Consortium of Academic Organizations will Bring the Project to Enhance Research Literacy to Leaders of 185 Accredited Programs for Chiropractic, Naturopathic Medicine, Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, Massage and Direct-Entry Midwifery
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges
Contact: Candace Tyler
Phone: 1-800-345-7454
Email: ctyler@aanmc.org
ACCAHC
Contact: John Weeks
Phone: 206-932-5799
Email: jweeks@accahc.org
The Academic Consortium for Complementary and Alternative Health Care (ACCAHC – www.accahc.org) is a proud recipient of a $30,000 grant from the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation.
The Macy grant supports the second phase of ACCAHC’s Project to Enhance Research Literacy (PERL). ACCAHC will convene communities of learners to disseminate experience from seven institutional recipients of education grants that focused on enhancing research literacy and competency in Evidence Informed Practice. Each was funded by the NIH National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
ACCAHC created partnerships with the seven institutions to develop a web-based resource through its Center for Optimal Integration: Creating Health portal (www.optimalintegration.org).
The Macy Foundation is the only U.S. foundation dedicated solely to advancing health professional education. The Foundation became aware of ACCAHC’s work through the Consortium’s multiple engagements in initiatives to increase interprofessional education and practice. Advancing team-based care is a major initiative of the Foundation. ACCAHC has identified enhancing research literacy as one of the core Competencies for Optimal Practice in Integrated Environments established by its disciplines.
ACCAHC chair Elizabeth A. (Liza) Goldblatt, PhD, MPA/HA called the grant “a timely stimulus to our work to prepare members of the licensed integrative health professions to be exceptional team members.”
John Weeks, ACCAHC’s executive director and co-principal on the project adds that evidence is often “the coin of the realm” in fostering optimal care: “Comfort and competency with the evidence exchange is critical for developing relationships and leveraging appropriate inclusion.”
The project, managed by Deborah Hill, M.S., is focused on supporting educators in the roughly185 universities and colleges that educate chiropractic doctors, practitioners of acupuncture and Oriental medicine, naturopathic physicians, direct-entry midwives and massage therapists. These institutions are accredited through agencies recognized by the US Department of Education to train practitioners in the licensed integrative health and medicine fields. The goal is to spread this culture shift toward evidence-informed education and practice throughout these communities.
As part of the work, Hill met with academics at the May 6-8, 2014 meeting of the Council of College for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. She has also been invited by a group of leading EIP educators to be on the planning team and to present on PERL at the 2015 conference entitled Process of Integrating Evidence (PIE) for CAM Educators. Hill is actively engaged with leaders of national massage research and education organizations on potential partnerships to enhance research literacy.
Dr. JoAnn Yanez, executive director for the AANMC is a ACCAHC board member.
