IMPACT REPORT

RURAL HEALTH SCHOLARS PROGRAM

The Rural Health Scholars program is for rising high school seniors (students apply during their junior year of high school) from rural Alabama communities who are interested in pursuing careers in medicine and other health care professions. The program is an initiative of the College of Community Health Sciences (CCHS), a state and national leader in the education and training of family medicine physicians, and a frontline health care resource for the people of Alabama with six University Medical Center locations — in Tuscaloosa, Northport, Carrollton, Demopolis, Fayette, and Livingston — making it the largest multispecialty community medical practice in rural and west Alabama. 

Program participants take college courses, participate in seminars with practicing health care professionals, shadow physicians and other health care professionals, and visit rural health care facilities. The program is free for participants. 

Part of the nationally recognized Rural Health Leaders Pipeline at the College of Community Health Sciences, Rural Health Scholars was created to address the shortage of primary care physicians in Alabama’s rural communities. More information about the program is available at https://cchs.ua.edu/rural-programs/high-school/rhs-application. 

CCHS also houses the Institute for Rural Health Research, focused on improving the health and lives of Alabama’s rural citizens. The Alabama Life Research Institute conducts research that uncovers the mechanisms responsible for disparate health outcomes and develops interventions to improve those. 

CONFERENCES AND TRAINING EVENTS

The University of Alabama offers professionals opportunities to connect within their field, obtain continuing education credits, and stay current on industry trends and new research. With topics ranging from business to health care to government, we cater to numerous industries and professional groups. Below are examples of conferences and training events hosted at UA. 

For more information about conferences and training, visit https://training.ua.edu/conferences-and-training. 

INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS

• Alabama Governor’s Safety and Health Conference 
• Alabama Energy Mining and Mineral Institute 
• Human Resources Management Conference 

FINANCE AND GOVERNMENT

• Alabama DHR Supervisors Conference 
• American Institute on Federal Taxation (AIFT) Conference 
• Certified Governmental Accounting Technician Program 
• Federal Tax Clinic 
• Municipal Clerks Training Institutes and Conference 
• Revenue Officers Training Program and Conference 

HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION

• ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) Conference 
• Advanced Placement Institute 
• Alabama Association of School Business Officials (AASBO) Conference 
• Alabama Autism Conference 
• Alabama Community College Leadership Academy 
• Doing What Matters for Alabama’s Children 
• School of Social Work CEU Series 
• Social Work Fall Conference

INSURANCE TRAINING AND LICENSING

• Alabama Adjuster Pre-licensing Courses 
• Alabama Bail Bond Pre-licensing Course 
• Alabama Insurance Examination 
• Alabama Producer Pre-licensing Courses 

DRIVE

The Driving Regional Innovation through Vehicular Electrification (DRIVE) Coalition is a partnership between The University of Alabama, West AlabamaWorks, Tuscaloosa County Economic Development Authority and Shelton State Community College designed to revitalize Alabama’s rural economies by providing free and low-cost technical training and creating well-paying jobs within West Alabama’s emerging vehicle electrification industry. 

The service area for DRIVE’s nine component projects comprise 27 counties in rural Alabama, including all 25 counties of the Black Belt. 

The goal of DRIVE is to lay the groundwork to impact thousands joining the workforce through training, credentialing and job creation, as well as to build an enduring pathway to economic success for future generations. 

For more information about DRIVE, visit https://edpolicy.ua.edu/drive.html. 

MUNICIPAL TRAINING

The University of Alabama works closely with municipalities to provide training for Municipal Clerks, Revenue Officers and employees with financial responsibilities. The curriculum for each program is developed in partnership with the Alabama League of Municipalities Program participants take college courses, participate in seminars with practicing health care professionals, shadow physicians and other health care professionals, and visit rural health care facilities. The program is free for participants. 

We offer the following programs:

• Alabama Certified Municipal Clerk Institute 
• Alabama Master Municipal Clerk Academy 
• Alabama Certified Municipal Revenue Officers Certification 
• Certified Governmental Accounting Technician Certificate 

For more information, visit: https://training.ua.edu/municipaltraining. 

RURAL HEALTH CONFERENCE

Celebrating its 23rd year in 2024, UA’s Rural Health Conference brings together health care professionals, community leaders, researchers, government officials and policymakers each year to hear from speakers in the field and share information and knowledge about rural health issues, as well as solutions to address those issues. Conference attendees can obtain continuing education credits, enhancing the value of the conference to registered physicians, nurses, social workers, counselors and Emergency Medical Services personnel. 

The 2023 conference theme was Turn the Tide: Preventing, Treating, and Investigating the Opioid Crisis and featured a number of keynote speakers including Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, New York City Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan, Alabama Department of Mental Health Commissioner Kimberly Boswell and internal medicine/addiction medicine physician Stephen Loyd of Cedar Recovery in Tennessee. 

For more information about the Rural Health Conference, visit https://rhc.ua.edu. 

RURAL MEDICAL SCHOLARS PROGRAM

The Rural Medical Scholars Program was founded in 1996 to address the shortage of primary care physicians in Alabama’s rural communities. The program works to recruit and assist rural Alabama college students who want to become physicians and practice in the state’s rural communities, where they are most needed. 

On average, 11 students are admitted to this highly selective five-year medical education program of The University of Alabama and The University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine. The Rural Medical Scholars Program includes a year of study, after students receive their undergraduate degree, that leads to a master’s degree in Rural Community Health and early admission to the UAB Heersink School of Medicine. Undergraduates may qualify after their junior year if they have met most of the requirements for their undergraduate major. In the year prior to entry into medical school, students take coursework related to rural health and the practice of primary care in rural areas, and they participate in special seminars, field trips and community service programs. 

Provided students meet the entrance requirements for admission to the Heersink School of Medicine and they perform well in the pre-matriculation year, they have a slot reserved in the following year’s class. After two years of study at the Heersink School of Medicine campus in Birmingham, Rural Medical Scholars return to the UA College of Community Health Sciences for their third and fourth years of clinical education. 

For more information about the Rural Medical Scholars Program, visit https://cchs.ua.edu/rural-programs/rmsp. 

TESTING SERVICES

Testing Services provides high-quality testing services for UA students and graduates, as well as professionals and individuals throughout the state, while adhering to the professional standards and guidelines established by the National College Testing Association. 

In addition to pre-college tests like the ACT and SAT, Testing Services proctors numerous professional exams that build and grow careers in the state in fields such as information technology, accounting, real estate, counseling and electrical contracting. 

For more information visit https://testing.ua.edu. 

ALABAMA BIRDING TRAILS

The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development (UACED) is working with the Alabama Department of Tourism and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to improve the educational resources available to tourists and area residents relative to the spectacular birding opportunities in the region while increasing the revenue associated with visitation. UACED is working in 65 Alabama counties which encompass eight regional birding trails. Several locations offer exciting opportunities for Alabama’s school groups including information on over 58 outdoor classrooms which bring the classroom to the outdoors. 

To learn more, visit https://www.uaced.ua.edu/alabama-birding-trails.html. 

ALABAMA CAREGIVER CONNECT

Alabama Caregiver Connect was created by researchers, providers and caregivers to help provide needed information about dementia and caregiving. The goal of Alabama Caregiver Connect is to make research findings about dementia and caregiving available and understandable to those who would benefit from them the most, informed by researchers who have personal experience with dementia and caregiving. Find out more at https://caregiverconnect.ua.edu.  

ALABAMA CRIME STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

UA’s Institute of Data and Analytics supports the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency by providing statistical analysis and dashboard creation and hosts the official public crime data repository, crime.alabama.gov. This system publishes official crime statistics for Alabama that are reported to the FBI and serves as a tool for the public, researchers and all levels of government within Alabama to access crime data. 

To learn more about the Institute of Data and Analytics, visit https://ida.culverhouse.ua.edu. 

CENTER FOR INNOVATIVE RESEARCH IN AUTISM

The Center for Innovative Research in Autism (CIRA) facilitates interdisciplinary, innovative research on autism spectrum disorder at the University of Alabama; provides research and training opportunities for faculty and students; serves as a collaborative foundation for autism researchers across the University, the state of Alabama, and the nation; and disseminates research findings to improve outcomes for children and adults with autism and their caregivers. The five guiding pillars that form the foundation of CIRA’s mission are research, education, service, clinical care and community outreach. 

Part of the CIRA footprint, The University of Alabama Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinic provides support to individuals and families affected by autism through comprehensive evaluation and therapy services, research opportunities and consultation services. In addition, the ASD Clinic provides in-service training for parents and professionals in Central and West Alabama. 

Services include diagnostic evaluations, speech and language intervention, psychological intervention, school and professional group consultations, and community-based training. 

The University of Alabama is a Regional Autism Network (RAN) site. This designation given by the Alabama Department of Mental Health makes UA one of five autism resource hubs in the state. Each RAN is staffed by experts in the field of autism spectrum disorder. RANs provide professional training programs, technical assistance and consultation services, individual and family assistance, and public education programs. 

More information about the Center for Innovative Research in Autism and its programs can be found at https://cira.ua.edu.

CROSSINGPOINTS CERTIFICATE IN OCCUPATIONAL STUDIES PROGRAM

The CrossingPoints Certificate in Occupational Studies program at The University of Alabama is a non-degree certificate program for young adults with intellectual disabilities who are interested in pursuing a postsecondary education experience with the goal of gaining critical skills for living independently including financial management, transportation, agency/self-determination, self-management, sound decision-making and community-building. CrossingPoints students gain practical experiences in community-based employment settings. 

The CrossingPoints program pairs UA undergraduate students with similar interest areas to serve as mentors to the CrossingPoints students. Mentors play a critical role in supporting CrossingPoints students as they develop skills that will help them achieve their goals. 

To learn more, visit https://crossingpoints.ua.edu/tier-3.html. 

"DISCOVERING ALABAMA"

“Discovering Alabama” is an Emmy winning public television documentary series about the natural history, natural diversity and related cultural history of Alabama. With more than 95 programs completed to date, the series is approaching its 40th year and is among the longest-running TV series in television history. 

“Discovering Alabama” programs are broadcast weekly by APT, reaching an audience of more than 1 million home viewers. “Discovering Alabama” has been certified by the Alabama Department of Education as an approved K-12 instructional resource and is included as an official natural science enrichment resource for the Alabama Math and Science Initiative. “Discovering Alabama” programs and supplemental Teacher Guides are used in classrooms of every school system in the state, where teacher surveys have consistently rated the series among the “most useful” educational resources. 

To learn more, visit www.discoveringalabama.org. 

EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY LAB AT THE ALABAMA FIRE COLLEGE

The exercise physiology lab housed at and outfitted by the Alabama Fire College is filled with equipment funded by The University of Alabama. It features specialized technology needed to evaluate the health of aspiring firefighters as they train. The equipment allows UA researchers to administer a myriad of tests, monitoring cardiovascular, pulmonary and metabolic function and more.

LAW CLINICS

The University of Alabama School of Law opened its first clinic to provide free legal services in 1970. The clinical program has now grown to encompass seven in-house clinics representing more than 300 clients annually on a variety of legal matters. Serving two purposes — providing hands-on training to law students and providing free legal assistance to members of the community in need — the law clinics provide high-quality representation throughout Tuscaloosa and into rural and Black Belt counties within West Alabama. Together, the students in the school’s seven law clinics provide approximately 15,000 hours of free legal assistance each year to individuals and organizations in Tuscaloosa and around the state. 

To learn more, visit law.ua.edu/clinics. 

PSYCHOLOGY CLINIC

The Psychology Clinic provides confidential, high-quality, affordable psychological treatment and counseling to address social, emotional, psychological and behavioral needs for clients of all ages. Supported by the Department of Psychology, the Psychology Clinic also serves as a training clinic setting for doctoral-level clinical psychology trainees. 

Telepsychology has allowed us to provide quality services to individuals beyond the greater Tuscaloosa community. 

The Geropsychology Clinic, a specialty clinic within the Psychology Clinic, provides psychological treatment and evaluation to address the social, emotional, psychological and behavioral needs of older adults and their caregivers. In-home psychotherapy services are also offered to those clients who qualify. 

For more information, visit https://psychologyclinic.ua.edu. 

SPEECH AND HEARING CENTER

The Speech and Hearing Center is open to the public and provides speech, language and hearing services. Services are provided by graduate student clinicians under the supervision of state-licensed and nationally certified clinical supervisors. 

To learn more, visit https://shc.cd.ua.edu. 

The Speech and Hearing Center offers several programs including:

• Audiology Program for children and adults needing audiologic services
• Adult Clinic for adults with speech and language disorders
• AAC Program for clients using Augmentative and Alternative Communication devices
• Bama Perks Program for adults with aphasia
• Alabama Language-Based Literacy Program for children and adults with reading and writing or other academic challenges, including dyslexia, disorders of executive functioning (attention, memory, planning and executing tasks) and language-related learning difficulties
• Crimson Circle for adults with acquired neurogenic communication disorders
• Play Pals for children ages two to five with and without autism
• Pediatric Feeding Program for children with feeding and swallowing disorders
• Project ImPACT for children with social-communication delays
• UA Language Intervention Program for Toddlers with Autism for children younger than 36 months 

OUTREACH AND SUPPORT IN ALABAMA'S BLACK BELT

The University of Alabama’s location places it close to the heart of Alabama’s Black Belt, and our physical proximity puts UA in a wonderful position to serve the area in numerous ways. From health care and education to economic development and quality of life, UA is making a difference for the Black Belt and its people. Here are a few highlights: 

RESEARCH INSTITUTE SPOTLIGHT

ALABAMA TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE

ATI is an interdisciplinary institute focused on research enabling Alabama to lead the way on solutions for emerging issues like electric vehicle technologies, automated vehicles, connected infrastructure, shared mobilities and advanced transportation safety. ATI’s work contributes to the impact that a quality transportation system will have on Alabama’s economic future. 

Additionally, ATI serves as an independent resource for local, state and national leaders in developing transportation policy. ATI helps these leaders make informed decisions that lead to innovative, data-driven, cost-effective solutions that advance Alabama’s economy, safety and quality of life through transportation. 

Among the many ways ATI is making a difference for Alabamians is through the Center for Advanced Public Safety’s work on cutting-edge safety technologies. By providing crash, citation, and crime reporting along with data analytics, CAPS is supporting more than a dozen Alabama state agencies. All state and nearly all municipal law enforcement agencies utilize CAPS electronic citation and crash software. 

For more information on the services ATI provides and to request assistance, please visit ati.ua.edu or contact ati@ua.edu. 

ALABAMA LIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE

ALRI was established to serve as a focal point for interdisciplinary biopsychosocial research that seeks to investigate the human condition at all levels, from the molecular to the environmental. ALRI acts as an umbrella organization, facilitating collaboration throughout UA with other institutions, government agencies, community-based organizations and the health care and biotechnology industries. ALRI focuses on identifying research opportunities within four themes: rural health, biological sciences, neuroscience and implementation science. 

ALRI, the Capstone College of Nursing and the Culverhouse College of Business are partners in the West Alabama Cardiovascular Health (WACH) Program, which is funded by the Centers for Disease Control. WACH is focused on reducing the risk for cardiovascular diseases in Bibb, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Perry, Pickens, Sumter and Tuscaloosa counties. The project will use health information data to aid in targeting specific communities at highest risk and connect individuals with resources to help them better manage hypertension and improve their health. WACH will hire community health workers from within those communities and bring much needed preventative health educational programming to residents in West Alabama. 

ALABAMA WATER INSTITUTE

AWI stands as a national hub for pioneering water-related research and the development of state-of-the-art water technology products, collaborating closely with on-campus federal partners from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Geological Survey. AWI serves as a catalyst for interdisciplinary collaboration across the University’s colleges, uniting engineers, computer scientists, biologists, social scientists, economists and more to tackle the pressing water challenges faced by Alabama and the world. 

The Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology (CIROH), a groundbreaking 10-year, $360 million research partnership between AWI, NOAA and the National Weather Service, was established in 2022 and is supporting 93 applied research projects directly responding to NOAA operational needs across the country, including needs in Alabama. Notably, a suite of CIROH projects spearheaded by UA faculty members is revolutionizing hurricane flood forecasting, flood hazard mapping and the restoration of flood-mitigating wetlands surrounding Mobile Bay. Collectively, these endeavors are projected to safeguard over $1 billion in property value and hundreds of thousands of residents, while bolstering the resilience of both communities and the environment in the Mobile Bay region.