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Title: State and National CHW Policy Updates

Author:

Carl Rush

Section/SPIG: Community Health Workers

Issue Date:

National Policy Update

 

It's been a busy summer for state policy regarding CHWs!  After our last newsletter, the Rhode Island legislature passed a bill (S 481) creating a health equity commission, which is directed in the bill to study the potential role of CHWs. This follows a Texas bill (HB 2610) directing a comprehensive study of sustainability for the CHW workforce, and Oregon HB 3650, creating an "Integrated and Coordinated Health Care Delivery System to replace managed care systems for recipients of medical assistance" by 2014. The Oregon system would by law require a substantial role for CHWs.

 

The Texas Department of State Health Services is actively working to put together resources for a substantive study, which must be completed by the fall of 2012. The Indiana Department of Public Health is also reportedly seeking to conduct a study of the CHW field. Indiana has had a successful Prenatal Care Coordination

Program, which requires standard qualifications for CHWs for a number of years and is in danger of losing support from the state's Medicaid program.

 

The Florida Department of Health has supported the creation of a new Florida CHW Coalition, which has been meeting since June. The Coalition has an ambitious agenda to build a statewide network and educate policymakers about the potential of CHWs.

 

 

New CHW Policy Center to Launch this Fall

 

The University of Texas Institute for Health Policy (part of their School of Public Health) has recently committed to create a Project on CHW Policy and Practice, which will specialize in supporting CHW policy initiatives around the country. Lead faculty member for UT will be Héctor Balcázar, regional dean for the School of Public Health's El Paso Campus. Other core team members for the new center are also active with the APHA CHW Section:  these include Lisa Renee Holderby, current Section chair, as well as Lee Rosenthal, Carl Rush and Jacqueline Scott. The formal announcement of the center will take place this fall.  For more information contact Dr Balcázar at Hector.G.Balcazar@uth.tmc.edu.