Knowledge Learning Objectives
Caring with Compassion comprises seven learning modules within two knowledge domains. Specific content targets each of the following learning objectives.
Public Healthcare Systems
Learning Module 1: Epidemiology of Homeless and Uninsured Populations
Learners will be able to describe:
- Definition of homelessness by federal standards.
- Numeric trends relating to homeless persons in the U.S. by region, age, race, ethnicity, work status, and family status.
- Prevalence of severe mental illness, substance abuse, victims of domestic violence, physically disabled, and combined comorbidities among homeless persons.
- Scope of unmet need for shelter housing for the homeless.
- 2012 federal poverty line for individuals and for a family of 4, average annual cost of employer-sponsored family healthcare coverage, and the resulting approximate ratio of healthcare cost to income for a low income family.
- Prevalence of un- and underinsurance in the United States, by age, race/ethnicity, and geography.
Learning Module 2: Public Health Insurance
- Multi-payer system of health insurance in the U.S.
- Core benefits and financing mechanisms of Medicare components A, B, and D.
- Purposes and structures of MediGap and Medicare Advantage plans.
- Eligibility criteria for Medicare, including age-based and disability-based criteria.
- Core benefits and eligibility criteria for Medicaid.
- Core benefits and eligibility criteria for CHIP.
- Expected Affordable Care Act effects upon public health insurance programs.
- Number, demographic characteristics (age, race/ethnicity), and healthcare costs of dually eligible Medicare/Medicaid beneficiaries.
Leanring Module 3: Delivery Systems
- Major components of the U.S. healthcare delivery system.
- Eligibility criteria for VA health coverage.
- Size and range of services of the VA health system.
- VA health system services targeting the needs of homeless veterans.
- Financing mechanisms, structure, and number of persons served by FQHCs.
- Funding sources and population served by CMH.
- Funding mechanisms, governance structure, and range of services free clinics.
Caring for the Underserved
Learning Module 4: Homelessness & Disease
- Type and prevalence of conditions more common among homeless persons.
- Prevalence of tobacco use and substance abuse in the homeless population.
- Examples of biomedical complications of food scarcity and malnutrition.
- Common skin conditions of the homeless, and treatment options.
- Exposure-related conditions seen in cold conditions: frost bite, trench foot, and hypothermia.
- Challenges to chronic disease management imposed by homelessness, precarious housing, and food scarcity.
Leanring Module 5: Social Determinants of Health
- Definition of health disparities and healthcare disparities, in the context of two moral frameworks—social justice and compassion.
- Major classes of social determinants of health: race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, environment, behavioral factors, and health system characteristics.
- Examples of negative health consequences of uninsured status.
Learning Module 6: Biopsychosocial Health
- Major classes of psychosocial and behavioral determinants of health: mental health conditions, behavioral disorders, social support and cultural influences, and local physical environment.
- Type and prevalence of mental health disorders common among homeless persons.
- Increased medical morbidity and decreased life expectancy associated with chronic mental illness in the public mental health sector.
- Diagnostic criteria for major common addictive substance disorders.
- Major features of traditional addictive substance treatment programs.
- Major features of recovery-oriented and harm reduction substance abuse services.
- Components of the readiness-for-change and self-efficacy models of health behaviors, and their application among homeless patients.
Learning Module 7: Team Care
- Training, licensure, and scope of practice of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and pharmacists.
- Training, licensure, and scope of practice of social workers and case managers.
- Scope of practice of addiction counselors and mental health providers.
- Outreach, team-based health care delivery models of demonstrated effectiveness among homeless persons.
- Specific team skills and communication approaches essential to high-functioning, interdisciplinary care teams.