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Category: Community Health Worker Initiatives

Posted on by iphiadmin
Evelyn and Michael Humanim

IPHI Hosts Maryland’s First Statewide Food Summit

IPHI hosted Maryland’s first statewide food summit, Developing a Maryland Food Charter: Statewide Summit, on October 15, 2015. The event included nearly 60 participants from all five regions of the state.

 

The summit focused on the following: 

  • The current status of potential food systems issues at the state-level
  • An overview of the outcomes and themes that arose at the regional convenings
  • Finalizing and prioritizing the strategies across the five food system domains included in the Maryland Food Charter

What is the change you want to see? 

A panel of experts answered this question from Grow & Fortify, Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission, Baltimore Office of Sustainability, Maryland State Department of Education, and Center for a Livable Future. Their perspectives guided the development of the Maryland Food Charter.

All summit participants refined and strengthened strategies that were included in the first-ever food charter. They also assessed the feasibility of the collective action strategies.

To view and download the Maryland Food Charter, click: here.

 

 

Chronic Heart Failure Care Transitions Project

Community health worker helping a woman and man with down syndrome.

Chronic Heart Failure Care Transitions Project

A partnership to improve care transitions and health outcomes for patients with chronic heart failure.

 

Reducing avoidable hospital readmissions is an opportunity to improve quality, increase patient satisfaction, and reduce costs within healthcare systems. Since 2013, IPHI has partnered with the George Washington University and GW Medical Faculty Associates to improve care continuity and coordination and to reduce hospital readmissions for patients with chronic heart failure.

IPHI is responsible for administering the community health worker (CHW) portion of this project. This work focuses on evidence-based strategies emphasizing coordination and continuity of care, prevention and complication avoidance, and close clinical treatment.

Responsibilities:

  • Hiring & placing the CHWs;
  • Supporting CHW training;
  • Training GW Hospital and Medical Faculty Associates staff on effectively integrating CHWs into the team;
  • Collaborating to ensure effective program model design; and
  • Evaluating this pilot project.

Two CHWs hired have been trained in basic heart failure treatment support. CHWs are deployed to assist patients during and after discharge from the hospital. With supervision by heart failure physicians and nurse practitioners, the CHWs work with the patients in their homes to:

  • Improve understanding of heart failure medications;
  • Enhance diets that are conducive to improved health;
  • Improve heart failure self-management skills;
  • Provide resources to address social needs; and
  • Improve communication with and utilization of outpatient medical facilities.

 

For hospitals interested in developing a similar program to ensure effective healthcare use, control costs, and improve patient health outcomes, please contact cchw@institutephi.org or 202.747.4120.

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Strengthening the CHW Workforce

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Strengthening the CHW Workforce

Policy initiatives to support the development, use, and finance of the community health worker (CHW) workforce.

 

The District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia stakeholders have worked to define the CHW scope of practice, core competencies, training requirements, make CHW certification recommendations, and finance preventive health services.  IPHI has been highly involved in these efforts and is available to provide information or help organizations and localities get involved.

CHW workforce development in Virginia:

Resources: 

Virginia CHW Registry 

For additional information, see this Spring 2018 update on CHW certification.

To learn more about IPHI’s CHW policy work, please contact CCHW@institutephi.org.

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Center for the Community Health Workforce

Community health worker writing at a desk while talking to a community member.

Center for the Community Health Workforce

IPHI is a regional center for advancing community health worker practice, research, and policy.

 

In 2013, the Center for the Community Health Workforce (CCHW) was launched to grow opportunities for peer-based workforce strategies. CCHW is a regional “center for excellence” that fosters multi-sector collaboration to develop and support the community-based health workforce, focusing on community health workers (CHWs).

CCHW priorities:

  • Develop CHW regional standards and scopes of practice;
  • Enhance teaching program for CHW training and continuing education;
  • Support CHW network development across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia;
  • Consult and provide technical assistance to organizations requesting help in planning, operating, and evaluating CHW programs;
  • Support the effective integration of CHWs into clinical and community-based teams and design policies and programs that facilitate CHWs retention;
  • Research and find innovative CHW models;
  • Serve as a clearinghouse for regional, national, and international CHW best practices; and
  • Support policy development to finance and sustain CHW service models across the region.

To learn more about the Center for the Community Health Workforce, please contact CCHW@institutephi.org.

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Community Health Worker Academy

Community health workers (CHWs) celebrating with their certificates after completing a CHW training.

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER ACADEMY

The Community Health Worker (CHW) Academy is IPHI’s training institute dedicated to expanding the public health workforce. The CHW Academy will train new and existing CHWs in the District of Columbia and neighboring counties in suburban Maryland and northern Virginia.

 

The program aims to increase access to care, improve public health emergency response, and address under-resourced communities’ unmet public health needs by enhancing the skills of existing CHWs.

Public health needs are unmet when capacity, services, and resources are limited. Through the CHW Academy, IPHI aims to expand the critical role of CHWs to improve public health emergency response and help under-resourced communities gain access to care. This initiative was made possible by a three-year grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

To put this plan into action, IPHI:

  1. Provides specialized training, continuing education opportunities, financial support, and mentorship to CHWs.
  2. Facilitates field placements and apprenticeships with community partners to increase the experience, quality, and job readiness of CHWs.
  3. Recruits CHWs from communities that are disproportionately impacted by social determinants of health. By recruiting people from more affected areas, the public health workforce can effectively connect with populations through unique experiences and perspectives.

The CHW Academy is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $3 million with 100% financing from HHS/HRSA sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.

To learn more about the Community Health Worker Academy, please contact chwacademy@institutephi.org or apply below.

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Virginia CHW Workforce Development Council

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VIRGINIA CHW WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

​​Virginia (VA) Community Health Worker (CHW) Workforce Development Council identifies and promotes policies and systems-level strategies to advance and sustain the CHW workforce.

The council convenes CHWs, CHW program representatives, and stakeholders who focus on expanding the CHW workforce to achieve health equity, reduce racial imbalances, and address health disparities. IPHI facilitates ongoing engagement to ensure diverse voices set priorities and direction in policy, promotion, and sustainability of CHW programs.

The council is made up of three committees: 

  • Curriculum, Training, and Certification
  • Financing Measurement and Evaluation
  • Policy and Communication

The council and its three committees meet quarterly. If you’re interested in becoming a member, click: here.

Resources: 

The council will meet virtually and bi-monthly on the second Wednesday of the month. The upcoming dates include: 

  • April 12, from 2 to 4 p.m.
  • June 14, from 2 to 4 p.m.

The committee meetings will be held in between the full council meetings.

To learn more about the Virginia CHW Workforce Development Council, please contact Program Manager Kelly Evans at kevans@institutephi.org or visit: www.chwva.org.

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CHWs for a Healthy VA

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CHWS FOR A HEALTHY VIRGINIA

Community Health Workers for a Healthy Virginia (CHWs for a Healthy VA) is a 3-year capacity building project led by IPHI in partnership with a wide range of state and local partners across Virginia.

 

Community Health Workers for a Healthy Virginia logo

The initiative is funded through a national grant initiative of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Through the project, IPHI and its partners will deploy CHWs as a strategic intervention to assist communities in the response and recovery from COVID-19. The project will also develop and test innovative financing strategies to support the long-term sustainability of CHWs and community resource providers.

 

IPHI has partnered with numerous organizations across Virginia to hire CHWs to help with recovery and response. Through the grant, community-based organizations, healthcare providers, local health departments, and other partners will hire and deploy CHWs. IPHI will assist with training and provide technical assistance. These partners are addressing gaps in access to COVID-related services, such as testing, vaccination, and quarantine support, and responding to community needs exacerbated by COVID-19, such as access to health and mental health care, housing services, and food assistance.

IPHI is identifying high-priority communities and populations that would benefit the most from CHW interventions. Currently, the project focuses on Richmond and surrounding areas and southwest Virginia’s Mount Rogers area.

CHW regional conveners are working on expanding collaborations, increasing CHW’s presence, and informing external partners about IPHI’s work with CHWs. The following regional conveners are represented in each of the four areas:

  • Norfolk State University
  • Healing Hands Health Center
  • Richmond/Henrico Health District
  • Virginia Rural Health Association

IPHI works closely with the Virginia Community Health Worker’s Association to highlight  CHW voices in Virginia.

Partners in Four Areas of Need

Southwest VA/Mt Rogers 

  • Ballad Health
  • Healing Hands Health Center
  • Mount Rogers Health District

Norfolk/Portsmouth

  • Capital Center of VA (CCVA) – Urban Baby Beginnings (UBB)
  • Minority AIDS Support Services (MASS)
  • Sentara Healthcare

Pittsylvania/Danville

  • Piedmont Access to Health Services (PATHS)
  • Sovah Health (Life Point)

Richmond/Petersburg

  • Richmond Henrico Health District (RHHD)
  • Central VA Health Services (CVHS)
  • Capital Center of VA (CCVA) – Urban Baby Beginnings (UBB)
  • Crossover Health Center
  • Health Brigade
  • Sacred Heart
  • Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)

CHWs for a Healthy Virginia project also intends to address the issue of sustainable financing for CHW programs. Historically, CHW-based community impact models has been limited by a lack of viable financing options. IPHI is developing a framework to identify, pilot, and evaluate CHW and community resource financing models. Then, in collaboration with local partners, IPHI will develop and pilot region-specific financing models for CHW and community resource providers to evaluate and demonstrate the return on investment and social benefits.

 

This CHW for a Healthy VA project is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $4.3 million with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

To learn more about CHWs for a Healthy VA, please contact Senior Program Manager Valerie McAllister at vmcallister@institutephi.org or 804-269-8331.

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