Western students tackle real-world problems 

Western Colorado University’s newest graduate program is not yet two years old but has already begun to serve the Gunnison community. 

The Masters of Behavioral Science in Rural Community Health requires students to complete hands-on projects in the community, partnering so far with the Gunnison Senior Center and Gunnison County Juvenile Services. A recent influx of state funding has allowed the program to offer scholarships to a portion of its students, further supporting development of a local healthcare workforce. 

The Colorado Rural Healthcare Workforce Initiative, passed by the Colorado legislature in 2022, set aside $1.2 million from the state’s general fund to increase the number of medical practitioners in rural regions. The definition of “healthcare practitioner” was broadly defined so funding was not limited for more traditionally conceived roles like medical doctors, but to support behavioral health personnel, addiction specialists, and even peer support counselors.

The money helps develop rural healthcare tracks in university health-care education programs, and at least 40% of the funds given to each institution must be used for scholarships. 

The initiative is aimed at retention, as students who receive scholarship money must commit to two years working in a rural county after graduation. Because many of the students in Western’s program live and work in the valley already, there’s a good chance many will stay after graduating, said Jessica Eckhardt, lecturer in the rural community health program.

Western’s program was one of 11 schools to receive funding in 2022. The program received $65,000 this fall, which supported five of the seven students in the cohort through scholarships. The money enables students, most of whom work part-time or full-time jobs outside school, to spend more time on their research and less worrying about paying rent, Eckhardt said.

“That scholarship money has really enabled students to get their feet wet in the community, trying to make Gunnison a healthier place,” she said. 

For example, Madison Gregurek partnered with the Gunnison Senior Center to research and assess post-COVID mental and behavioral health trends among seniors in the valley. The research is not only about identifying trends in mental wellness, she said, but about identifying opportunities for intervention. 

Elizabeth Gillis, coordinator at the Gunnison Senior Center, said Gregurek's research filled a much-needed gap for senior research, following the work of another graduate assistant in 2021. 

“COVID sparked a big uptick in both mental health and early dementia issues for older adults because of the isolation, the uncertainty and just feeling nervous about their health,” Gillis said. “We wanted another graduate student who could take on these other things that we didn't really get to address.”

Gregurek isn’t from Gunnison, but grew up in rural towns in other states. She said time spent in geographically isolated places in Pennsylvania and Iowa motivated her to study rural health care.

“A lot of the services that these people need, who are passionate about the place they live and have a great sense of community, just really are not available outside metro population centers,” she said. “For me, it’s an opportunity to get back to areas that have given me so much throughout my life.”

The grant, covered a large portion of her housing costs. 

“That extra money was honestly the make or break point for what made it affordable and financially realistic to come out here in a way where I could still give back and focus on the things we are learning in the program,” she said. 

Other student projects include suicide prevention training for Western faculty, students and staff, a mental and behavioral health screening that matches incoming students with care providers around the valley and a community assessment report on the potential for sober living spaces, which are homes for people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction.

Eckhardt said she hopes more funding will be identified during the 2023 legislative session, as the program is primed to receive it and put it to good use for both scholarship and curriculum development. Increased funding could eventually cover full tuition, Eckert said.

(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@gunnisontimes.com.)