Serving the Underserved

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Posted on September 13, 2023

Joy Washington

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Underserved rural and urban communities that need primary care and behavioral health experts will benefit from a new federal grant recently awarded to the University of South Alabama’s College of Nursing. The purpose of the program is to prepare Advanced Practice Registered Nurses.

This new $2.1 million four-year grant award has a goal of increasing the number of primary care, behavioral health, and maternal health NPs serving in rural, urban, and tribal underserved community–based settings.

“We are pleased to be able to continue this much-needed Nurse Practitioner Residency Program to effectively provide primary care and behavioral health by supporting the establishment, expansion, and/or enhancement of existing community-based Nurse Practitioner, (NP), residency training programs that are accredited or in the accreditation process,” said Project Director Dr. Kathy Bydalek, associate professor.

“The first cohort under this new grant will start this fall semester 2023. This is our fourth cohort of NP residents. Health Resources and Services Administration provided funding for the previous cohorts as well.” 

Bydalek and the team plan to integrate behavioral health and maternal health care into the community-based primary care nurse practitioner residency program. This means nurse practitioners will be serving in rural and/or urban and underserved community-based nurse practitioner residency programs.

“We are preparing our NPs to learn best practice strategies for caring for vulnerable populations,”  she said. “We are thankful for this extension of the  HRSA grant to continue the Nurse Practitioner Residency Program.”

USA’s College of Nursing faculty team members joining Bydalek include Assistant Professor Dr. Kelly Stauter; Associate Professor Dr. Pam Johnson; Professor Dr. Kimberly A. Williams; and Instructor Dr. Kimberly C. Norris. Clinical partners include USA Health, Alta Pointe Health, and Coastal Family Health Center.

“We are saying thank you to all of our clinical partners for their support and willingness to train the next generation of nurse practitioners,” Bydalek noted. “We are grateful for the campus and community support.”

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