HPAC Scholar's Day 2019 CHW_Assessment_Key_Findings | Page 43

One finding that came out of the additional
focus groups of primarily non-certified CHWs
was the desire for a unifying, core training for
all CHWs (both certified and non-certified) to
make the profession more cohesive.
In terms of CHW certification, it was found
throughout this assessment that there are
generally favorable attitudes towards CHW
certification in Ohio from stakeholders,
employers, and CHWs (both certified
and non-certified). However, barriers to
certification exist in Ohio. Findings revealed
that both certified and non-certified CHWs
agree that certification is valuable for the
profession and allows CHWs to be connected
to each other in an organized way, provides
a core educational knowledge that benefits
clients, helps to establish a professional
identity, and provides recognition and
respect by other health care professionals.
A majority of non-certified CHWs from the
survey and focus groups expressed the
desire or interest to become certified as
they wanted to grow in their knowledge
and credibility, however, it was noted that
several barriers to certification exist in Ohio.
These barriers primarily include the costs
associated with certification (i.e., tuition,
certification applications and renewal, and
continuing education). Many non-certified
CHWs reported throughout the surveys
and focus groups that the cost of tuition
for the certification training programs are
too expensive and their current employers
will not reimburse for the cost of training.
The current OBN approved CHW training
programs tuition and fees range from
approximately $2000-$7,650 unless the CHW
has grant funding to complete the training or
tuition reimbursement from their employer.
Due to the fact that CHWs are often in the
same socioeconomic circumstances as the
population they serve, the current costs
associated with training and maintaining
certification combined with low CHW wages
are preventing many non-certified CHWs
from accessing certification. Other barriers
include the process of initial certification
and renewal are not clear to all CHWs and
background checks prohibit some CHWs from
ever getting certified.
Because of the clear desire of many non-
certified CHWs to become certified and the
current barriers that exist, tiering certification
in Ohio may be a possible solution. A tiered
certification process could provide an
entryway for all CHWs to achieve a basic
core set of knowledge that is affordable and
accessible for all in the community, and as
an individual progresses in their career and
their income increases they could complete
more rigorous training and requirements to
achieve higher levels of certification with
increased expectations for responsibility in
their job positions.
Many CHWs in Ohio are not even aware that
certification exists. CHW stakeholders in Ohio
should consider providing outreach to local
communities, organizations, community
colleges, and universities regarding CHW
training and certification opportunities in
Ohio. Other CHWs also noted that they may
not maintain their certification because there
are not enough job opportunities to remain a
CHW, the pay is too low to remain a certified
CHW, they do not plan on being a CHW long-
term, and they have burnout from unrealistic
caseloads. Finally, participants in the focus
groups and key informant interviews also
discussed title protection for certified CHWs,
meaning only those with certification would
be allowed to use the term “community
health worker.” Some participants were
in favor of title protection as it would
give more credibility to the profession.
One non-certified participant noted that
title protection for certified CHWs would
Discussion of Assessment Findings
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