1 PI-CME, and to view a complete list of ECHO Idaho's free, virtual education offerings, please visit www.uidaho.edu/echo.

Please find the series and topics we have on deck for September 2022 on our website. If you know of anyone in your network interested in attending one of our sessions, please have them register on our website.

The Idaho Department of Health & Welfare is releasing a rapid funding opportunity for community-based organizations to address COVID-19 health disparities among high-risk, underserved, and rural populations. Health and social inequities have contributed to the increased burden of COVID-19 among underserved communities and racial and ethnic minority groups, resulting in disproportionate rates of disease, disease mortality, and increased barriers to accessing testing, treatment, and vaccination. The pandemic and resulting economic crisis have also created hardships for many individuals and families who continue to struggle to make ends meet.

Funding is available through the CDC’s National Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities. Individual award amounts will vary depending on the proposed activities, proposed budget, potential impact, and number of applications received. The Department reserves the right to award amounts less than that requested by applicants.  

Completed application should be emailed in PDF format to COVIDhealthequity@DHW.idaho.gov. Applications will be accepted until Friday, September 23rd, 2022, 5:00 PM MST. Proposals will be reviewed by an internal committee and notifications of award will be anticipated by October 14, 2022.

People can call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for themselves or if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.