Online Program

289472
Sew up the safety net: Aligning key stakeholders to develop core competency training for CHWs working to address infant mortality in Detroit


Monday, November 4, 2013 : 1:10 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Kimberlydawn Wisdom, MD, MS, Executive Offices, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI

Yolanda Hill- Ashford, MSW, Community Health Equity and Wellness, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI
Jaye Clement, MPH/MPP, Office of Community Health, Equity & Wellness, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI
Nancy Combs, MA, Office of Community Health, Equity & Wellness, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI
Gwen L. Alexander, PhD, MPH, Public Health Sciences Research, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI
Sarah Lubetsky, MPH, Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health Systems, Detroit, MI
Tawana nettles Robinson, Greater Detroit Area Health Council, Detroit, MI
Judith Compton, MS, MAT, Office of Public Health Practice, Michigan Public Health Training Center, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI
Karen Sheffield, Infant Mortality Programs, St. John Providence Health, Highland Park, MI
A 2008 inventory conducted by the Detroit Regional Infant Mortality Reduction Task Force identified over 100 programs in Detroit to address infant mortality and women's health. However, infant mortality continues at alarming rates as many of these programs are underutilized, resulting in a fragmented system of care for women and families. This presentation will demonstrate how key stakeholders of the Task Force's Sew Up the Safety Net for Women and Children (SUSN) program collaborated to develop a training for community health workers (Community and Neighborhood Navigators (CNNs)) whose goal is to connect women to health care and community-level resources aimed at improving the conditions that lead to infant survival. A multi-disciplinary team consisting of academia, community-based organizations, public health departments and four competing health systems developed training tailored for the community health workers/CNNs. This team identified core competencies needed for addressing the social determinants of health, mentoring and fostering change in attitudes toward healthy lifestyles before women become pregnant or present with poor pregnancy outcomes. This presentation will also demonstrate a sustainable platform to build the capacity to adapt this model, creating a cadre of navigators dedicated to linking communities with systems of care and social service agencies. To date, Sew Up the Safety Net for Women and Children trained seventeen and hired six CNNs. They diligently work to provide resources, and resource connections, to more than 800 women of whom 135 pregnant women receive ongoing one-on-one mentoring, education, and support to address their needs.

Learning Areas:

Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
Identify and discuss lessons learned regarding the strengths and limitations of using a partnership approach to design, implement and evaluate a Community Health Worker training. Describe and understand the role of the convener/ lead agency in facilitating and supporting all aspects of this unprecedented and effective community level intervention. Discuss the usefulness of training CHW’s as a vehicle for providing information, mentorship, education, support and resources to impact infant mortality rates in Detroit. Explain methods for engaging partner organization to train Community Health Workers. Identify key training components for Sew Up the Safety Net for Women & Children.

Keyword(s): Public Health Education and Health Promotion, Community-Based Partnership

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: With over 20 years in public health I have participated in numerous research initiatives that focused on the social determinants of health, health literacy and chronic diseases. Within each intiative there was a strong training component in which I coordinated the aligning of key stakeholder to develope core competencies for CHW's. I have also chaired the development of a certificate program for CHW’s at Wayne County Community College.
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.