Empowering Community Health Workers: The C3 Project Overview

COMMUNITY COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER HEALTH WORKER COMMITTEE COMMITTEE February 12, 2024

INTRODUCTIONS INTRODUCTIONS Ice Breaker: If you could have a superpower, what would it be? Name Pronouns Organization/ & Job Title Where You're Located

GROUP GROUP EXPECTATIONS EXPECTATIONS Do your best to come prepared to the meeting, but know we'd rather you show up even if you don't have time to prepare If you miss a meeting, please try to read the minutes or watch the recording before the next meeting Read any uploaded resource materials before the meetings Be prepared to use your voice and make decisions

GROUND RULES GROUND RULES Approach the work with care, honesty, and empathy. Use each interaction to build community. Take responsibility for and respect the conversations you participate in. Respect the confidentiality and personal wishes of other members. Bring questions, concerns, or feedback to the meetings to be discussed. Reach out to Emma Simuns for support

AGENDA AGENDA Core Consensus Project (C3 Project) Purpose of Project History of Project Project Phases Scope of Practice Core Competencies Common Indicator Project Housekeeping: Meeting Schedules 5

ORIGINS OF THE C3 ORIGINS OF THE C3 PROJECT PROJECT Originated from a previous study examining the CHW workforce Identified need to revisit core roles and competencies Centered CHW voices in study

MISSION OF THE C3 MISSION OF THE C3 PROJECT PROJECT Integrate CHWs into the healthcare field Promote visibility and understanding of CHW role Offer a single set of CHW roles and competencies Develop CHW skill assessment tools 7

C3 PROJECT TEAM C3 PROJECT TEAM Coordinated by the University of Texas Houston Advisory Committee Readers Panel

CHW CHW: A SHARED DEFINITION : A SHARED DEFINITION "A CHW is a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of and/or has an unusually close understanding of the community served. This trusting relationship enables the CW to serve as a liaison/link/intermediary between health/social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and culture competence of delivery. A CHW also builds individuals and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self- sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support and advocacy."

PROJECT CORE VALUES PROJECT CORE VALUES The C3 Project Believes CHWs should: Share lived experience with the communities they serve Be recognized as members of a unique profession with a unique scope of work Be meaningfully involved in efforts to create policy for their field Be recognized and rewarded for their experiential knowledge

PROJECT CORE VALUES PROJECT CORE VALUES Be trained and supported in a full range of roles Participate in initial and on-going training Receive supervision that supports their professional growth Be compensated at a level that reflects their skills

PROJECT GOALS PROJECT GOALS Distribute C3 Project findings Building of national consensus on CHW roles and skills Endorsement and adoption of C3 Project recommended role and skills 12

PHASE 1: PHASE 1: ANALYSIS ANALYSIS

RESEARCH QUESTIONS RESEARCH QUESTIONS The C3 Project sought to answer the following questions: How have CHW roles and skills change over time in the US? What contemporary roles (scope of practice) best capture the work of CHWs today in any setting? What skills and qualities (competencies) do CHWs need to fulfill these roles?

PHASE 2: PHASE 2: CONSENSUS CONSENSUS- - BUILDING BUILDING

FEEDBACK & DISTRIBUTION FEEDBACK & DISTRIBUTION Analysis results reviewed by project advisory committee Outreach to CHW leadership Gathering feedback Distribution

QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS?

FINDINGS FINDINGS

SCOPE OF PRACTICE SCOPE OF PRACTICE Cultural Mediation Providing Culturally Appropriate Health Education and Information Care Coordination, Case Management, and System Navigation Providing Coaching and Social Support Advocating for Individuals and Communities 19

SCOPE OF PRACTICE SCOPE OF PRACTICE Building Individual and Community Capacity Providing Direct Service Implementing Assessments Conducting Outreach Participating in Evaluation and Research 20

COMPETENCIES COMPETENCIES Communication Interpersonal and Relationship-Building Skills Service Coordination and Navigation Skills Capacity Building Skills Advocacy Skills Education and Facilitation Skills 21

COMPETENCIES COMPETENCIES Individual and Community Assessment Skills Outreach Skills Professional Skills and Conduct Evaluation and Research Skills Knowledge Base 22

CHW ASSESSMENT TOOLKIT CHW ASSESSMENT TOOLKIT Recommended program elements to assess CHW skills Case studies of successful programs Tools to assess C3 core competency skills Self-assessment tools for CHWs and supervisors Job description template for recruiting CHWs Interview guide to be used by hiring managers when recruiting CHWs

EVALUATING THE INFLUENCE OF EVALUATING THE INFLUENCE OF SETTINGS ON SETTINGS ON CHWS CHWS How does place setting affect CHW capacity to do their work? Feedback through surveys, webinars, and workshops CHW roles and core competencies should stay uniform CHWs work across a spectrum of locations with various focuses Recommendations for training, practice, and policy

COMMON INDICATOR PROJECT COMMON INDICATOR PROJECT Eleven Constructs: CHW's level of compensation, benefits and promotion CHW enactment of the 10 core roles CHW-facilitated referrals CHWs' involvement in decision and policy making Extent to which CHWs are integrated into teams

COMMON INDICATOR PROJECT COMMON INDICATOR PROJECT Participant self-reported physical, mental, and emotional health Participant health care and social needs Participant social support Participant empowerment Policy and system change: program/employer level Policy and system change: state/level

MEETING SCHEDULES MEETING SCHEDULES What is people's preferences for scheduling monthly meetings? Fixed meetings Other Ideas

QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? If any questions come up before the next meeting, please reach out to us by email at emma.simuns@umontana.umt.edu.

THANK YOU THANK YOU Next Meeting: February