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United Voices! The power of the CHWs' voice in the development of standardized practices
In 2013, as part of a national effort, Proyecto Salud hosted the First Minority Health Month Event featuring CHWs and their unique role in eliminating health disparities. Event video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4fdFXiEouM&list=UUS_zfnKuOab9USCtUTOzCdg
After the event, United Voices was formed. With the support of 30 partner organizations more them 80 CHWs from the American Indian, Latino, African Refugee, African- American and Asian communities came together to discuss community needs and better understand the social economic health determinants affecting their communities. With United Voices network, the CHWs are learning more skills that are increasing their collective impact and raising their voices together. As a cross-cultural network they want to assure that their voices are heard in the process of the CHWs professionalization and policy development. An awareness campaign was developed to ensure that the system understands who are the CHWs and respects their role in the community as an agent of change. This presentation CHWs will demonstrate the importance of CHWs voice in the standardized practices such as certification and reimbursement and how the process was developed.
One of the campaign videos - Celebrating CHWs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4fdFXiEouM&list=UUS_zfnKuOab9USCtUTOzCdg
Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health educationDiversity and culture
Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health
Learning Objectives:
Describe how the CHWs' voice are engaged in the certification and standardized training process in the state of WI with the potential creation of Medicaid reimbursement pathway.
Describe the creation and sustainability of a strong cross-cultural CHWs network in the segregated city of Milwaukee.
Demonstrate the unique role of the CHWs in the Elimination of Health Disparities (Video Presentation)
Demonstrate the importance of a strong collective voice of CHWs and the development of community organizing skills to support CHWs voice in the process of CHWs professionalization and policy developmet.
Demonstrate the importance of cohesion and personal growth in the process of professionalization of the CHWs work force.
Keyword(s): Community Health Workers and Promoters, Workforce Development
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Ana Paula has vast experience working with public health and CHWs. She is an excellent speaker. She is the founder and director of Proyecto Salud. Ana was one of the finalists for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Community Leader Award 2011. She is an advocate for CHWs'voice in the local and national level. She is leading United Voices, a cross-cultural CHWs network. She is also in the Region V Health Equity Council for the MHO.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.