Jessica Barreca, PT, DPT
Community Site Coordinator
Center for Interprofessional Education & Research at Saint Louis University
Jessica Barreca, PT, DPT is the Community Site Coordinator in the Center for Interprofessional Education & Research (CIER), an adjunct faculty instructor in PT, and a PhD student in the Public and Social Policy program at Saint Louis University (SLU). She has 20 years of experience working as a pediatric PT in schools, hosptials, early intervention, and clinics. In her role at the CIER, Jessica manages partnerships with over 25 local non-profits in the St. Louis region. Her research interests center around interprofessional education and collaborative practice and policies supporting access and utilization of rehabilitation services for young children with disabilities.

Presenting at the Nexus Summit:

Preparing students to be collaboration-ready to improve community health outcomes requires a network of community partners built on mutual trust, effective logistical coordination, and meaningful teaching and learning activities. At St. Louis University, the interprofessional community practicum course pairs teams of undergraduate students from different health professions with local non-profit organizations who serve under-resourced communities. Each semester, student teams plan, implement, and evaluate a project focused on an agency-identified health goal under the guidance of a faculty…