CHW Program Sustainability Assessment

Thank you for reaching out to MNCHWA and for your interest in expanding your knowledge base as a contributing member to the Community Health Worker community. Please review and fill out the form below to help us frame the best way to support you and your organization. Reviewing the form should also help spark some ideas and questions about your and your organization’s role within the CHW system. We appreciate the chance to connect with you and will be in touch soon after the completion of the form and our review.

CHW showcasing pamphlets at a community event

CHW Program Sustainability Assessment (#42)

Whether you are a seasoned CHW employer to a new and or emerging CHW employer, this organizational assessment was designed to help organizations identify the strengths, gaps, and opportunities that exist based on the maturity of their CHW program.

The Assessment scores an organizations’ CHW program on six main pillars: Organizational Knowledge; Recruitment, Hiring, & Training; Support for CHWs; Program Structure; Funding, and Organizational Support. Each of these components has a set of criteria that can help organizations determine what areas of their CHW Program they want to strengthen.

The Assessment should take about 15-20 minutes to complete.

For questions or to take this assessment using an alternative format, please email us at [email protected]

General Information

First

Middle

Last

Job Title

Name of your organization

Address of your organization:

Street Address

Address Line 2

City

State / Province

ZIP / Postal Code

Please list your organizations population(s) of focus and vulnerable populations served at your organization.

Organizational Knowlege

In the following series of questions you are asked to assess how much your organization knows about CHWs and their role and scope of practice. We also want to learn if you employ CHW adjacent positions and if they conduct activities that meet the role and scope of practice of a CHW.

CHW adjacent – refers to positions an organization employs that have similar role and scope of practice to a CHW, but the position has a different name and does not require a CHW certificate. e.g. health coach, navigator, care guide, etc.

CHW Core Roles | Competencies

——————–Total

Is your organization familiar with the CHWs Role and Scope of practice?

Yes

Somewhat

——————–Total

CHW adjacent positions [see description for definition]

Please list the name of the job titles that your organization currently employs that share AT LEAST 2 of the CHW core roles that you selected above. Write-in NA if not applicable.

Do you currently have CHWs employed at your organization?

Yes, certificate holding CHW(s)

Yes, non-certificate holding CHW(s)

Yes, both certificate holding CHWs and non-certificate holding CHWs

No, but we are seeking to hire a CHW

No, we do not have CHWs working in the organization and we do not have a CHW position

——————–Total

How many CHWs are currently employed at your organization?

How many CHW positions are currently open at your organization?

Recruiting, Hiring, Onboarding

Please answer the following questions based on your current infrastructure for recruitment, hiring, and onboarding for CHWs and or CHW-adjacent positions.

CHW-adjacent – refers to positions an organization employs that have similar role and scope of practice to a CHW, but the position has a different name and does not require a CHW certificate. e.g. health coach, navigator, care guide, etc.

Does your organization have a job description that specifically refers to CHWs?

Yes

Not Sure

——————–Total

OPTIONAL- Upload a copy of relevant job description

File Upload

Please select items that are present on your CHW or CHW-Adjacent Job Posting(s):

CHW Certificate is required.

CHW Certificate is preferred.

CHW Certificate is required within 1 year of hire.

Undergraduate degree preferred.

Undergraduate degree required.

Lived experience and community connection is emphasized in lieu of higher education and professional experience.

——————–Total

What is the typical starting pay range for a CHW or a CHW-Adjacent position at your organization?

Less than $15 per hour

$15-$18 per hour

$19-$22 per hour

$23-$26 per hour

$27-$30 per hour

More than $30 per hour

——————–Total

Does your organization currently conduct direct outreach to CHWs as a part of your hiring strategy?

Yes

Not Sure

——————–Total

Please select all the recruitment and interviewing elements that currently exist:

Recruitment via community events

Recruitment via culturally specific media channels

Recruitment via organizational partnerships who have relationships with communities served

Specific definition of CHW role during recruitment and interview process

Community involvement (e.g. community debriefs, letters of recommendation, community info-sessions about the job).

Ample time for recruitment of the right candidate (3-6 months)

Internal or External CHWs | CHW-adjacent profession play active role in recruitment

Internal or External CHWs | CHW-adjacent profession are present during the interview

Internal or External CHWs | CHW-adjacent profession provide feedback on candidate selection

——————–Total

Does your organization have an on-boarding process specific to CHWs or CHW-Adjacent positions?

Yes

Not Sure

——————–Total

How many hours of training are SPECIFIC to the CHW | CHW adjacent position at your organization (e.g. home visiting, resource navigation, community rapid response, etc.)?

1-8

8-16

16-24

24-32

32-40

——————–Total

Support for CHWs

Does your organization require ANY positions acquire a CHW Certificate within a year of hire?

Yes

No, we only hire CHW Certificate holders

No, we do not require the CHW Certificate

How does your organization plan to support employees in getting their CHW Certificate?

Secure funding to pay for part of the program cost

Secure funding to pay for the entire program cost

Allow paid time to complete classwork

Allow CHWs to use office space/supplies (e.g. work computer, desk, internet etc.) to complete class work

Act as the CHW’s Field Placement Site for their Certificate

Reduce FTE for CHWs completing the program

Other

——————–Total

What kind of Peer support does your organization offer to CHWs | CHW-Adjacent positions?

Paid time to participate in external peer support groups like the CHW Learning Circle

Internal group (Community of Practice) meetings held quarterly

Internal Community of Practice meetings held monthly

Internal Community of Practice meetings held weekly

Paid time to attend regional or local CHW peer meetings or conferences.

Paid time to attend statewide CHW conferences.

——————–Total

Do entry level employees at your organization have well defined pathways for professional advancement?

No, there is no formal structure

There is not a formal structure, but some employees have advanced in my organization

Yes, there is a formal structure for employees to train or receive credentialing hours to advance professionally

Yes, there is a formal structure that may include pay differentials based on experience and education, professional development resources, and on-the-job mentorship

Other

——————–Total

Please select all that apply to a Supervisor that oversees a CHW | CHW-adjacent position at your organization:

No Direct Supervisor; reports to Program Director or ED

employees meet with their supervisor at least twice per month

employees meet with their supervisors at least once per week

Supervisors are licensed professionals (e.g. RN, MSW, LSW, pharmacist, DDS etc.)

Supervisors typically have had experience working in a CHW |Allied role

Some Supervisors have their MN CHW Certificate

Supervisors are encouraged to attend peer learning groups with other CHW |Allied position supervisors

Supervisors support employees interests in paid professional development opportunities

——————–Total

CHW Program Structure and Integration

Is the CHW role | CHW-adjacent position depicted on your Organizational Chart?

No, our Organizatonal chart is limited to leadership

No, but we plan to include them in future

Yes, but it is unclear if the role is assigned under the appropriate department

Yes, the role and its connection with other programs is clearly articulated in the Organizational Chart

——————–Total

Do the other professionals on your team (e.g. social worker, therapist, care coordination nurse, dietitian, interpreter, etc.) have a strong understanding about each team members role, how and when to refer, and how to work collaboratively?

Yes, all

Yes, most

——————–Total

Please select all of the methods in which your organization currently reports data collected by CHW | CHW-adjacent position:

Reported to governing Board

Reported to funders

Reported in organization wide annual reports

Reported to external business stakeholders

Reported to health insurance payers

Reported back to the CHWs doing the work (e.g. for the purposes of program improvement)

Reported internally within your organization on a regular basis

Reported to community leaders and members

Reported to clients/patients

——————–Total

Funding

Which of the following billing infrastructure elements does your organization currently have? (select all that apply)

Documentation software integrated with the rest of the organization

Documentation software NOT integrated with the rest of the organization

Documentation software that enables billing via claims

Documentation software that enables billing via invoice to contracted payers

Employs eligible Billing Provider/s (e.g. APRN, DDS, MD, etc.)

Periodically conducts needs assessment of patient/client’s treatment progress

Employs a billing specialist

Consults with external partner for billing support

None

——————–Total

When you hire CHWs, do you plan to bill for CHW services?

Yes

Unsure

——————–Total

Is your organization currently billing for CHW services?

Yes, billing Medicaid

Yes, billing Medicare

Yes, billing Medicaid and Medicare

No, but we want to learn more and explore billing

No, we are not interested in billing

——————–Total

What are your organization’s current barriers to billing? (check all that apply)

We do not currently employ CHW

Covered services do not align with work of CHWs | CHW-adjacent positions at my organization

There are hurdles to registration with DHS

My organization does not have the infrastructure to submit claims

We do not meet the eligible provider requirement

CHWs at my organization have certificates but do not have NPIs

Reimbursement rates (not worth it)

——————–Total

Is your current funding sufficient to initiate a CHW program?

Yes

No, but we have a plan to increase funding

No, and we do not currently have a plan to develop a program

——————–Total

Organizational Support

Leadership at my organization…

Are skeptical of the CHW role

See the value of CHWs in a limited sense (understand what they do)

Prioritize financially sustaining CHW services

Proactively looking to expand CHW services

——————–Total

Do CHWs | CHW-adjacent positions at your organization have formal feedback channels that have the potential to impact the CHW | CHW-adjacent role and/or engagement with communities?

Yes, they have formal power sharing in decisions that affect their roles

Yes, we solicit feedback from CHWs | CHW Adjacent staff and we communicate decisions made by leadership based on that feedback

Yes, CHWs | CHW-adjacent staff are verbally encouraged to provide feedback to management

No, but we are open to it.

No, formal feedback channels (beyond employee survey)

——————–Total

Please select all of the people in your organization who have an understanding of the CHW Role and Scope of Practice:

CHW(s)

CHW Supervisors

Internal care team members who work closely with the CHW | Allied Position (e.g. providers, RNs, Social Workers, Navigators, Care coordinators etc.)

Director of the department that houses CHW | CHW-adjacent Position

Organization Leadership (e.g. CEO, President, Executive Director)

Board of Directors of the organization

External partners who work directly with the CHW | CHW-adjacent Position

External partners who do not work directly with the CHW | CHW-adjacent Position

——————–Total

What is the position of the highest ranking “CHW Champion(s)” at your organization? A CHW Champion is someone who has a deep understanding of the CHW role and scope of practice and advocates for CHWs in their organization.

Our organization does not have a CHW Champion (is unfamiliar with the role)

CHW/ CHW-adjacent professional

Manager

Program Director

Executive Director or higher

Everyone at our organization understands and values the CHW role, we are all CHW Champions.

——————–Total

Is there anything else you would like us to know about your organization and or program/s?

Assessment Grand Total Score

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