The Minnesota Community Health Worker Alliance


Mission

The mission of the Alliance is to provide coordination for CHWs and CHW stakeholders work together to advance the CHW profession in Minnesota. 

Vision

The Alliance’s core principals are to incorporate the role of the CHW in the health and social service sectors and to decrease health disparities by addressing the social determinants of health by reducing barriers to health and well-being for the underserved populations in Minnesota. 

PRINCIPLES OF ALLIANCE
Develop strong CHW Leadership

Reduce cultural and linguistic barriers to health care, improve quality and cost effectiveness of care, and increase the number of healthcare workers who come from diverse backgrounds or underserved communities.  Increase Healthcare Access

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Minnesota Community Health Workers (CHWs) come from the communities they serve, working at the grassroots level building trust and vital relationships which make them effective culture brokers between their own communities and systems of care.  CHWs reduce cultural and linguistic barriers to health care, improve quality and cost effectiveness of care, and increase the number of healthcare workers who come from diverse backgrounds or underserved communities.

Since the statewide project started there have been over 270 CHWs who have graduated with a Minnesota Community Health Worker certificate and over 85 CHW jobs that have been developed.   Minnesota sees CHWs as being one answer to health equity by reducing cultural and linguistic barriers.CHWs are working in healthcare settings such as hospitals, clinics, FQHC’s, and in hospice.  They are also working through county offices in public health, community based programs in non-profit organizations. 

The CHW Institute

Minnesota’s Community Health Worker (CHW) Project is a statewide initiative whose mission is to reduce cultural and linguistic barriers to health care, improve quality and cost effectiveness of care, and increase the number of healthcare workers who come from diverse backgrounds or underserved communities.  Community Health Workers come from the communities they serve, working at the grassroots level building trust and vital relationships which make them effective culture brokers between their own communities and systems of care.  CHWs:

Project Innovation

This project is a tribute to the coalition of partners (educators, the health care industry, healthcare recipients, public and private organizations, & CHWs) who are committed to improving the system of healthcare delivery services to all Minnesota residents.  This project:

Project Information

Healthcare Education Industry Partnership, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Contact:  Project Director, Anne Willaert, anne.willaert@southcentral.edu, www.heip.org

 

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