Community Health Worker Training

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What would you like to do?

What would you like to do?

What you need to know

What you need to know

​Health Navigation Nebraska  
Welcome to the Nebraska Health Navigation Training Resource site.  The site is designed to provide information on health navigation courses and resources. There is a need in Nebraska to build a comprehensive and interconnected healthcare navigation system that works together with community partners and clients in order to provide services and appropriate referrals.

Fall 2021 CHW Flyer  

Fall 2021 CHW Training Application


Fall 2021 CHW Flyer - Spanish

Fall 2021 CHW Training Application - SPANISH

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Community Health Worker Training and Education
in Nebraska Through DHHS

As roles evolve there is a need to do training and skills development. In Nebraska, there are programs available that can provide enhanced skills, build upon core competencies and basic health education.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Health Navigator/Community Health Worker Training is an online course provided FREE of charge. The course is highly interactive, involving online case studies, resources and participant discussion. 

Training Details
Modules include skills and strategies that will assist Community Health Workers in being successful in their roles.  Skills include:  organizational skills, documentation skills, assessment skills, and service coordination skills.

In order to successfully navigate patients through the healthcare system, modules will be offered around the following health topics: colorectal health, cardiovascular disease, breast health, and cervical health.  Besides the topic-specific content, each module contains forums, resource activities with documents to download for placement into a resource manual, an audio case study with an assignment, and a quiz. Each module is open for one week and the quiz opens at the end of the week.
  
On-site Training
Critical to this course are three on-sight training days. The first in-person session begins the course and introduces the participant to health navigator roles and boundaries, communication, cultural competency, and an introduction to online learning.  

The final two in-person days will take place towards the end of the course. These days are designed to give participants a chance to debrief on the online learning process and course, learn new skills such as taking a blood pressure, receive helpful information about diabetes, and develop a case presentation based on the case studies from the online modules. To further enhance skills, the Community Health Worker will participate in a Community Health Worker Capstone Project to finish the course. More information regarding the capstone project will be given during week 1 of the course.

Community Health Worker Role

Community Health Workers go by many different titles depending upon where they might work or the jobs they do. Titles could include: Health Navigator, Patient Navigator, Social Worker, Patient Advocate, Client Advocate, Community Health Advisor, Community Health Educator, Liaison, Promoter/Promotora, Lay Health Ambassador, and/or Outreach Worker.

The primary role of a Community Health Worker (CHW) is to advocate, educate and connect. The scope or practice may include, but is not limited to:


ADVOCATE:

  • Identify barriers to care, design and implement care management plans that address barriers to care
  • Assure culturally competent care
  • Perform outreach activities in the community
  • Strengthen the community understanding and acceptance of medical care
  • Increase ease of access to screening and health support


EDUCATE:

  • Perform home visits
  • Provide health education by helping clients understand their health condition(s) and develop strategies to improve their well-being and health
  • Provide informal counseling and social support
  • Help manage the client's schedule of appointments and tests


CONNECT:

  • Serve as a communication link between providers
  • Give appropriate referrals that address client's needs
  • Build the trust between healthcare professionals and communities
  • Deliver an effective and affordable way for healthcare systems to ensure high standards of client care
  • Provide interpretation services (when necessary)

Community Health Worker Resources

American Cancer Society CHW-E-Learning Module is an online course provided FREE of charge.

Think Cultural Health from the US Department of Health and Human Services is an online training for promotores working with Spanish-speaking populations. 

Culturally & Linguistically Appropriate Services Standards​

Medical Homes / Primary Care Clinics

Nebraska Heal​th Departments

Health Marketplace Exchange

Medical Translators

2018 Community Health Worker Survey Summary and Highlights

Best practices:
Research to Reality
The Community Guide


EWM Training Opportunities - see the most up to date training webinars on Every Woman Matters and the Nebraska Colon Cancer Screening Program.  Trainings include Enrollment, Screening, State Pap Plus Program, Diagnostic Enrollment and Referring Clients to the Nebraska Tobacco Quitline. 

Health Equity and Prevention Primer - web-based training series for public health practitioners and advocates interested in achieving health, safety and health equity through policy advocacy, community change, and 
multi-sector engagement.

CANCERcare.org - dedicated to providing free, professional support services including counseling, support groups, educational workshops, publications and financial assistance. 

PeerView Institute - dedicated to improving clinical competence and performance, patient outcomes and ultimately public health through the provision of continuing education (CME and professional development activities.  Credits are available FREE of charge for physicians and nurses.  Many classifications of topics are available.

American Academy of CME, Inc. - recognizes the importance of continuing education for professional development for healthcare professionals and the need to address clinical practice gaps that impact patient care.  The Academy provides certified continuing education to physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, dieticians, social workers/case managers, transplant coordinators and other healthcare professionals.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality - clinical practice guidelines and resources are housed on this site.
Public Health and Primary Care Collaboration: A Practice-Based Approach 
The University of Minnesota is offering a one-hour course that challenges learners to discuss similarities and differences between public health departments and primary care clinics, identify problems as well as solutions, and design action steps to promote collaboration using a process-based perspective.

Community Health Worker Toolkit