NH-ME LEND was accepted as one of ten Primary Lead Programs participating in a National Training Initiative called Project SCOPE- Supporting Children of the Opioid Epidemic. Project SCOPE is intended to build nationwide provider capacity and confidence in applying evidence-based practices in screening, monitoring, and supporting children diagnosed with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS), or suspected of being impacted by opioid use, trauma, or related exposure. NH-ME LEND will lead the implementation of this project in both states in collaboration with state directors of early intervention (Part C) services.
Project SCOPE training will be delivered using a tele-practice model known as Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes™ or ECHO. The ECHO Model™ uses adult learning principles and video conferencing technology to connect community providers with specialists at centers of excellence in real-time case-based learning and mentorship. Participating providers gain skills and confidence, specialists learn new approaches for applying their knowledge, and the capacity of the local workforce increases. Through the National Training Initiative, NH-ME LEND faculty and staff will receive training in the Project ECHO™ virtual professional development model and technical assistance for ongoing implementation from the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities/UCEDD.
During the three-year project period, the NH-ME LEND Program will implement three ECHO-SCOPE trainings – in February 2021, Fall 2021, and Winter 2022. Each training will utilize the SCOPE Curriculum and will consist of ten 90-minute sessions for 50 early intervention/early childhood providers in Year 1 and 80-100 early intervention/early childhood providers in Years 2 and 3. Sessions will occur twice monthly and will be delivered in partnership with the University of New Hampshire ECHO Hub. For more information visit UNH ECHO Hub.
