The scenario is commonplace. A young mother or couple, perhaps new to the area and not fluent in English, has what is perceived as an emergency health care situation with their child and either doesn鈥檛 know where to turn or shows up at the hospital emergency room. There, it is discerned that the 鈥渦rgent鈥� need really wasn鈥檛 a crisis.
This situation, repeated in towns and cities everywhere, may be addressed and eased locally through a community health worker pilot project being launched in June.
The nursing program at 91短视频 and the Harrisonburg Community Health Center (HCHC) have been awarded a $115,000 grant to train lay persons to be 鈥渇ront line workers鈥� on the HCHC health services team. The funds from a private foundation were provided by Dr. Arthur (Tim) Garon, provost at the University of Virginia
Ann G. Hershberger, professor of nursing at 91短视频, set up the pilot training program in cooperation with HCHC officials.
According to Dr. Hershberger, 91短视频鈥檚 nursing department will manage the project, working in conjunction with HCHC in an eight-week training program for the four health care workers as well as a six-week field/clinic training program
Kate Cockley Clark, who has been hired as project coordinator, is a 2007 graduate of 91短视频 with a BS in聽 nursing and graduated May 21 from the University of Virginia with a MSN degree in public health nursing. She is also joining 91短视频鈥檚 nursing department faculty part time this fall, teaching community health and introductory undergraduate clinicals.
鈥淭he primary aim of this project is to assist local individuals and families who need some extra attention to navigate the health care system,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淲e believe that 91短视频 was approached to start this program because it fits with the university鈥檚 mission and service values.
鈥淓xperience with similar projects in other locales has shown this to be a cost-effective program,鈥� she added.
Clark has led an eight-week training sessions at 91短视频 using available curricula with the four community health workers. They will also complete a two-week field-clinic training session with HCHC. Clark will continue to supervise the workers and provide followup training when they begin working.
The community health care workers who are completing training are Paloma Saucedo, a native of Mexico who is fluent in English and Spanish; Salime Almanzar (Spanish) from the Dominican Republic; Reem Mohammed from Iraq (English and Arabic); and Tina Beachy (English/Kurdish).
Once the program is under way in June, the workers will proactively make calls and visits and respond to family calls. Their training enables them to follow protocols for about 25 different common health conditions aswell as work with families to develop health plans and goals to promote and improve health.
The initial project will run one year, and funding is being sought to extend the life of the program.
鈥漈his program will not only improve the health of participating families, but will also promote health in the broader community,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淏y teaching healthy practices and lifestyles, the community health workers will not only affect the lives of the families they are directly working with, but also the friends, relatives and neighbors of those families.
鈥淭he collaborative nature between HCHC and 91短视频 adds strength to the program,鈥� Clark added. Both 91短视频 and HCHC are well established and trusted organizations in the Harrisonburg community. In working together, they can more effectively meet their mutual goal of improving and promoting health for the local community.鈥�
For more information on the project, contact Kate Clark, 540-432-4710; email: kate.clark@emu.edu.