Members of a partnership between the Arkansas Department of Health, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Public Health, and the Arkansas Community Health Worker Association formed a Community Health Worker Stakeholder Advisory Committee (CHW SAC). This committee was tasked with making recommendations regarding a voluntary Community Health Worker (CHW) certification program in Arkansas. The members of the Stakeholder Advisory Board were from many different professions and around the state.
The first SAC meeting was held in February of 2020 and monthly meetings were held through July 2020. The meetings are now held quarterly. Currently, the ARCHWA Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) is composed of approximately 75 individuals who are CHWs, allies, supervisors and stakeholders. The members represent 20 different entities including hospitals, universities, the Arkansas Department of Health, the Arkansas State Board of Nursing, the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement and rural health networks. The SAC provides recommendations and feedback on the key programs, policies and deliverables of ARCHWA.
Melanie Joyner - UAMS
Vanessa Krause - University of Arkansas
Krista Langston - UAMS
Austin Larey - Arkansas Department of Health
ShaRhonda Love - Arkansas Children’s Hospital
Brittney Marshall Clark - Baptist Health
Carline Massey - UAMS
Pearl McElfish - UAMS
Jennifer Medley - Arkansas Center for Health Improvement
Rosalinda Medrano Green - UAMS
Sarah Moore - UAMS
Moises Moranga Amador - Arkansas Department of Health
Creshelle Nash - Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield
Allan Nichols - Mainline Health
Monte Payne - Veterans Administration
Sarah Phillips - UAMS
Judy Pile - ARCHWA
Taylor Price - Mercy Northwest
Chip Pursell - UAMS Healthy Start
DeMarcus Rayford - NWA Center for Sexual Assault
Andrea Ridgway - Arkansas Children's Hospital
Mary Risper - Tri-County Rural Health Network
Carla Smith - St. Bernard’s Healthcare
Nell Smith - Arkansas Department of Health
Mia Stark - Community Health Centers of Arkansas
Kate Stewart - Retired (UAMS)
Rosalind Stone - Tri-County Rural Health Network
Sue Tedford - Arkansas State Board of Nursing
Darrell Thompson - Tri-County Rural Health Network
Robin Thrower - Future Builders
Jodiane Tritt - American Hospital Association
Carolina Vargas - UAMS
David Vrudny - Arkansas Department of Health
Lisa Weaver - Boston Mountain Rural Health Center
Lanita White - Community Health Centers of Arkansas
Jordyn Williams - Winrock International
Craig Wilson - Arkansas Center for Health Improvement
Stakeholder Advisory Committee Members
Becky Adams - Arkansas Department of Health
Taiwo Adesoba - Arkansas Department of Health & UAMS
Sarah Adolph - Arkansas Department of Health
Ashley Anthony - Mainline Health
Joseph Bates - Arkansas Department of Health and UAMS
Daniel Bercher - UAMS
Katrina Bishop - Arkansas Center for Health Improvement
Kaleb Bivens - Boston Mountain Rural Health Center
LaToya Blanks - ARCHWA
Mellie Bridewell - Arkansas Rural Health Partnership
Aliza Brown - UAMS Healthy Start
Keneshia Bryant-Moore - UAMS
Melissa Buford - Lee County Cooperative Clinic
Larry Butler - Veterans Administration
Ashton Caton - Mercy Northwest
Tom Chung - UAMS
Jennifer Conner - American Heart Association
Teresa Conner - Baptist Health
Sandra Cooper - UAMS
Kenya Eddings - Arkansas Minority Health Commission
Pebbles Fagan - UAMS
Bonnie Faitak - UAMS
Sarah Fountain - UAMS
Daphne Gaulden - Arkansas Minority Health Commission
Gloria Gordan - Retired, Development Specialist
Christopher Green - Veterans Administration
Melodee Harris - UAMS
Lynn Hawkins - Arkansas Rural Health Partnership
Melanie Hinchey - St. Bernards Healthcare
Curtis Hogan - 1st Choice Healthcare
Anna Huff Davis - UAMS
Corina Huston - Mercy Northwest
Ellen Hutchins - Delta Dental
Rachel Johnson - Arkansas Department of Health
Beverly Johnson Wells - UAMS
Renee Joiner - UAMS
SUMMARY OF MEETINGS
FEBRUARY 2020
The first meeting was held in late February and the main focus of this meeting was the orient the SAC members about what the project team has been working on, what we are planning to do, and the goal of convening the SAC members: to create recommendations for the development and establishment of a voluntary CHW certification program. This SAC members chose three topics that the project team would need to further investigate: Certification Scope of Practice, Oversight Structure, and Liability. These three topics would be discussed over the next few meetings
MARCH 2020
In between the first and second meeting, members of the project team met virtually with national and state experts about CHW certification programs across the U.S. During the second meeting, held in late March, the project team presented information gathered from the interviews. The project team also proposed a scope of practice definition, which the SAC members voted on and agreed that we should use for our certification program. The next step was to discuss where the certification program would be housed, the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) was chosen, and if any legislation would be necessary, which it was determined that it would most likely be needed.
APRIL 2020
The third meeting, in late April, focused on the oversight structure and began the discussion of the legislative steps that would be needed for ADH to house the certification program. The project team provided examples of the oversight structure from other states (PA, MA, NM, FL, AZ) and asked the SAC members to discuss what would work best in Arkansas. Ultimately, the SAC members decided that a committee should be formed in the ADH that would be over the certification program. A legislative, policy subcommittee was also formed. The goal of this committee was to focus on the legislative steps that need to be taken.
MAY 2020
The fourth meeting, in late May, focused on finding an interim entity to house the certification, discussing ARCHWA serving as the entity to certify training programs around the state, and the formation and duties of the CHW commission in ADH. It was determined that ARCHWA would serve as the interim entity and would also permanently certify the training programs. This brought up the discussion of having sustainable funding for ARCHWA to carry out these new tasks, and the idea of a fee for certification was determined to be the best and most efficient way to do this. The commission in ADH would need to include mostly CHW voices and have set powers and duties, which were vetted by the SAC members. A draft of the talking points and the recommendations document were also shown to the members so that they could provide any feedback.
JUNE 2020
The fifth meeting, in late June, focused on development of a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document that would serve as a guide for the members that would begin educating potential employers, legislators, or other stakeholders about CHWs. This document was compiled of questions that the project team and SAC members believed they might be asked about developing a CHW certification program so that they would all have the same answers to questions asked. We also began a discussion about creating video testimonials that would serve to show the effectiveness and impact of CHWs through stories from CHWs and CHW beneficiaries.
JULY 2020
The sixth, and final monthly meeting in late July, focused on finalizing the recommendations, talking points, and FAQ document. All documents have been vetted extensively through the SAC members. The next steps will be to start educating potential employers, legislators, and other stakeholders; taking legislative steps; and moving into the certification process.
Handouts:
Timeline
C3 core comps.
AUGUST 2023
Members of a partnership between the Arkansas Department of Health, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Public Health, and the Arkansas Community Health Worker Association formed a Community Health Worker Stakeholder Advisory Committee (CHW SAC). This committee was tasked with making recommendations regarding a voluntary Community Health Worker (CHW) certification program in Arkansas. The members of the Stakeholder Advisory Board were from many different professions and around the state.
The first SAC meeting was held in February of 2020 and monthly meetings were held through July 2020. The meetings are now held quarterly. Currently, the ARCHWA Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) is composed of approximately 50 individuals who are CHWs, allies, supervisors and stakeholders. The members represent 20 different entities including hospitals, universities, the Arkansas Department of Health, the Arkansas State Board of Nursing, the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement and rural health networks. The SAC provides recommendations and feedback on the key programs, policies and deliverables of ARCHWA.
Stakeholder Advisory Committee Members
Becky Adams - Arkansas Department of Health
Taiwo Adesoba - Arkansas Department of Health & UAMS
Sarah Adolph - Arkansas Department of Health
Ashley Anthony - Mainline Health
Joseph Bates - Arkansas Department of Health and UAMS
Daniel Bercher - UAMS
Katrina Bishop - Arkansas Center for Health Improvement
Kaleb Bivens - Boston Mountain Rural Health Center
LaToya Blanks - ARCHWA
Mellie Bridewell - Arkansas Rural Health Partnership
Aliza Brown - UAMS Healthy Start
Keneshia Bryant-Moore - UAMS
Melissa Buford - Lee County Cooperative Clinic
Larry Butler - Veterans Administration
Ashton Caton - Mercy Northwest
Tom Chung - UAMS
Jennifer Conner - American Heart Association
Teresa Conner - Baptist Health
Sandra Cooper - UAMS
Kenya Eddings - Arkansas Minority Health Commission
Pebbles Fagan - UAMS
Bonnie Faitak - UAMS
Sarah Fountain - UAMS
Daphne Gaulden - Arkansas Minority Health Commission
Gloria Gordan - Retired, Development Specialist
Christopher Green - Veterans Administration
Melodee Harris - UAMS
Lynn Hawkins - Arkansas Rural Health Partnership
Melanie Hinchey - St. Bernards Healthcare
Curtis Hogan - 1st Choice Healthcare
Anna Huff Davis - UAMS
Corina Huston - Mercy Northwest
Ellen Hutchins - Delta Dental
Rachel Johnson - Arkansas Department of Health
Beverly Johnson Wells - UAMS
Renee Joiner - UAMS
Melanie Joyner - UAMS
Vanessa Krause - University of Arkansas
Krista Langston - UAMS
Austin Larey - Arkansas Department of Health
ShaRhonda Love - Arkansas Children’s Hospital
Brittney Marshall Clark - Baptist Health
Carline Massey - UAMS
Pearl McElfish - UAMS
Jennifer Medley - Arkansas Center for Health Improvement
Rosalinda Medrano Green - UAMS
Sarah Moore - UAMS
Moises Moranga Amador - Arkansas Department of Health
Creshelle Nash - Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield
Allan Nichols - Mainline Health
Monte Payne - Veterans Administration
Sarah Phillips - UAMS
Judy Pile - ARCHWA
Taylor Price - Mercy Northwest
Chip Pursell - UAMS Healthy Start
DeMarcus Rayford - NWA Center for Sexual Assault
Andrea Ridgway - Arkansas Children's Hospital
Mary Risper - Tri-County Rural Health Network
Carla Smith - St. Bernard’s Healthcare
Nell Smith - Arkansas Department of Health
Mia Stark - Community Health Centers of Arkansas
Kate Stewart - Retired (UAMS)
Rosalind Stone - Tri-County Rural Health Network
Sue Tedford - Arkansas State Board of Nursing
Darrell Thompson - Tri-County Rural Health Network
Robin Thrower - Future Builders
Jodiane Tritt - American Hospital Association
Carolina Vargas - UAMS
David Vrudny - Arkansas Department of Health
Lisa Weaver - Boston Mountain Rural Health Center
Lanita White - Community Health Centers of Arkansas
Jordyn Williams - Winrock International
Craig Wilson - Arkansas Center for Health Improvement
SUMMARY OF MEETINGS
FEBRUARY 2020
The first meeting was held in late February and the main focus of this meeting was the orient the SAC members about what the project team has been working on, what we are planning to do, and the goal of convening the SAC members: to create recommendations for the development and establishment of a voluntary CHW certification program. This SAC members chose three topics that the project team would need to further investigate: Certification Scope of Practice, Oversight Structure, and Liability. These three topics would be discussed over the next few meetings
MARCH 2020
In between the first and second meeting, members of the project team met virtually with national and state experts about CHW certification programs across the U.S. During the second meeting, held in late March, the project team presented information gathered from the interviews. The project team also proposed a scope of practice definition, which the SAC members voted on and agreed that we should use for our certification program. The next step was to discuss where the certification program would be housed, the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) was chosen, and if any legislation would be necessary, which it was determined that it would most likely be needed.
APRIL 2020
The third meeting, in late April, focused on the oversight structure and began the discussion of the legislative steps that would be needed for ADH to house the certification program. The project team provided examples of the oversight structure from other states (PA, MA, NM, FL, AZ) and asked the SAC members to discuss what would work best in Arkansas. Ultimately, the SAC members decided that a committee should be formed in the ADH that would be over the certification program. A legislative, policy subcommittee was also formed. The goal of this committee was to focus on the legislative steps that need to be taken.
MAY 2020
The fourth meeting, in late May, focused on finding an interim entity to house the certification, discussing ARCHWA serving as the entity to certify training programs around the state, and the formation and duties of the CHW commission in ADH. It was determined that ARCHWA would serve as the interim entity and would also permanently certify the training programs. This brought up the discussion of having sustainable funding for ARCHWA to carry out these new tasks, and the idea of a fee for certification was determined to be the best and most efficient way to do this. The commission in ADH would need to include mostly CHW voices and have set powers and duties, which were vetted by the SAC members. A draft of the talking points and the recommendations document were also shown to the members so that they could provide any feedback.
JUNE 2020
The fifth meeting, in late June, focused on development of a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document that would serve as a guide for the members that would begin educating potential employers, legislators, or other stakeholders about CHWs. This document was compiled of questions that the project team and SAC members believed they might be asked about developing a CHW certification program so that they would all have the same answers to questions asked. We also began a discussion about creating video testimonials that would serve to show the effectiveness and impact of CHWs through stories from CHWs and CHW beneficiaries.
JULY 2020
The sixth, and final monthly meeting in late July, focused on finalizing the recommendations, talking points, and FAQ document. All documents have been vetted extensively through the SAC members. The next steps will be to start educating potential employers, legislators, and other stakeholders; taking legislative steps; and moving into the certification process.
Handouts:
Timeline
C3 core comps.