ABSTRACT 1121 E. McNichols Detroit, MI 48203 Kennyle Johnson (313) 365-3100 kajohnson@recovery4detroit.com www.recovery4detroit.com Detroit Recovery Project, Inc. (DRP) is seeking $1,000,000 per year for three years to expand its paraprofessional training program, currently offered through the Recovery Training Institute (RTI). The expansion of RTI will include a new educational track option for Community Health Workers (CHW) in the metropolitan Detroit area. The population in Detroit is predominantly Black and has higher health-related risk factors than in other parts of the state. This is compounded by COVID-19, as well as the multiple and complex barriers residents face in accessing health resources and services. To respond to these challenges, DRP will implement a CHW training program to fill the gaps in service and link those in underserved communities to care in Detroit, Michigan. The CHW training is an evidence-based approach that uses community-based health promotion and principles of community organization and empowerment to address health issues and to impact knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors from within underserved communities. The proposed program will focus its efforts on the metropolitan Detroit area, where underserved communities commonly lack access to health care services and technology. Individuals from these targeted communities will be trained as CHWs to conduct outreach, connect individuals to health and social services, and provide health education. The program goals are to expand the public health workforce by training 50 participants annually to become newly credentialed CHWs, totaling 150 CHWs over the three-year grant period; enhance the CHW curriculum to increase the skills and competencies of existing CHWs and health workers; Increase CHW and health support worker employment readiness through field placements and apprenticeships; advance health equity and support for underserved communities by increasing
the number of CHWs. Over the last seven years, DRP’s RTI has been the leader throughout metropolitan Detroit for providing evidence-based paraprofessional trainings to over 400 individuals, resulting in an increase in the number of individuals that have become certified peer recovery coaches. DRP’s RTI is a nationally registered apprenticeship program, which adds additional support for the new CHW training program. The following objectives will be achieved to ensure the goals are accomplished. Objective 1: Develop (5) culturally relevant courses that are culturally appropriate, technology based and address the core competencies for CHWs in obtaining their state certification. Objective 2: Provide 126+ hours of comprehensive state approved didactic and interactive classroom-based coursework training to each of the 50 individuals served annually. Objective 3: Provide the required 40-hour practical training experience to 50 trainees annually through the expansion of the Recovery Training Institute CHW training. Objective 4: Provide 20+ hours of evidence-based continuing education to 10 current CHWs annually. Objective 5: Train 13 CHWs annually through the DOL registered CHW apprenticeship program. Objective 6: Provide financial support for 50 trainees annually. Objective 6: Identify at minimum 5 internship sites to serve as partners providing the required 40-hour internship for up to 111 individuals over the full duration of the grant. Objective 7: Evaluate the successful completion of 150 students in the CHW training program, who are reflective of the target community. DRP is also requesting funding preference. Over the past two years, DRP has increased the paraprofessional workforce in underserved communities by training members of the community to become Certified Peer Recovery Mentors (CPRM), with over 50% of them passing the state exam earning their CPRM certificate.