Address: Kapiolani Community College, located at 4303 Diamond Head Road Honolulu, HI 96816-4421 Project Director: Joey Dewater Contact Phone Number: (808) 734-9569 (phone), (808) 734-9828 (fax) E-mail address: jdewater@hawaii.edu Website address: https://www.kapiolani.hawaii.edu/academics/programs-of-study/community-health-worker/ Overview This project, Kapiolani Community College's Community Health Worker Training Program (CHWTP): Removing Barriers to Care in Urban Polynesia, addresses health disparities for people living in economically and medically under resourced communities in the State of Hawaii, including geographically isolated islands of Lanai, Maui, and Hawaii. This project will expand training to new community health workers (CHWs), extend/upskill existing CHWs to CHW-EMTs, and employ CHWs to address areas of higher social vulnerability and improve health equity. EXPANSION OF CHW TRAINING: 30 participants annually will complete a 12-month training program and an apprenticeship with employer partners with the goal of long-term employment of CHWs recruited from local communities. In-person training (Waianae, Kalihi, Island of Oahu): KapCC will recruit CHW students to complete the Certificate of Competence training through external partnerships with Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (WCCHC) for 10 students, and Kokua Kalihi Valley (KKV) for 12 students. Waianae and Kalihi Valley rank among the highest for social vulnerability in the state with large populations of Native Hawaiians, Chuukese, and Marshallese residents in public housing projects. Online training (neighbor islands): KapCC will recruit participants from the islands of Lanai (3), as well as Maui, Hawaii, and Kauai (5). The neighbor islands face unique challenges recruiting healthcare professionals and reaching remote communities ranking the highest in social vulnerability. Extension/upskilling of 10 practicing CHWs to participate in a full-time 1
9.6-credit Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training to obtain an EMT state license. CHW-EMTs will be hired on ambulances in order to reduce the number of preventable 911 calls and transports, delivering CHW services to our most common 911 utilizers: kupuna (elders), unsheltered community members, and those in a mental health crisis. After completing the courses, students will be placed on ambulances in their local areas to complete 350 hours paid clinical training, with a goal of full-time employment as CHW-EMTs with endorsement from the Hawaii Department of Health Emergency Services Branch (EMS Branch). Funding preference: More than 50% of students were from environmentally, economically, and/or educationally disadvantaged groups including 100% of students (33 of 33) enrolled from 2019-2020, and 73% of students (112 of 153) enrolled from 2020-2021. Cohorts for this program to be recruited will come from residents of disadvantaged groups including all three disadvantages as per the social vulnerability index and include Native Hawaiian, Chuukese, and Marshallese students, first generation college students, housing project residents, and student from high and highest areas of social vulnerability in Lanai, Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii islands per the 2018 CDC social vulnerability index for Hawaii. Total funds requested: $1,279,949