Friday, April 25, 2025
4/25/2025
Community Health Worker Training Program - CHW Training for a Healthy State Ochsner Clinic Foundation DBA Ochsner Health, 1514 Jefferson Hwy., New Orleans, LA 70121; PD: Alison Glendenning, 409-771-4504, F. Preferences 1-2 alison.glendenning@ochsner.org; grants@ochsner.org, $374,550 1. Project Overview – Ochsner is Louisiana’s largest non-profit, academic healthcare system. In 2020, Ochsner, along with state and local government leaders, announced a 10-year plan to improve health across Louisiana. Healthy State is a comprehensive strategy to enhance healthcare access and improve health equity and outcomes. Healthy State strategy includes the development of a trained Community Health Worker workforces. The proposed project will advance this strategy through the redevelopment of an existing training program and apprenticeship for CHWs that incorporates wrap-around supports to ensure success. The training will focus on upskilling the workforce using a curriculum modified to include health disparities, technology disparities and Healthy State strategy. This project will prepare the trainees and CHW workforce to integrate into healthcare teams to effectively address health equity in the communities served. 2. Goals and Objectives Goal 1: Increase the skills and competencies of the CHW workforce in an equity framework by enhancing existing curriculums. Objectives: 1.1) Improve trainees' knowledge of health disparities by 50% from baseline (using internally developed pre and post surveys) 1.2) Improve trainees' knowledge of Healthy State strategy by 50% from baseline (assessed by internally developed pre and post surveys) 1.3) Improve trainees' knowledge of technology disparities by 35% from baseline (assessed by internally developed pre and post surveys). Goal 2: Increase the number of employed, credentialed CHWs, specially trained and integrated into healthcare teams to address health disparities. Objectives: 2.1) Increase the number of trained CHWs by 75% from baseline 2.2) Increase the number of CHWs integrated into healthcare teams by 50%. Goal 3: Utilize known community needs and existing partnerships statewide to ensure that the CHW workforce and community needs are aligned and that Louisiana’s work towards recognizing and credentialing the workforce advances. Objectives: 3.1) Demographics of the CHW workforce align with the population served in 60% of the CHW placements. 3.2) Leverage the registered apprenticeships, the upskilled workforce and the Healthy State strategy, connect community, academic and government leaders around a statewide CHW credential by 2025. 3. Funding Priorities -This program will recruit and serve individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds (including underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities), and graduate large proportions of individuals who serve in underserved communities. Over the past two years (starting 2019-20) (1) 80% of our CHW trainees came from disadvantaged backgrounds, and (2) 50% of our program completers practices in MUAs. 4. How Project Will Be Accomplished - Under the leadership of Outpatient Care Management and Education Administration, Ochsner will implement project activities at multiple Ochsner facilities, including primary care centers, community health centers and outpatient care management teams. 60 % of these facilities are in MUAs and/or rural areas. Recruitment and employment activities will be supported by Ochsner Workforce development and Talent Acquisition. The project leadership will oversee curriculum modifications and development and work with Ochsner facilities for care team integration activities. Networking and education regarding a statewide CHW credential will be led by project leadership and supported by the Healthy State strategy team. Data collection will occur internally with the support of an independent evaluator to measure the stated objectives. Reports to stakeholders and HRSA will detail learn to stakeholders and HRSA will detail learnings as well as annual and overall outcomes.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).