$18,000 awarded to University of South Dakota Physician Assistant Studies Program
August 23, 2024 // Grants, South Dakota Fund Grants
South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) recently awarded a $18,395 South Dakota Fund grant to the University of South Dakota (USD) Physician Assistant Studies Program. Funding will purchase a virtual reality headset for the BehaVR Project enhancing patients’ relaxation and meditation skills and helping them learn strategies to optimize their quality of life.
“Faculty members in the University of South Dakota’s School of Health Sciences are driven to improve the lives and well-being of others through health care innovation and service,” said Betty Hulse, Clinical Education/Associate Professor with the Program. “The BehaVR Project, implemented in partnership with the SD Human Services Center (HSC) and USD and funded by SDCF, will be utilized in the HSC Life Skills Program to offer planned interventions to help patients with mental illness develop and use positive coping skills during daily activities. This collaboration among USD and HSC health care professionals will help advance and improve the well-being of many South Dakotans.”
The proposed project is using the BehaVR program with adults in the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program at the South Dakota Human Services Center. BehaVR is an evidence-based digital therapeutic experience that can be used for individuals with mental illnesses and anxiety. This modality will be an added benefit to the patient's current treatment regimen.
Increasing demand for services, worker shortage and increasing burnout of providers requires innovative solutions to healthcare delivery. BehaVR allows an opportunity to enhance its impact by providing an approach to self-care that improves participation in regular treatment and reduces burnout in the healthcare team.
SDCF's grant to USD’s Physician Assistant Studies Program is a step in addressing the mental health needs of South Dakotans. By integrating innovative technologies like BehaVR, the program aims to not only enhance patient care but also support the well-being of healthcare providers. Through this project, the SDCF continues to play a role in improving the quality of life for communities across South Dakota.
SDCF is a public non-profit organization established in 1987. SDCF, with offices in Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls and Aberdeen administers 1,200 funds benefiting hundreds of charitable organizations annually. The Foundation distributed nearly $31 million in grants in 2023 which made a tremendous difference in communities statewide. This would not have been possible without the generosity of our donors. If you have a specific cause you would like to support or would prefer to give for the general good of our state, please visit https://sdcommunityfoundation.org/giving to learn more or call 1-800-888-1842.