Abstract
Background
An interest in, and the need for, Community Health Workers (CHWs) in the United States is growing exponentially. CHWs possess a unique ability to relate to and build trust with communities in order to improve clinical outcomes, while building individual and community capacity. Given their critical role in addressing social determinants of health, expanding the CHW workforce is crucial. However, creating CHW jobs, facilitating training and certification, and establishing sustainable financing models to support this workforce has been challenging.
Methods
A mixed-methods study consisting of an online survey and focus group discussions assessed the strengths, practices, and challenges to CHW workforce sustainability and expansion in the state of Indiana, including perspectives from both CHWs and employers.
Results
Across 8 topics, mixed data analysis revealed 28 findings that were both complementary and unique across focus group and survey results. Results highlighted CHW skills and attributes, illustrated the recruitment and hiring process, and provided insight into measuring outcomes and outputs. Findings also indicated a need to build position validation, professional development, and billing and reimbursement capacity.
Conclusion
Building and sustaining the CHW workforce will require creating an evidence base of roles and impact, increasing awareness of existing reimbursement mechanisms, and sharing best practices across employer organizations to promote optimal recruitment, training, supervision, career development, and funding strategies.
Keywords
Community health workers, Capacity building, Workforce, Indiana
Date of this Version
1-27-2022
Recommended Citation
Rodriguez, Natalia M.; Ruiz, Yumary; Ruiz, Yumary; Kimiecik, Carlyn; Adeoye-Olatunde, Omolola A.; Kimera, Lynnet Francesca; and Gonzalvo, Jasmine D., "Indiana community health workers: challenges and opportunities for workforce development" (2022). Department of Pharmacy Practice Faculty Publications. Paper 18.
https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/phprpubs/18
Comments
This is the publisher PDF of Rodriguez, N.M., Ruiz, Y., Meredith, A.H. et al. Indiana community health workers: challenges and opportunities for workforce development. BMC Health Serv Res 22, 117 (2022). Published by BMC, the version of record is available at DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-07469-6, and is published CC-BY.