Community Health Worker Training (Framingham)

Tuesday, July 25, 2017 - 9:30am to 12:00pm
Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers
1671 Worcester Road
Rooms 104 & 106 (Basement Level)
Framingham, MA 01701
Training

Community Health Workers: How do they fit into your Adult Foster Care team?

This training will provide an overview of the CHW role, certification and training programs as they relate to the new Adult Foster Care (AFC) regulations permitting the use of CHWs as regular team members.

It highlights the unique activities performed by CHWs and at the same time underscores how similar the role is to existing AFC care manager teams.

The training also provides practical information about recruiting, screening, hiring, and managing CHW for AFC programs.

But perhaps most important is the hands-on experience participants will receive with development of CHW programs and an action plan for its implementation, tailored to their agencies. The hands-on experience will be obtained through a dynamic workshop at the latter half of the training session.  

Background

Newly promulgated regulations for Adult Foster Care (AFC) programs encourage the use of community health workers (CHW). The AFC provider may now employ or independently contract with CHWs. 

Qualifications for this new role include that the CHW must have at least one year of experience working with elders and adults with disabilities. The responsibilities of a CHW include: (a) conducting on-site visits with the member at the qualified setting; (b) participating in the development, implementation, and ongoing review of the AFC plan of care; (c) completing CHW progress notes corresponding with each on-site visit and encounter with members; and (d) providing to the member and caregiver culturally appropriate health education, information, support, and counseling.

CHW models are particularly important to the changing healthcare landscape across the state as they are favored by the presently evolving managed care organizations (MCO). It will be important for AFC program leaders to better understand the benefits and timeliness of incorporating CHWs into their care team in light of these health care changes.

The newly available role for the AFC program also has cost implications, as CHWs are a more affordable staffing option. But perhaps more importantly are the professional development opportunities for current direct support professionals (DSP) to obtain training and certification in the CHW model, offering enhanced learning opportunities.

Objectives:

  • Develop a deeper understanding of community health workers (CHWs), how they are effectively hired, trained, and managed
  • Develop a framework for the inclusion of CHWs into your teams
  • An enhanced understanding of challenging and successful strategies in integrating CHWs into teams

Targeted audience:

Senior leaders and managers and AFC program managers

Speaker:

Jessica Aguilera-Steinert, MSW, LICSW, Co-Director of the Office of Community Health Workers, Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH)

Jessica Aguilera-Steinert has worked in the public health social work field for over 20 years. She is a bilingual public health social worker. Jessica has experience in the areas of training and technical assistance in health care and community based organizations, public health program management, community health workers, HIV/AIDS, health disparities, mental health, domestic violence, and women’s health. She began her career as a health promoter in Central America and then became a clinical social worker with Latinos in various health care and public health organizations in the US.  Before coming to the MDPH in December of 2013, Ms. Aguilera-Steinert was the Director of Training and Technical Assistance at the Prevention and Access to Care and Treatment Project, the domestic program of Partners in Health.

At the MDPH, Ms. Aguilera-Steinert was the Director of the Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund, and in 2015, moved into the role of Co-Director of the Office of Community Health Workers at DPH. She provides technical assistance and coaching to health centers, hospitals, payers and community-based organizations that are integrating community health workers into their teams.

Admission:

$85 ADDP Member

$120 Non-Member

Note: An additional $15 fee applies once “early bird” registration ends on July 10th at 5:00 pm

REGISTRATION STARTS AT 9:00 A.M.

Admission fee includes training entrance, materials, coffee and light refreshments 

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