The Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center (RM-PHTC) is one of 10 regional Public Health Training Centers funded by Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).  The purpose of the Regional PHTC Program is to improve the nation’s health system by strengthening the technical, scientific, and managerial and leadership competencies of the current and public health workforce.  The RM-PHTC serves the six states of HHS Region VIII: Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The four legislative requirements of the PHTCs are to:

1. Establish or strengthen field placements for students.

2. Facilitate faculty and student collaborative projects

3. Designate a geographic area to be served.

4. Assess health personnel needs of the area to be served and develop trainings to meet such needs.

I have been awarded a $1,500 stipend to apply toward my practicum experience.  My practicum is directly related to three of the four legislative requirements: to establish field placement, facilitate collaborative projects and designate a geographic area to be served.  I will be working with a team of UM faculty members to perform an independent review of the Patient Centered Medical Home program in the state of Montana.  This review will be presented to the Montana state insurance commissioner to fulfill statutory requirements of the PCMH program. We will be providing an overview of the program history, completing a literature review, providing interstate comparisons of PCMH models and analyzing provider/payor data as well as including recommendations for this program.  We will be working through this summer to complete and deliver this evaluation by the end of August.  I look forward to participating in the evaluation process as well as learning about cost analysis and reporting specifications at the state level.  I believe this practicum incorporates many of the core learning targets of this MPH program especially with regards to collaboration, data collection/analysis, and reporting.  I am grateful for this award and opportunity.

Liz Rolle RDH