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Grant helps to certify community health workers

Staff Development Weekly: Insight on Evidence-Based Practice in Education, October 28, 2005

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Community health workers in Welasco, TX, are training to become certified community health workers through the Texas Department of State Health Services. The students began their training program in July and will finish this November. The program is funded by a $60,000 grant from the Texas A&M School of Rural Public Health, located in College Station.

In three-hour sessions that meet three times a week at South Texas College, the students learn communication, service coordination, advocacy, and teaching skills to train them to serve as liaisons between social services and the public. Once certified, they are required to follow state-mandated standards and guidelines and must obtain 20 continuing education hours every two years. As certified community health workers, they must also be paid - whereas uncertified community health workers may work as volunteers.

Once certified, workers go door to door to relay information on everything from diabetes prevention to Medicaid and Medicare registration to food bank and clothing donations. Many workers are affiliated with medical clinics or home healthcare organizations.

Source: The Brownsville (TX) Herald

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