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�CHWs and the Future of Community-led Health Solutions��Nephtalie Dorceus, MPH, MCHES�Program Manager & CHW Trainer �Zee Turner Center for Community Health Worker Workforce Development ��

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Institute for Public Health Innovation�The official public health institute serving Virginia, the District of Columbia and Maryland

Who are we?

How do we do it?

What do we do?

Started in 2009, IPHI is one of 50+ public health institutes within the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI). IPHI is a change agent to improve health equity and highlight regional resources.

Simply put – IPHI adds capacity to the public health system.

Our work strengthens health systems and policies, enhances conditions that promote health, and builds community resilience to ensure equitable health opportunities for all.

Innovative Strategies

Cross-sector Partnerships

Training and Support

Support Effective Policies

Working with various partners to develop, implement, and evaluate effective solutions to help create healthier communities.

Seeking and working with community partners (government, public, and private) to protect and improve the public’s health.

Offering workforce training opportunities and provides technical assistance to build capacity to advance population health.

Supporting and advocating for the development and implementation of equitable and effective public health policies.

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IPHI's History �CHW Workforce Development

Trained over 1,300 CHWs
Employed hundreds of CHWs across the region
Developed and implemented CHW programs in partnership with health departments, hospitals, MCOs, FQHCs, universities, CBOs, and others
Helped establish and grow the region’s CHW associations
Worked for CHW policy alongside CHWs in DC, MD, & VA

State CHW certification passed in MD, VA

13+ years leading CHW workforce development

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Objectives

Learn about the CHW role
How to integrate CHWs at your organization
Demonstrate CHW Impact on Community Health & Systems
Encourage Support and Collaboration for CHWs�

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Who Are CHWs and What Do They Do?

Build trust
Connect people to resources
Provide education and support
Advocate for community needs
Bridge between communities and systems

Connectors

Advocates

Educators

Navigators

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Many Titles, One Purpose�Where people and systems meet, CHWs build the bridge

Intake Coordinator	Homeless Advocate	Medical Representative	Diabetes Family Support Worker	HIV/AIDS Educator
Community Health Representative	Health Educator	Promotor(a)	Patient/Health Navigator	Asthma Educator
Outreach Worker	Peer Specialist	Health Liaison	Family Support Worker	Eligibility Worker
Community Connector	Doula	Community Support Worker	Community Outreach Coordinator	Community Navigator
Certified Recovery Specialist	Health Ambassador	Care Coordinator	Community Advocate	Substance Abuse Counselor

Titles may vary, but trust and lived experience are constant

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Different Ways to Integrate CHWs

Integration Model	How	Example
Community-clinical linkage	Partnerships between CBOs or other local health care organizations	CHWs connect community members to care through outreach or provider referrals, offering support for social needs, health coaching, and advocacy.
Employment within health care	CHWs are employed by FQHCs or health care centers	CHWs on care teams improve communication, support care navigation via EHR access, build patient trust, and enhance care experiences. They are valuable in primary care, post-discharge, and outreach roles.
Integration with payers	Organizations or programs with state Medicaid plans utilizing several different strategies for integrating CHWs with health care teams	States can use a Medicaid waiver to fund CHWs through direct employment, centralized coordination hubs, and support for embedding CHWs in primary care and hospital teams.
Coordination by public health department	Public health departments to provide CHW services to patients from multiple health care entities	CHWs are embedded in public health departments in response to specific public health crisis ex. HIV/AIDS, COVID-19

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Why Utilize CHWs?

Build trust with historically mistrusted/distrusted systems

Facilitate cultural navigation and serve as a liaison between community, health and social service systems

Allow other professionals in health and social services to operate at the highest level of their scope

Support with screenings for social determinants of health

Leverage Medicare reimbursement for CHWs started Jan 1, 2024

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CHWs & The Quadruple Aim

Improving Population Health
Reducing the Cost of Care
Enhancing the Patient Experience
Improving Provider Satisfaction

As the Affordable Care Act demanded that providers and health systems deliver quality care at a lower cost, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement developed a framework that was later expanded to what we now call the Quadruple Aim.1-3 Health Equity is achieved when everyone can attain their full potential for health and well-being. This model is now widely accepted by public and private health organizations as a means for optimizing health system performance.2,3

“Adding CHWs supports the Quadruple Aim — not just improving health and reducing costs, but also enhancing the provider experience.”

Your Organization Could Benefit from Using CHWs if:

You serve communities experiencing barriers
You are looking to strengthen outreach, follow-up, or trust
Have a team that would benefit from someone with lived experience
The existing clinical or care team is stretched

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CHW 101: �Core Training

120-hour CHW Core Competency Curriculum (CHW 101)

Accredited in Virginia and Maryland
Formally approved in DC (no certification process) to train for the Department of Health

Live-Instructor Led Training + Interactive Training Techniques

Training schedules:

Days: M, T W, Thu 9:30 am –1:30 pm
Evenings M, T W, Thu 6 – 9 pm
Evening/Weekend M, W, Th 6 pm – 9 pm and Sat. 10 am – 1 pm

We are regionally and nationally recognized for our CHW expertise, successfully positioned to lead trainings for new certified CHWs and the extension/upskilling of current CHWs

Using adult learning theories, we are able to provide diverse teaching methods that include but aren’t limited to:

Team building exercise
Role plays
Dyad work
Group interaction
Teach-backs
Presentations and practicums

Absorb (learning management system) improves learner experience and creates a central hub for enrollment, materials, courses linkage and evaluation

SCHEDULING�Though this funding, we wil be able to expand our options for participants to receive training.

Free to participants

If you're familiar with us, we've had a variety of schedules, but mostly during regular business hours.

-- setting a typical schedule initially, but we want to be responsive to the needs of our trainees. Get input from them. When works? We look forward to having a variety of options within the same time period.

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Core Training Topics

Health Equity 101

Social Determinants of Health

Public Health

Introduction to the CHW Role

Data Collection & Documentation

Teaching, Capacity Building Skills

Health Education, Prevention Wellness

Outreach & Advocacy

Chronic Disease & Self Management

Mental Health

Trauma-Informed Care

Substance Misuse

Intimate Partner Violence

Reproductive Health

Emergency Preparedness & Mitigation

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CHW 201: �Continuing Education

Foster advanced skill development
Rotated topics will be offered based on trainee needs and areas of need identified by placement sites
Implement CE together with training partners

Topics Offered in 2025

HRSA CHW Academy Required CEs

Vaccine Hesitancy
Emergency Readiness and Response
CPR & AED
Opioid Overdose Response
Navigating Social Needs Resources: FindHelp.org

IPHI CHW Continuing Ed

CHW Self-Care
Mental Health First Aid
Motivational Interviewing
Chronic Disease Self-Management

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CHW Practicum

40 (MD) -120(VA) hour on-site/hybrid agency experience
Pair with an agency mentor at a clinical and/or community agency that employs CHWs
Works under the direction of an approved agency mentor
Required for CHW certification
Journaling and assignments to complete
Weekly check-in survey with IPHI

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Support for Employers: �Technical Assistance for Successful CHW Integration

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Team Integration Training

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Supervisor Training�Supervisor Strategies I – The CHW Role

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Supervisor Training�Supervisor Strategies II– The Supervisor Role

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Upcoming trainings