Intergrating Professionals for Appalachian Children

Transforming the health care delivery system to foster health and wellness requires practitioners and researchers embrace their responsibility for promoting community wellness. Integrating Professionals for Appalachian Children (IPAC) is a community-based rural health network that focuses on ensuring healthy development for children in rural, SE OH. Established in 2003, incorporated in 2006, our network is governed by an 15-member, independent board of directions representing primary care, education, mental health, allied health, early childhood programs and consumers from community agencies and university departments. While improving access and quality of care, IPAC has also invested in building capacity for community-based participatory research through workshops and professional mentorship. This presentation discusses HRSA-funded Building Capacity- Raising Resiliency, which demonstrates shared leadership and power. This early childhood mental health consultation program serves public preschools. The community mental health center (CMHC) partner, and public educators informed the design of the grant proposal; shared ownership eased implementation. Whereas the university PI houses the grant, the CMHC Project Director oversees its implementation and receives 65% of personnel dollars. Presenters will offer suggestions for those hoping to build community-university collaborations including (1) engage partners who are willing to be engaged, (2) share power at all stages of the project, (3) build shared understanding and trusting relationships to reduce political tensions, and (4) understand that different partners move at different paces. We will also report on how our IPAC efforts have affected the organization structure of the CMHC, and continues to yield grant resources for our community.