287526
How public health social workers and schools of social work can be influential in sustaining CHWs and community alliances at a state level
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
: 8:45 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Katherine Mitchell, MSW,
Michigan Community Health Worker Alliance, University of Michigan School of Social Work, Ann Arbor, MI
Nicholas Yankey,
Curtis Center Program Evaluation Group, University of Michigan School of Social Work, Ann Arbor, MI
Hannah Roberts,
University of Michigan School of Social Work, Ann Arbor, MI
Community health workers (CHWs) are an evidence-based key to delivering socially just health and human services. CHW models, which value community knowledge and skills, link systems and underserved populations by engaging community members through someone they trust. Public health social workers have the opportunity to promote and support CHW activities through the field's emphasis on policy change, community organization, and evaluation. As natural allies, CHWs and social workers can work together in coalitions to improve health and reduce health disparities. The University of Michigan School of Social Work (SSW) houses the Michigan Community Health Worker Alliance (MiCHWA), a multi-faceted, statewide coalition working to promote CHW sustainability and integration into health and human service programs. MiCHWA formed in 2011 following a statewide meeting of health system, academic, community organization, and CHW partners, supported by SSW's dean, faculty, staff, and students. Being hosted by an academic institution has provided infrastructure support and mutual capacity-building opportunities among MiCHWA partner organizations, faculty, and social work and public health students who maintain MiCHWA's steering committee, policy, education, communications, and CHW working groups. This relationship has also facilitated collaboration among academic researchers and community partners working with CHWs. Drawing from public health and social work research, MiCHWA employs community-based participatory research methods to unite stakeholders and support alliance activity. An evaluation unit housed at SSW provides ongoing evaluation planning and services vital to MiCHWA's sustainability. MiCHWA offers evidence of how social workers can be influential partners in sustaining CHWs and community alliances at a state level.
Learning Areas:
Administration, management, leadership
Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Learning Objectives:
Explain how a school of social work can maintain infrastructure support and develop mutual capacity-building opportunities among community health worker partner organizations, faculty, and students
Discuss how public health social workers and community health workers are natural allies who can work collaboratively at the community and state level to improve health and reduce health disparities
Identify how program evaluation can incorporate public health social work principles to help sustain community health worker alliance activities
Keyword(s): Social Work, Community Health Promoters
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been a student and staff member with the Michigan Community Health Worker Alliance (MiCHWA) at the University of Michigan School of Social Work since MiCHWA's formation. I am interested in strengthening partnerships between public health social workers and community health workers. I am interested in sustaining community health workers as a way to promote socially just health and human services delivery.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.
