2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

Home Events & Meetings Annual Meeting Schedule & Program

Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

333613
Minnesota CHW Curriculum: 10 years later


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Julie Mumm, DrHE, CHES, Department of Public Health, St. Catherine University, St. Paul, MN
LaShawna McKinney, CHW, Whittier Clinic, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN
A statewide community health worker (CHW) standardized curriculum was developed by a broad based, multicultural team including CHWs in Minnesota with the first group of students completing the program in 2005.  From the inaugural class to now, the CHW educators now have ten years of experience offering the standardized certificate curriculum and over 600 graduates of the program. CHW graduates gain eligibility for Medicaid reimbursement. The curriculum is offered to students at six education institutions in Minnesota across a variety of platforms and geographic locations including inner city and rural Minnesota.  A curriculum revision occurred in 2009 and increased the total credits from 11 to 14 by adding a new health promotion course.

The curriculum offers a comprehensive core of critical skills needed by CHWs.  Feedback from CHWs and CHW site supervisors via surveys during a required internship course reflects overall satisfaction with the program.  In addition, overall feedback on the program is solicited from CHWs and CHW supervisors on a regular basis.

Educators representing each of the schools and CHWs meet on a monthly basis to discuss curriculum related issues.  This forum has allowed the CHW curriculum to remain true to the original intent of facilitating and nurturing the CHW role while ensuring best practices are occurring at each of the schools. 

This presentation will include an educator and a CHW graduate from one of the schools offering the CHW curriculum in Minnesota.  We would like to be considered for all types of presentations.

Learning Areas:

Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
Describe the statewide Minnesota CHW Certificate curriculum and results from 10 years of implementation. Describe the role and importance of CHWs in developing, reviewing, and updating the curriculum. Identify synergies among state institutions that allow for a stronger curriculum focused on the CHW core competencies, character, role, and Scope of Practice.

Keyword(s): Community Health Workers and Promoters

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I graduated from Summit Academy OIC, received my Community Health Worker certificate in September, 2013 and am currently employed at Hennepin County Medical Center as a CHW. I am active in the Minnesota CHW Alliance and am participating on the curriculum revision subcommittee.
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.

Back to: 4307.0: Strategies for supporting the CHW workforce in the field and in the clinic