CHW Solutions

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See items below for tools and resources to help build your Community Health Worker team.

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Resources

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Martin County Community Resource Guide

The Martin County CHW project was launched in 2022 with the objective of helping residents (65+) to remain living at home for as long as they are willing and able. The model establishes a local community health worker (CHW) who conducts home visits with seniors.  During visits, the CHW assesses the needs of the senior, connects them to community resources (including their primary care provider), and provides education to help them maintain or improve their health.  The program receives guidance from a steering committee comprised of local and state stakeholders, and initial funding has been provided through a generous grant from the Juanita Schmeeckle Foundation.

Community Resource Guide – Word Version

Community Resource Guide – Canva Version

Community Resource Guide – E-Magazine Version

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NRC-RIM Trusted Messenger

On-Demand Training – Trusted Messenger is a PBS documentary that follows a diverse ensemble of healthcare professionals as they set out to gain the trust of communities of color across Minnesota during the COVID-19 pandemic. The resulting film highlights community-led efforts to overcome vaccine hesitancy and bring the pandemic under control. Versions of the documentary with embedded discussion questions for unique audiences — clinicians, community groups, community health workers, nurses and public health professionals — are also available for online streaming. Downloadable facilitator and discussion guides for each audience support conversations about vaccine hesitancy before and after watching the film. (Spanish versions of the film and guides are available for community and community health worker audiences.) Use these resources as teaching and engagement tools for COVID-19 vaccination, or more broadly to build skills in utilizing trusted messengers to successfully engage people and communities in their health.

E-Newsletter – Sign up National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants, and Migrants’ (NRC-RIM) E-Newsletter to be the first to know about new events, resources, and networking opportunities.

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On-Demand Self-Care Training for Community Health Workers (CHWs)

On-Demand Self-Care Training – This training, created for the University of Minnesota NRC-RIM project, is intended to encourage and inspire CHWs and other paraprofessionals who work with RIM Communities to recognize the long-term value of self-care. 

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Tools

CHW Solutions SDOH 5Q Assessment

CHW Solutions Social Determinants of Health AssessmentCHW Solutions developed a five-question Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) assessment tool, the SDOH 5-Q, measuring the most common areas where patients need help: housing, finances/income, food security, transportation, and support system. 

  • Open-ended questions to facilitate CHWs’ conversations with patients
  • Patients’ responses are categorized as either “needs assistance” or “safe and stable/has adequate resources” so progress over time can be tracked
  • Health education messages CHWs can use to work with clients needing assistance in each of the five SDOH domains

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Tools

Presentations

Building Competencies and Teams with CHWs – Slide deck

“PowerPoint slides from Building Competencies and Teams with CHWs webinar, September 12, 2018.

Moving beyond grants to sustainable CHW models –  presented by Megan Nieto, LaTrese VanBuren, Megan Ellingson, and David Rak; April 2019. The CHW Solutions team presented at the Minnesota Department of Health Learning Days 2019 event. The annual Learning Days conference brings together more than 300 health care providers, public health professionals, and community partners to exchange information, advance health transformation, and build relationships.

Healthy Communities – presented by Allie Larson, Greater Twin Cities United Way, and Megan Ellingson, CHW Solutions at the American Public Health Association National Conference; San Diego, CA; November 12, 2018.

Integrating Community Health Workers in the Health Care – PowerPoint presentation “Integrating Community Health Workers in the Health Care Team” by Megan Nieto and Shelly Brown, Regions EMS at the Community Paramedic Conference held at Hennepin Technical College, February 15, 2018.

Moving the Dial on Pediatric Obesity Services Payments – PowerPoint presentation “Evidence-Based Childhood Weight Management Programs – Moving the Dial on Pediatric Obesity Services Payments” (Webinar #3) by Megan Ellingson, Dr. John Anderson, Hennepin Healthcare, and Nancy Hoyt Taff, HealthPartners. Webinar for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, April 11, 2018. 

Cracking the Code – PowerPoint presentation “Cracking the Code: A case study on the role of the Community Health Worker (CHW) in managing pests for clients with asthma” by Megan Nieto. Presented as part of March 8, 2018 webinar at the American Lung Association. The webinar was a collaboration among CHW Solutions, the American Lung Association, and the Minnesota Department of Health Asthma Program

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Tools

CHW Competencies

CHW Core Competencies

Appendix A – Hypertension, Prediabetes, Diabetes

Appendix B– Check-in and Group Supervision Guide

Appendix C– Example CHW Interview Questions

Appendix D – Training Resource List

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Tools

Health Screening Tools

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Articles/Webinars

Bridging the Gap: Reducing Disparities in Diabetes Care

Bridging the Gap – Watch the video, featuring CHW Solutions’ CHW LaTrese, to see some of the different ways the project helps patients accomplish their health goals. The Minneapolis Health Department (MHD), under a “Bridging the gap: reducing disparities in diabetes care” grant from the Merck Foundation, has partnered with three Federally Qualified Health Centers in Minneapolis to support a comprehensive care model for patients with diabetes. We feel lucky at CHW Solutions to be a part of this meaningful effort! 

As part of our Bridging the Gap dissemination efforts, CHW Solutions and our Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) partners participated in the Minnesota Association of Community Health Centers’ (MNACHC) Diabetes QI Learning Series: Integrating CHWs to Address Social Determinants of Health.

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Articles/Webinars

CHW Solutions Summer Café Chat Series

(06/21) CHW Solutions Summer Cafe Chat #1: What is it like being a CHW during COVID? 

(07/19) CHW Solutions Summer Cafe Chat #2: What did we do to make it through? CHW Self-Care

(08/23) CHW Solutions Summer Cafe Chat #3: What’s Next for CHWs? Motivating Patients and Communities to Choose Health

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Health Coaching Corner

Health Coaching Training and Resources

Health coaching training and resources from Renee Gust, PHN, Hennepin County Public Health, Minnesota:

(slides) (webinar – passcode: x^=L3^h4) Health Coaching — Introduction
 
(slides) (webinar – passcode: m.9@7fYy) Health Coaching — Nutrition
 
(slides) (webinar – passcode: O&q*6$P&) Health Coaching — Physical Activity and the Brain
 
 
To sign-up for Renee’s “The Health Coach” newsletter, send her an email at renee.gust@hennepin.us.

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Medical Director’s Corner

Medical Director's Series

CHW Solutions’ Medical Director is Dr. Ron Jankowski. Dr. Jankowski is a family physician and a Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Minnesota.

In the following tutorials, Dr. Jankowski explains various medical conditions.

What is Hypertension?  This tutorial is sponsored in part by the Minneapolis Health Department – Community Wellness Grant

What is Prediabetes?  This tutorial is sponsored in part by the Minneapolis Health Department – Community Wellness Grant

What is Diabetes?  This tutorial is sponsored in part by the Merck Foundation through the Minneapolis Health Department

How does a person get Diabetes?  This tutorial is sponsored in part by the Merck Foundation through the Minneapolis Health Department

Preventing or Improving Diabetes  This tutorial is sponsored in part by the Merck Foundation through the Minneapolis Health Department

Physiological Effects of Diabetes  This tutorial is sponsored by the Merck Foundation through the Minneapolis Health Department

Supporting Patients with Diabetes  This tutorial is sponsored by the Merck Foundation through the Minneapolis Health Department

Common Medications for Diabetes  This tutorial is sponsored by the Merck Foundation through the Minneapolis Health Department

 

NRC-RIM Trusted Messenger

On-Demand Training – Trusted Messenger is a PBS documentary that follows a diverse ensemble of healthcare professionals as they set out to gain the trust of

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Check out the March 2023 Journal of General Internal Medicine supplement featuring a case study of CHW Solutions. 

CO - FOUNDER

Megan Ellingson (CHW, MHA)

Megan E.’s (she/her) expertise is in collaborative planning and implementation to address health issues requiring both clinic and community approaches. Megan’s professional experience includes serving as a Health Policy and Program Coordinator at the Minneapolis Health Department, and as a Department Manager in women’s services and pastoral care at Intermountain Healthcare. Her direct patient care experience includes serving as a Patient Advocate at MayView Community Health Center, as a Care Guide in late-life supportive care at Allina Health, and as a hospice volunteer with her therapy cat, Sweet Pea, at HealthPartners. Megan has a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Biology and Medical Anthropology from Stanford University, and a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration and Financial Management from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She also obtained her Minnesota CHW certificate from Northwest Technical College in 2018. Megan currently teaches the Minnesota CHW Certificate courses as an online instructor at St. Mary’s University in Minnesota.

CO - FOUNDER

Megan Ellingson (CHW, MHA)

Megan E.’s (she/her) expertise is in collaborative planning and implementation to address health issues requiring both clinic and community approaches. Megan’s professional experience includes serving as a Health Policy and Program Coordinator at the Minneapolis Health Department, and as a Department Manager in women’s services and pastoral care at Intermountain Healthcare. Her direct patient care experience includes serving as a Patient Advocate at MayView Community Health Center, as a Care Guide in late-life supportive care at Allina Health, and as a hospice volunteer with her therapy cat, Sweet Pea, at HealthPartners. Megan has a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Biology and Medical Anthropology from Stanford University, and a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration and Financial Management from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She also obtained her Minnesota CHW certificate in August, 2018. Megan currently teaches the Minnesota CHW Certificate courses as an online instructor at St. Mary’s University in Minnesota.