Health program gets grant

    PRESQUE ISLE – A second Maine-based foundation has come forward with major grant funds to support the establishment of the first allied health simulation center in northern Maine on the campus of Northern Maine Community College.
    The Davis Family Foundation, a public charitable foundation established by Phyllis C. Davis and H. Halsey Davis of Falmouth, has contributed $50,000 to support the establishment and operation of the simulation center on the Presque Isle community college campus. The news comes just two weeks after officials with NMCC and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Maine announced that the Anthem Foundation has committed $100,000 to get the project off the ground.
    The grant from the Davis Family Foundation to NMCC’s “Campaign for the County’s College” will support the first year of center operation for project coordination, technical support, curricula design, professional development for faculty, equipment, and technology upgrades.
    “Since our announcement in mid-October, there has been a great deal of excitement generated both on campus and in the community concerning the establishment of an allied health simulation center in our part of the state. We are most appreciative to the Davis Family Foundation for this most generous contribution,” said NMCC President Timothy Crowley. “This commitment will provide the margin of excellence for ensuring the center most effectively meets the needs of our faculty and students, as well as our partner health care organizations throughout Aroostook County that will utilize the facility to assist in the development of their current workforce.”
    Once up and running next academic year, the allied health simulation center at NMCC will house both an adult and pediatric human patient simulator, which will provide students and other users simulation-based education to enhance clinical and decision-making skills during realistic patient care scenarios.
    NMCC enrolls an average of 150 students annually in nursing and allied health-related programs, which include emergency medical services and medical assisting. College officials estimate that in addition to these users of the facility, another 200 to 300 health care professionals working throughout the region in hospitals, long-term care facilities, medical offices and emergency responder teams will take advantage of the technology.
    The Davis Family Foundation exists to support educational, medical and cultural/arts organizations located primarily in Maine. The foundation was established following H. Halsey Davis’ retirement as president and chairman of Shaw’s Supermarkets, Inc. The overriding goal for the foundation was simple and straightforward – “To make grants where they will do the most good and where our gifts make a real difference.”
    The foundation has provided over $32.8 million in grants since its grant-making activities began in 1986 to support various entities including colleges, universities, hospitals, clinics, and medical research organizations, as well as groups whose customary and primary activity is to promote music, theater, drama, history, literature, the arts or other similar cultural activities.
    NMCC faculty in the nursing and allied health programs intend to use the allied health simulation center as the primary arena for student hands-on learning in the related programs prior to, and in conjunction with, clinical experiences in hospitals, other health care facilities, and in emergency settings.
    The community college has been the largest provider of nurses in Aroostook County for more than 40 years. In addition to the Presque Isle campus, the associate degree in nursing program is currently offered at two distant sites in Houlton and Calais.