USI, Trilogy embark on unique public-private partnership

The University of Southern Indiana's Center for Healthy Aging and Wellness announces its first public-private partnership to increase educational and career opportunities for students interested in working with older adults. Trilogy Health Services has committed $50,000 to fund six annual scholarships for USI undergraduate and graduate students in a variety of clinical and non-clinical disciplines.

Dr. Ann White, dean of the USI College of Nursing and Health Professions, said the gift reflects Trilogy's commitment to building a pipeline of young health care professionals to care for the aging population. "According to the U.S. Census, the population aged 85 and over is expected to grow exponentially in the upcoming decades. Because of this projected increase, there is a great need to enhance geriatric competence across the healthcare workforce," she said. "Trilogy has gone above and beyond to demonstrate they are dedicated to advancing learning opportunities for students interested in clinical and administrative positions in gerontology, geriatrics and health administration."

"Trilogy is proud to expand our long-standing partnership with USI to provide exceptional learning opportunities for USI students," said Dr. Todd Schmiedeler, senior vice president, Foundation & Workforce Development for Trilogy Health Services. "These scholarships are as individually unique as the special USI students that we know will receive them."

New Administrator-in-Training (AIT) Residency Program

Dr. Katie Ehlman, director of the USI Center for Healthy Aging and Wellness, said the partnership with Trilogy has allowed USI to break new ground as the first academic institution in Indiana to have an Administrator-in-Training (AIT) Residency Program incorporated into the undergraduate and graduate curriculum. An AIT program must be completed before an individual can sit for the exams required for nursing home administrator licensure. USI is able to add the new AIT course because of recent changes in the Indiana statute allowing students to complete an AIT program prior to receiving a bachelor's degree. At a November 15, 2016 meeting, the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (IPLA), approved the AIT Residency course syllabus and the AIT Residency program.

"Our collaboration with Trilogy offers the opportunity for students to complete a 1,040-hour AIT program under the guidance of a qualified nursing home administrator to fulfill requirements set by the Indiana State Department of Health," said Ehlman. "Embedding the Trilogy USI AIT Residency Program into the curriculum closes the loop for USI College of Nursing and Health Professions to be able to guarantee to the community a very high caliber of student who not only meets the knowledge required for licensure, but also promotes culture change and quality of care for residents and staff. The AIT Residency Program is invaluable, and our graduates will have a head start in launching their careers."

Rebecca Lucas, a USI Health Services major who is also enrolled in the Master of Health Administration (MHA) 4 + 1 program, was selected as the first recipient of the new Trilogy USI Administrator-in-Training (AIT) Residency Program scholarship. She will be completing the requirements for her AIT at Trilogy's RiverOaks Health Campus in Princeton, Indiana.

Ehlman said all of the Trilogy scholarships will be of interest to students pursuing degrees which prepare them to seek employment in the fields of nursing, health administration, long-term care administration, health services, health professions, social work, kinesiology, psychology, sociology and business fields such as accounting, management and marketing. A complete list is at USI.edu/health/healthyaging/trilogy-scholars-at-usi/.

USI graduates are already serving in a variety of leadership roles in nursing homes throughout the Tri-State, according to Ehlman. "With Trilogy's assistance, we will make an even bigger impact on the quality of health care delivery as it relates to our aging population," she said.