HPAC Scholar's Day 2019 CHW_Assessment_Key_Findings | Page 11

In order to gain a more accurate picture of the CHW landscape in Ohio,
this statewide CHW capacity assessment sought to identify how CHWs are
currently being trained, certified, employed, reimbursed, and utilized in Ohio.
Assessment Objectives
The specific aims of the CHW Statewide
Assessment were to:
services and the community to facilitate
access to services and improve the quality
and cultural competence of service
delivery (APHA, 2018).”
Convene an advisory committee to inform
and guide the statewide CHW capacity
CHWs have demonstrated the ability to
assessment
address the social conditions that impact
health outcomes of individuals (Carter et
■ ■ Compose a plan to conduct the CHW
al., 2016). As a result, many communities
capacity assessment to identify:
are utilizing CHWs to improve population
■ ■ The number of certified and non-
health outcomes as well as to decrease
certified CHWs in Ohio
health disparities for underserved and
■ ■ The number of employed and
minority populations (Carter et al., 2016).
unemployed CHWs in Ohio
Furthermore, CHWs have been used
successfully to address chronic diseases such
■ ■ Healthcare settings utilizing and not
as diabetes and asthma (Rothschild et al.,
utilizing CHWs in Ohio
2014; Thompson, 2014; Kollannoor-Samuel
■ ■ How CHWs are being paid in Ohio
et al., 2016; Perez-Escamilla et al., 2015;
■ ■ The focus of CHW work in Ohio
Collinsworth et al., 2013; Hughes et al., 2016;
Kim et al., 2016; Kangovi et al., 2017; Ingram
■ ■ Information on CHW training
et al., 2017; Krantz et al., 2013; Campbell et
programs in Ohio
al., 2015; Shani et al., 2015).
■ ■ Conduct a secondary data collection
■ ■
■ ■ Conduct at least 10 key informant
interviews
■ ■ Conduct at least one focus group
■ ■ Administer a statewide survey
■ ■ Synthesize results and provide
recommendations for next steps
Background
According to the American Public Health
Association (APHA), a CHW is “a frontline
public health worker who is a trusted
member and/or has an unusually close
understanding of the community served.
This trusting relationship enables
the worker to serve as a liaison/link/
intermediary between health/social
For example, randomized controlled trials
found that CHW interventions have resulted
in significant decreases of A1c levels for
diabetes management and demonstrated
CHW effectiveness in reducing emergency
department and urgent care utilization for
asthma through increasing asthma trigger
reduction behaviors (Perez-Escamilla, et al.,
2015; Collinsworth et al., 2013; Postma et
al., 2009). In fact, the Guide to Community
Preventive Services cites CHWs as an effective
intervention to address chronic disease.
According to the Community Preventive
Services Task Force (2015), there is “strong
evidence of effectiveness for interventions
that engage CHWs in a team-based care
model to improve blood pressure and
Introduction 5