CHW Field Basics I:CHW Scope of Practice & Statewide Curriculum

Overview of CHW core role and scope of practice

Review of MN CHW certificate curriculum

Overview of how CHWs reduce health inequities

Review the Triple Aim and CHWs

Presentation Outline

Questions?

Who is in the audience? What would you like to know today?

CHW Field Basics I

Community Health Workers (CHWs) come from the communities they serve, building trust and vital relationships. This trusting relationship enables the CHWs to be effective links between their own communities and systems of care. This crucial relationship significantly lowers health disparities in Minnesota because CHWs: provide access to services, improve the quality and cultural competence of care, create an effective system of chronic disease management, and increase the health knowledge and self sufficiency of underserved populations.

CHW Core Role- MN Alliance Definition

Critical Links: Community Health Workers DVD produced by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of

Minnesota Foundation

Available to be viewed on YouTube

CHW Core Role - DVD

Role 1: Bridge the gap between communities and the health and social service systems.

Role 2:   Navigate the health and human services system

Role 3: Advocate for individual and community needs

Role 4: Provide direct services. Role 5: Build individual and community

capacity.

CHW Core Role – Scope of Practice

In 2009, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a Standard Occupational Classification for CHWs.

The umbrella term "community health worker" refers to individuals alternately known as outreach worker, Community Health Representative, promotor (a) de salud, and patient navigator.

CHW Core Role

Pilot of CHW curriculum began in 2005 with an 11 credit certificate program

Curriculum was updated in 2010 to a 14 credits Curriculum is a model program in U.S. Curriculum is offered free to higher education

institutions in MN Credits provide educational pathway

MN CHW Curriculum

Core Competencies Role, Advocacy, and Outreach (2 cr) Organization and Resources (2 cr) Legal and Ethical Responsibilities (1 cr) Coordination, Documentation and Reporting (1 cr) Teaching and Building Capacity (2 cr)   Communication and Cultural Competence (2 cr)

Health Promotion Competencies (3 cr) Student Field Internship (2 cr)

MN CHW Curriculum

Role, Advocacy, and Outreach

This course focuses on the CHW’s personal safety, self care and personal wellness and on the promotion of health and disease prevention for clients.

CHW Curriculum

Organization and Resources: Community and Personal Strategies

This course focuses on the CHW’s knowledge of the community and the ability to prioritize and organizework. Emphasis is on the use of and critical analysis of resources and on problem solving.

CHW Curriculum

Teaching and Capacity Building

This course focuses on the CHW’s role in teaching and increasing the capacity of the community and of theclient to access the health care system. Emphasis is on establishing healthy lifestyles and clients developing agreements to take responsibility for achieving health goals. Students learn about and practice methods for planning, developing and implementing plans with clients to promote wellness.

CHW Curriculum

Legal and Ethical Responsibilities

This course focuses on the legal and ethical dimensions of the CHWs’ role. Included are boundaries of theCHW position, agency policies, confidentiality, liability, mandatory reporting and cultural issues that caninfluence legal and ethical responsibilities.

CHW Curriculum

Coordination, Documentation and Reporting

This course focuses on the importance and ability of the CHW to gather, document and report on client visitsand other activities. The emphasis is on appropriate, accurate and clear documentation with consideration oflegal and agency requirements.

CHW Curriculum

Communication and Cultural CompetenceThis course focuses on the context and skills in communication to assist the CHW in effectively interacting with clients of diverse backgrounds, their families and a range of healthcare providers. Students learn about communicating verbally and non-verbally, listening and interviewing, networking, building trust and working in teams. Students practice communication skills in the context of a community’s culture and the cultural implications that can affect client communication.

CHW Curriculum

Healthy Lifestyles This course focuses on the knowledge and skills a CHW needs to assist clients in realizing healthy eatingpatterns, controlling their weight, integrating exercise into their lives, taking their medications, talking withtheir doctors, controlling substances such as tobacco, managing stress, achieving life balance, and attainingpersonal and family wellness.

CHW Curriculum

Health Promotion Competencies◦Healthy Lifestyles◦Heart Disease and Stroke◦Maternal/Child/Teen◦Diabetes◦Cancer◦Oral Health◦Mental Health

CHW Curriculum

Internship

Students work in selected agencies to fully apply and integrate what they have learned to ensure an effective transition into the CHW role.

CHW Curriculum

Mapping of community

CHW Curriculum- Example

NEIGHBORHOOD FEATURES POTENTIAL HEALTH IMPACTS

Example: Living near a freeway or road with lots of truck traffic

Asthma from diesel pollution; noise disturbs sleep

Plenty of parks 

 

Lots of fast food restaurants 

 

Minneapolis Community and Technical College: F2F Normandale Community College: F2F (new 2014) Northwest Technical College: online hybrid Rochester Community and Technical College: F2F St. Catherine University: hybrid South Central College: completely online Summit Academy OIC: F2F

Schools offering the CHW Certificate

Better Care Better Health Lower Cost

Economic analysis published by Wilder Research Center in June 2012 found that every dollar investedin CHW cancer outreach and prevention saves society $2.30. (Cleary, 2012)

Triple Aim:

African American – diabetes, hypertension Latina – prenatal Native American – diabetes Native American –colorectal screening WISEWOMAN Program

(CDC, 2014)

Health Inequities

Questions?

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). How the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supports community health workers in chronic disease prevention and health promotion. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/programs/spha/docs/chw_summary.pdf

Cleary, J. (2012). Community health workers: Bridging barriers to care. Minnesota Health Care News. 10(11). Retrieved from http://s472440476.onlinehome.us/wpcontent/uploads/2012/12/HealthCareNews.pdf

Sabo, S., Ingram, M., Reinschmidt, K. M., Schachter, K., Jacobs, L., de Zapien, J. G., . . . Carvajal, S. (2013). Predictors and a Framework for Fostering Community Advocacy as a Community Health Worker Core Function to Eliminate Health Disparities. American Journal of Public Health, 103(7), e67-e73.

References