Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #113190

Lori J. McNicholas, PHD, RD, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, 6645-189 Canyon Rim Row, San Diego, CA 92111, 760-744-2647, mcnichol@mail.sdsu.edu, Kendra Brandstein, MSW, Community Benefits, Scripps Memorial Hospital Chula Vista, 450 Fourth Avenue, Suite 201, Chula Vista, CA 91910, Carmen Cutter, MPH, Project Concern International, Border Health Initiative, 148 East 30th Street, Suite Up-South, National City, CA 91950, and Hilda Araiza, CHW Regional Development Center, 555 Broadway, Suite 2029, Chula Vista, CA 91910.

Organizing efforts continue for a community college CHW certification program with initial matriculation set for the '05-'06 Academic Year. The Certification Program will sustain the local efforts and capacities of CHWs and their programs, as well as possibly facilitating further healthcare career development opportunities. While many local employers are eager to embrace CHW graduates of a Certificate Program, however, thoughts of entry into such a program can be overwhelming for even the most experienced CHWs. To assist CHWs with understanding the community college system and improving academic preparation, a short preparatory course was developed. This presentation will share experiences of students from the Spring '05 offering of a preparatory course for the CHW Certificate Program at a local community college. The eighteen-hour adult school preparatory course is designed to provide potential CHW Certificate Program students with an overview of the CHW field and the community college Certificate Program in order to help them decide whether or not to pursue them. It is intended for students who are either already working as paid or volunteer CHW as well as for those who are interested in working in the field. CHW course participants will be part of the presentation team, or at minimum, will assist in compilation and coordination of personal experience narratives that will provide a significant part of the presentation. Analysis of outcome data will also be presented.

Learning Objectives:

• To describe a preparatory course for a CHW Certificate Program, including initial process and outcome evaluation results.
• To share experiences of students from the initial Spring ’05 offerings of the course.

Keywords: Certificate Program, Community Health Promoters

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.