Saturday, April 19, 2025
4/19/2025
Community Health Worker Training Program - The WorkPlace shall be the applicant to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to create a training initiative that will support Community Health Worker and Health Support Worker Training Program (CHWTP) in southwestern Connecticut. The purpose of the CHWTP is to increase the number of Community Health Workers (CHWs) and Health Support Workers and equip them with the skillsets needed to: provide effective community outreach, build trust with communities, support connections to and retention in care and provide support services, increase access to care and to assist individuals in prevention services, and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and other public health emergencies in underserved communities. These combined efforts are intended to advance public health, strengthen the public health workforce, reduce health disparities, and help underserved populations achieve health equity. The proposed program, specifically, utilizes a four-part curriculum that provides training in nationally-recognized Community Health Worker Training, career advancement training, remote worker certification, and general skills training specific to the needs of the region. Beyond this, The WorkPlace will also emphasize linkages to wraparound services to ensure individuals have the supports needed to complete the program and obtain (and retain) sustainable careers in community health. According to the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index, Fairfield County (.4497) and New Haven (.5223) County have relatively high vulnerability scores, particularly in regard to language barriers, housing challenges, and transportation. It is critical to develop programming that helps decrease residents' risk for health disparities—while at the same time fostering health literacy and building infrastructure to receive services in medically underserved communities. Individuals trained through the program will acquire k nowledge, skills, and expertise to respond to public health needs and public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, through a network of partnerships centered on bolstering curriculum development and connectivity to Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) Pathways. Our target trainee population will be derived from our service population, which is comprised of individuals from a variety of racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic backgrounds. The WorkPlace has a distinguished background in the development and implementation of medical-oriented training pathways, and this experience will be used to implement a strategic plan that meets the needs of underserved communities throughout southwestern Connecticut. The WorkPlace has led the charge in creating successful programming to prepare future nurses, community health workers, and patient care technicians, among others, for careers that bolster public health outcomes. Our Health CareeRx Academy (HCA) and Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) projects in particular, previously funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, were highly successful in training candidates to serve impoverished and underserved communities in our region and state and will act as the bedrock of our proposed program. Anticipated outcomes include the following: Goal: Enroll 300 individuals 90% complete training 85% enter employment 25% enter training through RAPs with employers Total Funding Requested: $2,899,966.96 Term: 3 years (36 months) HHS/HRSA Clinical Priorities: Not applicable
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).