Institute for Education in Healthcare

Institute for Education in Healthcare

Through the Institute for Education in Healthcare, Rhode Island College intends to become a regional model for training current and future healthcare professionals. The partnership is focused on collaborative, interdisciplinary, patient-centered methods of care delivery that have a strong potential for improving health outcomes and reducing costs for all Rhode Islanders.

The institute plans to serve state and regional students, practitioners, healthcare organizations and consumers by:

Providing cross-disciplinary, interprofessional education and learning.
Facilitating collaborative programming with other institutions, businesses and stakeholders in the healthcare community.
Expanding opportunities for internal collaboration among RIC students, faculty and administrators in healthcare administration, nursing, social work, community health and wellness, psychology and outreach programs.
Developing and evaluating pilot programs in health and healthcare training and practice, while fostering innovative thinking and collaborations in integrated models of care delivery.
Convening healthcare, community and public health representatives, as well as employers, policymakers, funders and consumer representatives, in order to identify the workforce needs of area employers and address them with targeted and informed healthcare training programs.

As a public, comprehensive college with a long tradition of educating and training the state’s workforce, RIC is uniquely positioned to partner with the state’s healthcare industry in developing, educating and training the healthcare workforce of tomorrow.

RIC’s more than 30 health-related programs encompass undergraduate and graduate-level programs in nursing, social work and other fields, as well as certificate programs for entry-level paraprofessionals.

Education in Healthcare

School of Business
Zvart Onanian School of Nursing
School of Social Work
Office of Sponsored Programs
Office of Professional Studies and Continuing Education
Heath Care Administration Program
Community Health and Wellness Program
Health Sciences Programs
Chemical Dependency/Addiction Studies Program
Center for Addiction and Behavioral Health Studies

Partnering with Rhode Island College offers providers and professionals valuable benefits:

Opportunities to participate in valuable research.
State-of-the-art education and training for professionals and paraprofessionals.
Collaboration with an academic institution as well as other area healthcare professionals.
Potential programming in quality management, customer service, cultural diversity, team work and program evaluation.

Building Partnerships to Strengthen the Healthcare Workforce in RI

Certificate of Continuing Study (CCS) Health Training Programs

Behavioral Health for Paraprofessionals | Behavioral Health Training

Courses: CONT: CCS in Behavioral Health Training and CONT:CCS in Behavioral Health Training for Paraprofessionals

Course Description

The CCS in Behavioral Health Training consists of five modules and a total of 30 instructional hours. Training will introduce entry-level frontline staff to behavioral health concepts, professional communication, common disorders and a variety of contexts in which behavioral health vulnerabilities may occur. The overall goal of this training is to provide front line staff people with a useful awareness of behavioral health that will inform their approach to their work responsibilities within healthcare contexts. Frontline workers may include: medical assistants, CNAs, community health workers and other office staff working in hospitals, long term care organizations, home health agencies, residential settings, physician office practices and other outpatient settings.

Course Outline

Total Continuing Education Units*: 3.0 CEU (30 Contact Hours)
(*Students must complete all 5 modules.)

Course Modules	CEU	Contact HRS
CONT 080: Introduction to Behavioral Health & Integrated Care	0.9	9
CONT 081: Disorders: Signs & Symptoms	0.5	5
CONT 082: Professional Communication	0.5	5
CONT 083: Culture & Context Awareness	0.5	5
CONT 084: Application & Integration	0.6	6
TOTAL	3.0	30

Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes Management for Community Health Workers

Course Description

The CCS in Community Health Worker: Cardiovascular-Diabetes Management is designed to build knowledge and skills in the core competency areas established by the RI Certification Board RICB and RIDOH. The competency areas are applicable to the roles of CHWs across the full health care workforce. This specialization course will provide supplemental training for certified CHWs. The RIDOH funded the development of a specialized Community Health Work training on cardiovascular disease and diabetes management and the course is approved by the RI Certification Board (RICB) as a certificate program for Community Health Workers (CHW).

Course Outline

Total Continuing Education Units*: 4.5 CEU (45 Contact Hours)
(*Students must complete all modules for this course)

Course Modules**	CEU	Contact HRS
Orientation Module	.2	2
Module 1: Stroke	.4	4
Module 2: Heart Attack	.4	4
Module 3: Heart Failure	.4	4
Module 4: Atrial Fibrillation	.4	4
Module 5: High Blood Pressure	.4	4
Module 6: High Blood Cholesterol	.4	4
Module 7: Pre-Diabetes and Diabetes	.4	4
Module 8: Healthy Eating and Weight Control	.3	3
Module 9: Patient Driven Health Care	.3	3
Module 10: Mental Health and Wellness	.3	3
Final Presentation – Transfer of Knowledge Demonstration	.3	3
Final Presentation – Transfer of Knowledge Demonstration	.3	3
TOTAL	4.5	45

Foundations in Community Health Worker (CHW) Training

Course Description

The CHW program includes 12 modules, each aligned with a set of competencies defined by the Department of Health and inclusive of a behavioral health module adapted to the CHW role. This training is a generalist model intended to prepare participants for entry-level CHW positions in healthcare and behavioral health settings.

Course Outline

Total Continuing Education Units*: 7.2 CEU (72 Contact Hours)
(*Students must complete all 12 modules for this course)

Course Modules**	CEU	Contact HRS
CONT 050: Intro to Community Health	0.6	6
CONT 051: Health Literacy	0.6	6
CONT 052: Behavioral Health Literacy	0.6	6
CONT 053: Public/Community Health Literacy & Individual and Community Assessment	0.6	6
CONT 054: Practice Philosophies	0.6	6
CONT 056: Safety Self-Care	0.6	6
CONT 057: Ethics and Professionalism (& Graduation Ceremony)	0.6	6
CONT 058: Engagement with Clients	0.6	6
CONT 059: Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Responsiveness	0.6	6
CONT 060: Promote Health and Well-Being	0.6	6
CONT 061: Care Coordination and System Navigation	0.6	6
CONT 062: Advocacy and Community Capacity Building	0.6	6
TOTAL	7.2	72
** Health Jobs, Health Care Career Readiness trainings and if needed, ESL/Health Literacy

HIV Certificate Program for Case Managers & Direct Care Staff

Course Description

The CCS in HIV Program for Case Managers & Direct Care Staff is an entry level curriculum framed in foundational knowledge and skill building to support the preparation of people serving in case management and other direct service roles with the HIV/AIDS community. The development of this curriculum was made possible with Co-EXIST funding through the EOHHS, Ryan White Division. The training represents an area of specialization for existing case managers and other direct service staff. This certificate provides specialized training for case managers and other direct service staff serving people living with, at risk for, and impacted by HIV/AIDS. The certificate also provides non-credit professional development training courses that will serve employed, underemployed and unemployed individuals within RI.

Course Outline

Total Continuing Education Units*: 4.5 CEU (45 Contact Hours)
(*Students must complete work related to all modules and successfully complete the final presentation requirement)

Course Modules	CEU	Contact HRS
IEHC 090: Module 1 – Course & Personal Goals (Course Goals, Personal Goals, Team Building)	3.00	3
IEHC 091: Module 2 – HIV/AIDS (The Virus, Testing, Anti-Retro Viral Medications & treatment)	3.00	3
IEHC 092: Module 3 – Building Awareness of Client Contexts (Cultural Responsiveness & Competence, Stigma related to HIV, SOGIE, etc., Social Determinants of Health)	3.00	3
IEHC 093: Module 4 – Building Awareness of Foundational Engagement Skills (Strength Based Practice, Motivational Interviewing, Engagement)	6.00	6
IEHC 094: Module 5 – Building Awareness of Clinical Needs (Behavioral Health [Mental Health & Substance Use Disorders], Trauma/Trauma Informed Care, Grief & loss)	6.00	6
IEHC 094: Module 6 – Building Awareness of Clinical Needs Through the Life Cycle (HIV & Aging, Grief & loss)	3.00	3
IEHC 095: Module 7 – Providing Quality Care (Intake, Assessment/Acuity, Care Planning)	6.00	6
IEHC 096: Module 8 – Documentation & Data Collection Systems (capturing client experiences through progress notes and HIV/ADS software [CAREWare; Taive])	3.00	3
IEHC 097: Module 9 – Resource & System Navigation (Identifying social services/supports through housing, public assistance, disability, health equity zones, etc. paired with cultural contexts and social determinants of health to partner with clients on goal setting and meeting needs)	3.00	3
IEHC 098: Module 10 – Ethics (Defining ethical practice)	3.00	3
IEHC 099: Module 11 – Self Care	1.50	1.5
IEHC 100: Module 12 – Responding to Client Needs (Group presentations on clinical, social, economic, care needs of people living with, at risk for, and impacted by HIV/AIDS; presentations)	4.50	4.5
TOTAL	4.5	45

Leadership Development for Healthcare Professionals

Course Description

The CCS in Leadership Development for Healthcare Professionals training builds knowledge and skills in the areas of communication, team building, change management, project management, quality improvement, financial management, and employee engagement and empowerment, and performance measurement. The training is highly interactive engaging participants in case studies, interactive role playing, brainstorming and practice of skills taught. In addition, participants engage in outside reading assigned as part of the program. Participants also engage in a self-assessment of their own leadership qualities/skills and the development of a self-improvement plan. The program can be delivered to health care organizations online or in person on the RIC campus, at the Westerly Education Center, the RIC Workforce development Hub in Central Falls or onsite at health care organizations. The training is taught by RIC full time/adjunct faculty.

Course Outline

Total Continuing Education Units*: 3.0 CEU (30 Contact Hours)

Course Modules	CEU	Contact HRS
IEH : Leader VS Manager	0.3	3
IEH : Effective Communication for Leaders	0.3	3
IEH : Building Effective Teams	0.6	6
IEH : Encouraging the Heart	0.3	3
IEH : Financial Management	0.3	3
IEH : Accountable Care Organizations and Value Based Purchasing	0.3	3
IEH : Project Management	0.3	3
IEH : Measuring Performance & Balanced Scorecards	0.3	3
IEH : The Quality Improvement Process and tools	0.3	3
TOTAL	3.0	30

Working With and Supporting Older Adults for Direct Service Workers Training

Course Description

The CCS in Working With and Supporting Older Adults for Direct Service Workers Training is designed to provide students with opportunities to build knowledge and skills related to the role and function of working with and supporting older adults with the aging process and memory care needs. The CCS includes 3 modules, each aligned with is informed by Association for Gerontology in Higher Education Gerontology Competencies. This training integrates gerontology, physical/medical aspects of aging, behavioral health aspects of aging, and memory care to create a comprehensive training to support incumbent and prospective direct care workers.

Course Outline

Total Continuing Education Units*: 7.2 CEU (72 Contact Hours)
(*Students must complete all 3 modules.)

Course Modules	CEU	Contact HRS
CONT 070: Aging & Society	2.4	24
CONT 071: Healthy Aging	2.4	24
CONT 072: Memory Care	2.4	24
TOTAL	7.2	72

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Institute for Education in Healthcare