TI-17-013 Individual Grant Awards 2017

Abstract Morehouse School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (DPBS) and the Cork Institute on Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders in the (DPBS), propose to serve as the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Center for Excellence (HBCU-CFE) in Behavioral Health. The goals of HBCU-CFE include promoting student behavioral health to positively impact student retention, expanding behavioral health service capacity on HBCU campuses, enhancing culturally-appropriate behavioral health programs, facilitating best practices and behavioral health workforce development. We will utilize innovative strategies and technologies including social media to engage the HBCU network. We will also collaborate with multiple partners to advance the HBCU-CFE goals. The HBCU-CFE will target all 105 HBCUs. Approximately 300,000 students are enrolled at HBCU institutions and the racial/ethnic breakdown is 82% black, 13% white non-Hispanic, 2% Hispanic, 0.8% Asian Pacific Islander, 0.2% American-Indian/Alaskan Native and 2% non-resident alien. We will provide ongoing technical assistance and on-site and distance learning opportunities. The HBCU-CFE will support up to 30 behavioral health capacity expansion sub-award projects annually on HBCU campuses, with a focus on behavioral health promotion activities and internship opportunities at behavioral health sites. The HBCU-CFE will also serve as a liaison to SAMHSA’s Dr. Lonnie E. Mitchell Behavioral Health Policy Academy, providing HBCU teams and strategic planning. We propose a total number of 8,300 participants will be served year one through 25 training/technical assistance events with total of 3,800 participants, and 30 capacity expansion academic/ campus programming projects with 4,500 participants. Indirectly this number will triple based on communication campaigns to include, social media sites, websites and newsletters. Measurable objectives will include number of internships, number of student, faculty and staff trained, number of peer educators and number of students referred for services. Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) is a historically black institution and a community medical school whose mission is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of individuals and communities; increasing the diversity of the health professional and scientific workforce and addressing primary health-care needs through programs in education, research and service, with an emphasis on people of color and the underserved urban and rural populations in Georgia and the nation. MSM will build upon the accomplishments of the HBCU-Center for Excellence in Behavioral Health, currently located at Morehouse School of Medicine and will mobilize resources to support sustainability of the HBCU-CFE.