Community Health Worker Center for Excellence Board Meetings Launch
By: Heidi Christman, Chief Operating Officer, Health Impact Ohio
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has launched board meetings for the newly formed Community Health Worker (CHW) Center for Excellence (The Center.) The Center was a 2023 a state budget initiative, led by Health Impact Ohio (HIO), that authorized creation of The Center in Ohio Revised Code and funded it with $2.5 million per year to evaluate and enhance the education, training, workforce development and overall well-being of Ohio CHWs over the next 2 years. CHWs have been steadily becoming an area of focus for Ohio’s government and several non-governmental groups across the state, inspiring HIO and partner organizations to create this central body to allow for coordination and collaboration.
The public-private partnership is led by a Board of Directors which includes CHWs, a representative from Partnerships for Advancing Community Health (PACH), The Ohio CHW Association (OCHWA), a representative from both the Ohio House of Representatives and Ohio Senate, and other Board members representing diverse statewide groups whose members educate, employ or evaluate CHWs and their work (Federally Qualified Health Centers, Universities, Community Colleges, policy/research organizations), as well as State of Ohio departments, boards, and commissions involved with CHW work. Learn more about the inception of the Center by reading our previous blog post.
The Center has had its first two Board of Directors meetings in the first quarter of 2024. The first meeting was held in January and focused on introducing board members to one another, and providing education to board members about the role CHWs play in the Ohio communities they serve. Starting with an interactive learning session led by Carrie Baker, President & CEO of HIO, The Center Board members demonstrated current understanding of CHW policies, as well as allowed time for learning where there are gaps in knowledge. This exercise allowed ODH staff to inform future learning opportunities for members. The remainder of the meeting featured three CHWs who participated in a panel to share their unique perspectives from the field. Panel facilitator Kerri Shaw, MSW, LISW-S, C-CHW, from the Ohio University’s Ohio Alliance for Population Health, engaged CHW/Supervisors including Tanikka Price, C-CHW, JD, EdD, of HIO, Devon Abdon, C-CHW, PRS, of Franklin County Public Health, and Jet Jama, BA, AD, C-CHW, of ETSS to provide perspectives on how their experiences can inform the work of the Center in a meaningful, equitable, and representative way.
A second board meeting was held in late February. The Center Board members spent time reviewing the legislation that created the Board and the work that they have been charged to do. Board leadership was established through a nominating process for Board chairs and vice chair, and in an exciting step toward the future the following members were elected to leadership positions: Dr. Angela Dawson, Director of the Ohio Commission on Minority Health and Kerri Shaw, MSW, LISW-S, C-CHW, of Ohio University’s Ohio Alliance for Population Health were elected as Co-Chairs; Jennifer Carter, C-CHW, of OCHWA was elected as Vice Chair. Moving forward with a strong, experienced executive leadership team will ensure momentum for the future of this newly formed Center.
Next steps for The Center board are to work together with this newly elected leadership, ODH staff and HIO as an authorized agent in outlining a workplan and budget to ensure the requirements that the state budget language outlined get off to a strong, efficient and successful start, as well as being a good steward of state dollars to ensure this opportunity to uplift and support the important work of CHWs continues in the future.
For more information about The Center, please contact Carrie Baker at carrie@healthimpactohio.org.