Project Firstline

Click Below to View Recording and Slide Deck for Information Session on October 13, 2020 at 1pm - 2pm ET

• NCUIH Project Firstline: Information Session on Professional Development Scholarships for UIO Staff

About the Project | 
UIO Champion Grant RFA | Staff Professional Development Scholarships |
Student Fellowships |  Project Contacts

About Project Firstline 

NCUIH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are collaborating on an infection prevention and control (IPC) training initiative for frontline healthcare personnel.

CDC's Project Firstline is a collaborative of diverse healthcare and public health partners that aims to provide engaging, innovative, and effective infection control training to more than 6 million healthcare personnel in the United States. Project Firstline will provide every person working in a U.S. healthcare facility the foundational understanding of infection control to protect the nation from infectious disease threats such as COVID-19. The project will provide:

• Core Training
• Engagement
• Mentorship
• Build Public Health Capacity
• Encourage Educational Innovation in Infection Prevention & Control Training 

Download Project Firstline Factsheet

NCUIH Staff Contacts:

Dionne Apedjihoun, MS, CCRP - DApedjihoun@ncuih.org

Evey Maho (Diné) MAdm., EMaho@ncuih.org

Melissa Watson, MPH, MWatson@ncuih.org

Tiffani Stark, MHA, TStark@ncuih.org

Request for Applications (RFA) - UIO IPC Champions Funding Opportunity

NCUIH is recruiting Urban Indian Organizations (UIO) to become Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Systems Champions to undertake locally-defined initiatives accompanied by a core set of requirements for targeted training and development as part of Project Firstline. Selected UIOs will have the opportunity to tailor activities and learning opportunities unique to Indian Country and to share their knowledge and expertise in adapting current IPC guidelines to combat the current COVID-19 pandemic on the frontlines of their organizations.

Collaborative activities will be facilitated by NCUIH and co-created by UIO IPC Systems Champions in a model that embraces Champions as teacher-learner and relies on 4 key principles of adult learning (involvement, experience-based, problem-centered, immediate relevance).

Goal of the Champion Initiative

Identify and implement sustainable UIO systemic changes in infection prevention and control critical to a culture of safety and create organizations that are flexible and responsive to ongoing needs during the pandemic and beyond.  

Champion Activity Highlights

• Propose a potential project on infection prevention and control or quality improvement initiative related to infection prevention and control or other initiative in support of team approaches to infection prevention and control to be undertaken to address your unique UIO needs

• Designate a staff member to participate in the entire CDC module and training course elements and provide evaluation

• Participate in assessing and pilot testing infection prevention and control training developed materials, modules and modalities from Project Firstline initiatives

• Develop and implement an IPC training plan that incorporates content identified as relevant and necessary for your UIO

• Participate in the monthly UIO IPC Systems Champions call with NCUIH staff

• Submit required agreements, reports and evaluation components over the course of the project

Opportunity Overview for UIO IPC Systems Champions (IPCSC)

• Maximum of 5 UIOs will be selected

• Competitive awards of up to $40,000

• Duration of participation is 8 months (November 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021)

• Participation requires a commitment to complete the core set of required activities

• Selected Systems Champions will support information gathering, training module and modality development, pilot testing of materials, and participation in frontline staff training within their organization, including potential participation in CDC-supported Project Echo activities

• NCUIH staff bring expertise, experience and support in multiple performance improvement methodologies, including LEAN, Six Sigma, and Just Culture

• Participants are provided access to CDC and other subject matter and training experts

• Option to participate in additional infection prevention and control train-the-trainer opportunities offered by CDC

• Click to view sample application packet and core requirements
  
  
• Champions application workplan template
  

Deadline: CLOSED

NCUIH Project Firstline Student Fellowships 

The National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working to provide Native American students with the opportunity to increase the work being done in urban Native public health. Project Firstline is a national partnership of nonprofit organizations and academic institutions that aims to provide infection prevention and control training to more than 6 million healthcare personnel in the United States, including Urban Indian Organization (UIO) health care workers. Training content will include foundational information on infection control to protect the nation from infectious disease threats, such as COVID-19.

As part of Project Firstline, NCUIH will be developing training resources for health care workers; communications and outreach materials to support training; resource guides for workers, residents, families and patients; hosting communities of learning; supporting subject matter experts in infectious disease; and gathering research and data on the effectiveness of training and practices.

The recipients of the NCUIH Project Firstline Fellowship should have a focus on urban Native public health in one of the following areas:

• infection prevention and control

• public health

• public health nursing

• mental health

• behavioral health

• health communication

• improving health processes

• improving health quality

• or a related area

Click for more info

Deadline: CLOSED

UIO Staff Infection Prevention and Control Professional Development Scholarships

NCUIH is is offering UIO staff members Professional Development Scholarships.

• Rolling Deadline
• Reimbursement of up to $1100 
• Scholarships are based on eligibility, are limited to available funds, and are processed in the order in which applications are received
• Professional Development Scholarship awards do not cover fees for associate, bachelor/graduate or college coursework or degrees
• Training and coursework must be completed and scholarship funds must be disbursed by July 1, 2021
• Pre-application webinar October 13: View Recording

Overview

• The aim is for UIOs to seek at least 1 staff-member certification or training in infection prevention control or a related certification or training content area (no more than 2 per UIO)
• Scholarships can be used to cover the cost of training/conferences, preparatory courses, certification exam fees as well as any other professional meeting attendance up to $1100 per individual
• IPC specific training or certification (ex. APIC’s prep course and CBIC exam) and or training options to improve internal processes (ex. LEAN, team-based performance improvement) will be prioritized
• Individuals are expected to provide a description of an identified opportunity that will enhance the current services in their scope of work and or improve IPC practices within their organization
• Selected participants will be expected to complete an evaluation of their opportunity and identify how this opportunity has enhanced infection prevention and control measures as well as their professional development

Eligibility

• Must be one of the 41 UIOs who are listed as active members on the NCUIH website that are currently funded by IHS under Title V
• Must submit a complete application package

Application Package and Process

• Pre-application information session was held on Tuesday October 13, 2020 at 1:00PM Eastern Standard Time
• Complete the online application package:  
  1. Pre-application instruction: View Recording
  2. Online Application
  3. Participant Acknowledgement of Requirements (e-signature in application)
  4. Executive Director or Department Head Approval (attachment)

Examples of Potential Training Opportunities:

Apply for Professional Development Funding

Project Firstline is a national collaborative led by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide infection control training and education to frontline healthcare workers and public health personnel. NCUIH is proud to partner with Project Firstline, as supported through Cooperative Agreement CDC-RFA-OT18-1802. CDC is an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this webpage do not necessarily represent the policies of CDC or HHS, and should not be considered an endorsement by the Federal Government.