Specifications include, but are not limited to: knowledge and practice where healthcare is delivered in the United States. To stop the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, all healthcare personnel need at least a foundational understanding of IPC. In collaboration with itsEpidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC)-funded HealthcareAssociated Infection/Antibiotic Resistance (HAI/AR)Programs and other partners, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)is uniquely positioned tolead this effort. Project Firstline, CDC’s national training collaborative on healthcare IPC, includes an innovative IPC training curriculum delivered through a variety of interactive modalities. Health departments will assist in reaching targeted front-line healthcare personnel while also creating IPC training expertise in the public health workforce. As partners in this initiative, withthis supplemental funding, health departments will help build a foundation of IPC knowledge and a culture of IPC expertise in the healthcare and public health communities, in order to keep healthcare workers, patients, and the healthcare environment safe from COVID-19 and other infectious disease threats.The successful applicant will be responsible for helping deliver IPCactivities to South Dakota facilities through the four main goals: •Establish local and/or regional IPC training and education expertise. This may includeassigning staff to support training for regional/statejurisdictions of South Dakota. Additionally, train regional/staterepresentatives in IPC protocols and procedures that span the spectrum of healthcare delivery, including long-term and outpatient caresettings. •Conduct high-level learning needs assessments and provide a summary report on the jurisdiction’s healthcare workforce to identify training gaps by setting, describe primary spoken and reading languages, and characterize literacy levels and age. •Promote awareness and facilitate uptake (e.g., leveraging licensing and certification) of IPC trainingand education content provided or approved by CDC as part of the broader Project Firstline initiative. •Conduct and convene trainings for front-linecare providers, including establishment and implementation of remote learning capabilities. This collaborative effort will encourage the development of a regional South Dakota infection control groupthat will facilitate professional development, resources,and education to occur across the dedicated infection control colleagues of South Dakota.
