KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The University of Tennessee College of Nursing said Tuesday they were given a $3.7 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to improve mental health care services available in rural communities.
They said the grant would boost services available in rural communities with underrepresented and minority residents, helping health care workers see both insured and uninsured patients using mobile health units and telehealth equipment.
It's part of a project called Mobile Health Training: Underrepresented Providers and Underrepresented Populations. The project helps minority students studying mental health care get full scholarships for certificate programs and for degree programs.
According to a release, 18 students will be able to get scholarships through the grant. Those students will provide telehealth services in Hamblen, McMinn, Morgan, Monroe, and Sevier counties for one day per week.
“This project will help to strengthen diversity within the nursing field,” said Mary Johnson, the project director. “It not only provides funding to increase the number of diverse and underrepresented students in the PMHNP program, but it will also help address the mental health needs of rural communities of Tennessee.”
The project is also meant to improve health equity, access to care, health literacy, culturally sensitive care, leadership and communication concepts in psychiatric nursing curricula.
"The prevalence of mental health disorders is highest among those living in Appalachian regions of Tennessee,” said Allyson Neal, assistant dean of graduate programs. “This fact coupled with limited services for rural residents creates health disparities. This grant will impact the lives of rural Tennessee residents by bringing them care and by training PMHNP’s to overcome the challenges unique to this population.”
They said the project began on July 1 and will run over the course of 4 years.