Graduate Student Internship Program

2008 Catalog of Internship Opportunities

This internship has been filled.

MCH Epidemiology Student Intern

Program: MCH Epidemiology Unit
Montana Dept of Public Health and Human Services, Helena, MT
Skill Areas: Data Analysis and Monitoring, Needs Assessment

Agency Information

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services is the second largest government agency in Montana, housing public health, Medicaid, child protective services, and social services. The department is made up of 11 divisions, including the Public Health and Safety Division, which includes most of the public health programs and services. The Public Health and Safety Division is divided into 6 bureaus, including the Family and Community Health Bureau (FCHB), which has a staff of 34 and a budget of approximately $21 million. The Bureau is primarily responsible for population-based services for families, pregnant women and women of child-bearing age, infants, children and adolescents. The programs administered in the Bureau include the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, WIC, Title X (Family Planning), oral health, fetal, infant and child mortality review (FICMR), Children's Special Health Services, and Public Health Home Visiting.

Purpose, goals, and objectives of internship

Purpose. The primary purpose of this assignment will be to assist Family and Community Health Bureau Epi and bureau staff to assess the availability and accessibility of data for use in the 2010 MCH Needs Assessment and to identify gaps and suggest/propose strategies for addressing gaps. The Five Year Needs assessment is a requirement for submission with the Maternal Child Health Block Grant. The previous (2005) needs assessment would provide the basis for the student work. The format for the needs assessment is prescribed in guidance from the Federal Maternal Child Health Bureau.
Goal. Analyze the availability and accessibility of data in anticipation of the development of the 2010 Montana MCH Needs Assessment.
Objectives of the project are to:

1. Review existing needs assessment.
2. Work with program staff to identify data collection activities that have occurred in the present assessment period.
3. Assess quality of the available data.
4. Identify gaps in data.
5. Develop strategies for addressing data gaps.
6. Inform bureau staff and advisory council of findings of needs assessment and gap analysis.

Data or analytic tasks and activities

Available data are quantitative data, including numbers served, financial information, program-specific service and outcome data. Analysis would be primarily descriptive in nature. Narrative description of findings will be a responsibility of the student. Student will have the opportunity to present findings to the Family Health Advisory Council and have findings published on the bureau website. Materials developed by the student will be made available to staff and other stakeholders at the end of the internship. The student will be requested to translate and present the project results so that they are understandable to public health practitioners and other stakeholders who are not necessarily familiar with epidemiological methods or terminology. If appropriate, results may also be submitted for publication in "Prevention Activities under the Big Sky," Montana's public health prevention newsletter.

Data or analytic skills required

Students are expected to have basic analytic abilities and familiarity with at least one statistical software package. SPSS is the statistical analysis software currently used by the bureau. However, the data are available in formats that translate to most statistical analysis software, and SAS is used elsewhere in the department and may be available. Experience with Microsoft Access and Excel is helpful. Analysis will primarily be descriptive epidemiology and will use quantitative data from vital records and program reports.

Supervisors

Primary Supervisor: Dianna Frick, MPH. Ms. Frick is the Maternal and Child Health Epidemiologist for the Family and Community Health Bureau (FCHB). She was a Public Health Prevention Specialist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for three years, one year in Atlanta working with the Division of Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Prevention where she analyzed STD data, conducted assessments, and developed and coordinated a nationwide survey of STD clinics, and two years in Montana with FCHB where she coordinated the 5-year MCH needs assessment and strategic planning for the Family and Community Health Bureau. She has also worked with international health programs, conducting analyses of reproductive health data, and was a Peace Corps Volunteer in West Africa. Ms. Frick has a bachelor of arts in international affairs from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, and she earned a master of public health in maternal and child health with a minor in epidemiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Secondary Supervisor: Jo Ann Walsh Dotson, RN MSN. Ms. Dotson is the MCH Director for the state and is the Bureau Chief for the Family and Community Health Bureau. She has been with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services for 16 years and previously managed the public health home visiting and primary care programs. Ms. Dotson is a former faculty member with the Montana State University College of Nursing where she taught nursing for seven years. She was also adjunct faculty at Carroll College School of Nursing in Helena from 1994 to 1998. Ms. Dotson has a bachelor of science in nursing from Baylor University, a master of science in maternal and child health nursing from the University of Texas, and is currently in the Ph.D. program through the School of Nursing at Oregon Health and Sciences University

Internship begins

The start time is negotiable. May of 2007 would be ideal.

Housing

Yes. Montana has had student interns through the GSIP program and through arrangements with Emory University and other academic institutions over the last eight years. Helena, the state capitol and site of the proposed student placement, is located in the middle of Montana, with easy access to mountains and lakes. Helena is home to Carroll College, and short term rentals are available during summers in accordance with the academic year. Students have had good luck with finding apartments, houses or rooms to rent in the Helena community. The local newspaper, the Helena Independent Record (http://www.helenair.com), has housing listings in its online classifieds section. We would also be willing to solicit the 170+ Division staff for housing recommendations at the student's request. Housing in Helena is reasonably priced.

Transportation

Helena has limited public transportation. There are buses that run on limited routes within the city limits - recent improvements (2007) have improved efficiency and access. Several students have completed a 10 week rotation with no car, using a bicycle. While a vehicle would be beneficial, especially in order to enjoy the beautiful state, it is not a requirement. Much of the housing within Helena city limits is within biking or walking distance of the internship site.

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