Community and Public Health Professor Receives $342,000 Grant to Combat Infectious Disease in Idaho

The grant is funded by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and runs through December 2023. 

The main goals of this program are threefold. First, Van De Griend and others will work to develop and implement an interdisciplinary curriculum geared toward building the capacity of Idaho’s workforce to respond to infectious diseases. This includes creating a curriculum map to identify strengths in both the undergraduate education arena and in continuing education arenas, thus identifying places they can form interdisciplinary partnerships with to enhance the curricula. Third, the program focuses on enhancing workforce development. 

“Infectious diseases in Idaho are increasing, especially cases of HIV and STIs,” Van De Griend said. “We have a critical opportunity to partner with IDHW to better address prevention, harm reduction, and care, especially for underserved communities.”

The initial modules of the program, listed below, have been identified, and additional modules will be developed based on further research and after new partnerships have formed. 

1. Foundations of Public Health
2. Epidemiology essentials
3. Infectious Disease 101
4. HIV, STI, and Hepatitis Prevention, Harm Reduction, and Care
5. Disease Outbreak Response
6. Fundamentals of Disease Intervention (Contact Tracing/Partner Services)
7. Idaho Infectious Disease Resources
8. Rural Health and Health Equity: Assets and Challenges
9. Diversity, Inclusion, and Cultural Humility
10. Communicating with Compassion
    

“We have hired a new visiting assistant professor with expertise in Idaho and will also be hiring a graduate assistant who is interested in this field of study. We’ve also created practicum/internship opportunities for our students across the state, both undergraduate and graduate,” Van De Griend said.