Online Program

331124
Hiring and training CHWs across multiple health systems


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Jessica Ramsay, MPH, AE-C, Sinai Urban Health Institute, Sinai Health Systems, Chicago, IL
Molly A. Martin, MD, Department of Pediatrics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Gloria Seals, Sinai Urban Health Institute, Sinai Health Systems, Chicago, IL
Helen Margellos-Anast, MPH, Sinai Urban Health Institute, Sinai Health System, Chicago, IL
Valerie Press, MD, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Rajesh Kumar, MD, Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, IL
Michael Berbaum, PhD, Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Sharmilee Nyenhuis, MD, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago
Stacy Ignoffo, MSW, Chicago Asthma Consortium, Chicago, IL
Cortland Lohff, MD, Chicago Department of Public Health, Chicago
Giselle Mosnaim, MD, Preventive Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL
Kim Erwin, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL
Tom MacTavish, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL
Kate McMahon, MPH, Programs and Policy Department, Respiratory Health Association, Chicago, IL
Nicole Woodrick, University of Chicago, Chicago
Janet Flores, Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, IL
Soyemi Kenneth, MD, MPH, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine, John H Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, IL
Helene Gussin, PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Jerry Krishnan, MD, PhD, Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep, and Allergy, University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System, Chicago, IL
background

Community Health Workers (CHW) have been shown to improve asthma management and control among children in underserved populations.  The Coordinated Healthcare Interventions for Childhood Asthma Gaps in Outcomes (CHICAGO) Trial is a 3-arm multicenter pragmatic trial to evaluate interventions to improve pediatric asthma management in inner city Chicago children.  The CHICAGO Trial integrates the CHW model into six different healthcare systems, the majority of which did not previously have a CHW workforce. This presentation, conducted by the program coordinator and senior CHW, will discuss a centralized, collaborative process for hiring and training CHWs across partnering institutions.

methods

In October 2014, six CHW position openings were publicized in communities served by partnering institutions.  Interested candidates were encouraged to attend a two-day CHICAGO Trial informational session/asthma training, led by the project’s CHW Coordinating Center (CHW CC).  Sixteen individuals attended the workshop, and eleven applied for the CHW positions. Applicants indicated their preferred institution, and were interviewed by a committee of CHW CC members and institution-specific staff. Hiring decisions were made by the institution, considering CHW CC recommendations.  Once hired, CHWs for all six institutions underwent a common asthma and CHW core skills training facilitated by the CHW CC.

results

Despite challenges associated with institution-specific barriers (e.g., distinct HR requirements), we successfully developed a unique, collaborative process for recruiting, hiring and training CHWs across health systems.

conclusions

As the CHW model continues to expand into healthcare settings, it is critical to provide a replicable framework for successfully recruiting, hiring and training CHWs across health systems.

Learning Areas:

Chronic disease management and prevention
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Program planning
Public health or related research
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
Describe a framework for hiring and training CHWs across multiple health systems. Define the role of a CHW Coordinating Center in hiring and training CHWs across multiple health systems.

Keyword(s): Community Health Workers and Promoters, Community-Based Partnership & Collaboration

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Over the past five years, I have been the Project Coordinator/CHW Trainer on several grant-funded CHW asthma intervention projects, and am currently the CHW Intervention Director/CHW Trainer for the project discussed in this abstract, the CHICAGO Trial. On each of these projects I have led the CHW recruitment, hiring and training process. I am a certified Asthma Educator and have several years of experience creating health education curricula and facilitating trainings.
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.