Project ECHO 2024 Annual Report

United States
Always At The Ready

With more than two decades of growth across the United States, the ECHO network has become foundational to national efforts in public health and health care workforce resilience. In 2024, this network demonstrated new opportunities to scale up, or scale down, to meet ever-changing needs.

In partnership with the Health Resources and Services Administration and Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services, national ECHO programs support workforce resilience and training in all sectors of health care, increasing tools to decrease burnout and increase retention. This year, those lessons helped expand an ECHO program exclusively for supporting Indian Country correctional officers, an often isolated, high-intensity professional group.

In response to the surging syphilis epidemic (and syndemic with HIV and substance use), Project ECHO leveraged its existing infrastructure to rapidly deploy critical training and support for frontline health care workers. With infectious disease specialists at academic medical centers in nearly every state, ECHO supported quick-to-scale program launches for a range of public health issues including environmental health impacts, mpox and suicide prevention.

ECHO Autism Programs Integrate Self-Advocates’ Lived Experience

ECHO Autism communities were the first ECHO programs to incorporate “self-advocates”— people who have lived experience with a condition or issue — as program experts alongside medical specialists.

“Nothing for us or about us, without us” is their slogan; the self-advocates weigh in on everything from family and legal issues to potential prescriptions.

“I do this work with Project ECHO because I want people with disabilities to live in a better world,” says John Lemus, a self-advocate with ECHO Autism.

Oklahoma State University Establishes Statewide Programs

Often ranking among the lowest nationally for public education, Oklahoma needed an innovative solution…and found Project ECHO.

Today, Oklahoma State University is leveraging ECHO to strengthen its public school system, with educators and administrators from all 77 counties participating in ECHO education programs.

Participants learn how to improve their class curricula and school health systems; strengthen their leadership skills; and build tools and awareness for social-emotional learning.

ECHO Program Prioritizes Maternal Health Care for Black Women

In the Black Maternal Health ECHO program at the University of Indiana, ECHO participants co-create solutions for healthier communities that work within — and reimagine — our current health care system.

Professionals from a variety of backgrounds, including social services and clinical settings, advise each other on: navigating barriers to care, supporting Black fathers, and providing trauma-informed care. This year the program focused on creating better support systems for health care and social service workers.

Partner Testimonial

Kimble Richardson

MS, LMHC, LCSW, LMFT, LCAC Manager, Business Development and Referrals, Fairbanks Behavioral Health and Community Fairbanks Recovery Center Behavioral Health Professional Workforce Resilience ECHO Program

The biggest impact ECHO has made on me personally and–on countless other professionals–has been a connection to community. ECHO has positively affected the wellbeing of thousands of first responders, behavioral health and other health care professionals.

By improving our own wellbeing, we can more strongly, passionately, and consistently provide excellent services to our patients who rely on us.”