Dr. Abdel Bachri, Dr. Abe Tucker, Dr. Karen Landry, Dr. Antoinette Odendaal, and Dr. Daniel McDermott
The College of Science and Engineering at Southern Arkansas University is pleased to announce a no-cost extension for the “Building a Diverse Workforce to Advance Health Equity” initiative, a grant supported by the Office of Health Equity of the Arkansas Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control. With an additional $500,000, this extension will allow the project to continue its efforts to address health disparities among high-risk populations, including racial and ethnic minorities and rural communities in southwest Arkansas.
Originally scheduled to end in May 2024, the project has extended funding to continue its mission through May 2025. The additional time will enable SAU and its partners, including the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the University of Arkansas Fayetteville, to achieve further goals.
The current project aims to:
- Conduct a comprehensive population health survey of 3,000 adults residing in 17 counties in southwest Arkansas, providing a detailed picture of the social determinants of health disparities.
- Provide workforce training for nursing and pre-health students, focusing on underserved minority groups. This includes a new nursing residency program in partnership with Magnolia Regional Medical Center to address the region’s nursing shortage.
- Conduct outreach to inspire high school students, especially underserved minorities, to pursue careers in health fields.
The additional half a million dollars will allow the project to complete its final data collection and workforce training activities while continuing to strengthen partnerships with healthcare providers in the region.
“The extended time and funding for Southern Arkansas University is an investment in the future of southwest Arkansas. By understanding the root causes of health issues in our communities, we are laying the groundwork for lasting health improvements. We aim to build a healthier community from the ground up, starting with education and training for our next generation of public health and healthcare professionals.”, said Dr. Smith, director of the Office of Health Disparities Elimination at the Arkansas Department of Health.
The grant activities will be led by Dr. Abdel Bachri, dean of the College of Science and Engineering (CSE), Dr. Abe Tucker, co-principal investigator and biology department chair, and Drs. Daniel McDermott, associate professor of biology; Antoinette Odendaal, assistant dean of CSE and associate professor of biology and chemistry; and Dr. Karen Landry, chair of the nursing department, in conjunction with collaborators at UAMS and UARK. “This extension gives us a valuable opportunity to build on the success of our early efforts and continue training the next generation of healthcare professionals who will make a real impact in our communities,” said Bachri.
The “Building a Diverse Workforce to Advance Health Equity” initiative focuses on improving health equity in southwest Arkansas through student training, workforce development, and health research. By preparing a diverse group of students for health careers, the project aims to tackle the region’s critical shortage of healthcare workers while promoting health equity. This extension builds on the previous $1 million federal CDC grant, supported by ADH, for implementing a CDC initiative to address health disparities among high-risk populations, including racial and ethnic minority populations and rural communities.
