Advancing IPE Through Grant Funding

Grant funding from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation (MCHF) and the federal Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) program strengthens Iona University’s ability to prepare students for interprofessional collaborative practice.

Support from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation has enabled Iona to expand its ability to educate our students in Interprofessional education (IPE) with initiatives such as IPE Foundations workshops, clinical simulations, community-based fellowships, and other integrated learning experiences giving students hands-on opportunities to work across disciplines while serving target populations. This funding helps build real-world team-based skills that reflect how health, education, and human service professionals work together in practice.

The BHWET grant, administered through HRSA, provides substantial financial and experiential support for advanced students in behavioral and health professions. Through this program, students receive stipends, enhanced training, community placements, and collaborative experiential learning that deepen their competence in delivering trauma-informed, culturally responsive, interprofessional care—especially in underserved communities.

Together, these funding sources enrich Iona’s IPE curriculum, reduce financial barriers for students, and expand partnerships that model the collaborative practice essential for today’s workforce.

MOTHER CABRINI HEALTH FOUNDATION GRANT

The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation provides grant funding for projects that improve the health and wellbeing of underserved and vulnerable communities across New York State. These grants support initiatives that expand access to care, advance health equity, strengthen community-based services, and address the social factors that influence health, ensuring that individuals and families can receive high-quality, compassionate care regardless of their circumstances.

Preparing collaborative professionals while expanding access to care

Iona University received grant funding to launch the Interprofessional Community Health & Wellness Clinic, an innovative initiative designed to expand access to care for underserved communities while preparing students for excellence in interprofessional collaborative practice.

This grant-supported initiative strengthens Iona’s commitment to improving health and wellbeing across the Bronx, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, Eastchester, and Tuckahoe, NY, while creating meaningful, real-world learning opportunities for students across health and human service disciplines.

Expanding Access. Strengthening Communities.

The Interprofessional Community Health & Wellness Clinic provides integrated, reduced-fee and free clinical services to individuals and families facing barriers to care. The clinic will also serve as a community resource, offering educational workshops on health and wellness topics responsive to local needs.

By aligning education with service, this initiative ensures that communities benefit directly while students gain hands-on experience working in collaborative, team-based care environments.

An Integrated Model of Interprofessional Care

The clinic is housed within the NYP Iona School of Nursing & Health Sciences and builds on existing clinical infrastructure, including:

• The Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic
• The Iona Family Therapy Center (IFTC)

Through this coordinated model, clients will have access to seamless referrals across disciplines, supporting a holistic approach to care. Services will be delivered by graduate student clinicians under expert supervision in:

• Communication Sciences & Disorders
• Marriage & Family Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• School Psychology
• Mental Health Counseling
• Social Work

This approach expands real-world interprofessional training while improving continuity and coordination of services for clients.

The Interprofessional Clinic Allows for Enhanced Learning for Students

Grant funding also supports the continued growth of Interprofessional Education (IPE) at Iona. Students will benefit from expanded experiential learning opportunities, including:

• Interprofessional simulations
• Community-based clinical experiences
• Collaborative health and wellbeing workshops
• Interprofessional collaborative research projects with students and faculty from at least two different disciplines

These learning experiences are designed through an interprofessional lens, integrating perspectives from health, education and wellness fields, preparing students to work effectively in today’s complex healthcare and community settings.

Community-Centered Health & Wellness Education

Students providing community focused education benefits both those receiving services and the students providing them. By engaging directly with communities, students deepen their understanding of lived experiences, strengthen communication and teaching skills, and learn how to translate professional knowledge into accessible, culturally responsive education.

In partnership with local organizations, the clinic offers a series of health and wellness workshops tailored to community needs. Topics reflect the diverse expertise of Iona’s healthcare educators and address the social, behavioral, and environmental factors that shape health outcomes.

Impact & Outcomes

By integrating interprofessional education with community-based care delivery, this initiative:

• Expands access to speech, language, hearing, and behavioral health services
• Prepares students for collaborative, team-based professional practice
• Strengthens community partnerships and referral networks
• Promotes continuity of care across disciplines
• Creates sustainable, scalable solutions to address healthcare disparities

A Shared Commitment to Health Equity

The Interprofessional Community Health & Wellness Clinic reflects Iona University’s commitment to equity, access, and collaboration—advancing wellbeing in our communities while preparing the next generation of professionals to lead with skill, compassion, and purpose.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING (BHWET) PROGRAM - HRSA GRANT

The Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) Program, federally funded through a HRSA grant, at Iona University supports the preparation of a skilled, diverse, and community-responsive behavioral health workforce. Through this grant, Iona University expands training opportunities that strengthen interprofessional collaboration, increase access to high-quality behavioral health services, and prepare students to serve individuals and communities with complex and underserved needs.

About Iona’s BHWET Project: Iona Collaborates (IC)

In July 2025, the New York-Presbyterian Iona School of Nursing and Health Sciences was awarded a BHWET grant to help grow the behavioral health workforce in high-need communities. First awarded to Iona in 2021, the grant provides stipends and enhanced training for students in different masters-level mental health programs.

HRSA invests in programs that address critical workforce needs by creating a strong pipeline of health and behavioral health professionals committed to serving medically underserved and vulnerable populations. Through the BHWET Program, this investment strengthens and diversifies the behavioral health workforce, preparing professionals to deliver integrated, team-based care in communities with the greatest need.

Impact on Students

Iona’s IC BHWET Program prepares graduate students to become confident, collaborative behavioral health professionals. Students develop the skills needed to deliver:

• Trauma-informed care
• Culturally responsive services
• Interprofessional team-based behavioral health care

The program emphasizes service to children, adolescents, and young adults, particularly those impacted by poverty, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and related social and systemic challenges in underserved communities.