Project Abstract Oakwood University (OU) seeks to recruit community members into its Community Health Worker Training (CHWT) program. OU’s mission is to expand non-degreed career pathways for front line health workers and improve overall health outcomes in North Alabama, especially among disadvantaged and underserved populations. OU operates an 8,000 square foot Community Health Action Center (CHAC) and partners with Huntsville Hospital (HH) to deliver primary care. OU will serve as a group sponsor of the CHWT program. The OU CHW didactic training introduces the competencies which will be developed and examined during the registered apprenticeship program, in conformance to the standards of the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship, with 144 hours for the didactic and one year for the apprenticeship. We anticipate enrolling up to 60 trainees with at least 25% (8) of those in the registered apprenticeship to be transitioned into employment. The OU CHW program seeks to fulfill the following three goals which are aligned with those of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship. Below are listed the goals proposed to improve the healthcare workforce in Alabama by focusing on health equity, access to care, and diversity within the primary care and public health workforce. Furthermore, these goals support Oakwood University’s mission and strategic objective to improve service to local and national communities. GOAL 1: To recruit, train, place CHWs to improve health equity, access to care, and diversity within the primary care and public health workforce • Objective 1: Recruit 60 eligible participants per year by Spring 2023 • Objective 2: Develop and deliver skill- and competency-based training for 14 weeks or 144 credit hours to expand opportunities for participants’ entry into the workforce by April 2024 • Objective 3: Offer opportunities for high school graduates and
those without a college degree through a minimum of one-year paid apprenticeship for at least 25% (n=15) CHWs with access to employment upon completion of the program in 2024 GOAL 2: To enhance skill-based culturally competent community health training to college students enrolled in programs leading to degrees in Nursing, Health Science, Social Work, and Public Health • Objective 1: Expand the community health workforce by certifying a minimum of 15 frontline community health workers through a competency-based curriculum per year • Objective 2: Deliver a culturally-competent curriculum which focuses on effective communication, language, and embracing various styles, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors responding to the diversity and ethnic differences of the region in the population as well as those who are at risk for health disparities GOAL 3: To articulate the credit value of the non-degree CHW certificate through delivery of career guidance to CHWs and enrollment of qualified students into degree programs • Objective 1: Provide academic credit of 4 units to CHWs who are dual-enrolled as college students • Objective 2: Provide earned college credit to CHWs—credit for prior learning (3 units) and/or credit for certification—who become CHWs upon completion of the didactic and apprenticeship training OU’s unique CHW program will seek to address all of the priorities of the grant (Expansion; Extension/Upskilling and Employment) within the duration of the program which will run for 3 years from September 15, 2022 through September 14, 2025. Oakwood University is located at 7000 Adventist Boulevard, Huntsville, AL 35896. OU’s website is www.oakwood.edu. Oakwood University is requesting a total of $2,803,705.11 to carry out the proposed program. The Project Director will be Dr. Dorothy Forde. Her phone number is (256) 726-7283 and her email address is deforde@oakwood.edu.