Health In Your Hands Issue #8 Fall 2014 | Page 3

T O U G A L O O C O L L E G E O W E N S H E A L T H & W E L L N E S S C E N T E R Community Health Worker! ! ! (Continued from p.1)! What is the training requirement to become a CHW?! Currently, there is no standardized certification process to become a CHW in Mississippi. This may change within the next year. At this time, there are some organizations which train CHW's on various curricula over varied time frames. The Tougaloo Central Mississippi Area Health Education Center is one such training center. The Center offers a core competency hybrid course consisting of forty (40) hours of didactic instruction combined with a subsequent 120 hours of practical experience. This hands- on training can include individual study and work assignments that can be completed within a six (6) month or 24 week duration. The variety of health topics that are addressed include: Oral health; diabetes; hypertension and heart; obesity, nutrition, and exercise; preventive health and screenings; health literacy; and so on. ! ! Why become a CHW- what's in it for you?! 1) Anyone with the desire to help others would enjoy this work. Also, the appreciation and joy gained by you, patients, and providers are indescribable. 2) If you are passionate about health and wellness-that is, overall holistic wellbeing whether on an individual or collective level- this is for you! 3) As a CHW, you would play a most vital role in health care delivery impacting access, equity, quality, efficacy, culture, cost, compliance, literacy, diversity, and knowledge enhancement for you, your clients, and even providers. 4) Fringe benefits may include mileage reimbursement, health insurance, trainings, leaves, or stipends. The [TC] Squared Fitness Trail is open from sunrise to sunset and is available to members of the Tougaloo College student body, alumni, faculty, staff, students and the greater community. Let’s Go Walkin’ Tougaloo! Health In Your Hands "3