Recorded presentation

John Rich, MD, MPH, Boston Public Health Commission, 1010 Massachusetts Ave, 6th floor, Boston, MA 02118, 671-534-5264, jrich@bu.edu

Men of color suffer disproportionately from preventable disease and chronic illness. Recent studies have shown that many factors contribute to this poor health status, including racism, lack of health insurance and lack of a culturally competent health workforce. Increasing the diversity of the health workforce is a necessary strategy for decreasing racial disparities in health. The Boston HealthCREW (Community Resources for Empowerment and Wellness) is a community health worker (CHW) training program for young men of color, funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and based at the Boston Public Health Commission, the health department for the city of Boston. Young men of color, between the ages of 18 and 25, are recruited from Boston’s inner city into the 9-month training program. These young men are paid a stipend and trained in a rigorous public health curriculum. Through the program, the participants gain specific competencies as well as certification as general health educators and men’s reproductive health educators. Participants also receive training in basic life skills such as public speaking, financial management and personal health. In addition, they conduct outreach to men in the community supervised by public health professionals. We will present the health data that led to the development of the HealthCREW within the health department, and the program elements that are deemed critical for its success. We will also discuss resources and partnerships that are necessary to successfully replicate the program in other urban communities.

Learning Objectives: At the end of this presentation the learner will be able to

• Understand the data the indicate the health crisis facing men of color.
• Identify the key elements of a successful community public health worker training program for young men of color.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation