Delta CHWs: Combining Resources to Meet Social Needs through the Medical Home

The Delta Community Health Worker (CHW) Project was implemented in the Mississippi Delta in May 2009 with three specific goals: to improve health outcomes for patients of Community Health Centers (CHCs) in rural areas diagnosed with diabetes, CVD, and hypertension; improve retention of Social Worker students post-graduation in the Mississippi Delta; and create a replicable model of care for implementing a Community Health Worker team concept in rural areas of the United States. The Mississippi Delta is one of the most disadvantaged parts of the United States, with high rates of chronic disease, obesity, and low educational attainment. The project selected three CHCs and their satellite locations over a three year period and will research the effectiveness of utilizing CHWs through quantitative and qualitative measures. Utilizing an innovative community based organization – academic – community health center partnership, the Delta CHW project combines experiential learning with evidenced based practices and multiple CHW resources and training methods. This presentation seeks to describe process measures evaluated throughout the implementation period and the unique partnerships formed and executed, as well as address lessons learned and barriers overcome.