Expanding access to dementia-capable community health and direct care workers in pima county - the goal of expanding access to dementia-capable community health and direct care workers in pima…

The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living awarded Pima Council On Aging, Inc., a $1.499 million cooperative agreement on September 30, 2025, under the Alzheimer's Disease Program Initiative (CFDA 93.470) to expand dementia-capable community health worker and direct care worker capacity in Pima County, Arizona.

The award funds integration of dementia-capable training into community health worker curricula throughout Pima County; development of dementia-care capacity among CHWs at partner organizations and at Pima Council On Aging; provision of evidence-based intervention dementia-related behavioral management training to 80 caregivers; delivery of dementia-capable training to 300 in-home care providers and direct care workers; completion of 130 Alzheimer's disease and related dementia screenings and 120 unmet-needs assessments; referral of 90 individuals with unmet needs to appropriate services; dissemination of 110 healthy brain kits to persons with dementia and their caregivers; onboarding of 2 CHWs with Pima Council On Aging; and training of 20 CHWs from partner organizations. The award funds development and implementation of a project sustainability plan and scaling of effective interventions.

The period of performance runs from September 30, 2025, through September 29, 2028. Performance takes place in Arizona.

Expanding access to dementia-capable community health and direct care workers in pima county - the goal of expanding access to dementia-capable community health and direct care workers in pima county is to increase access to community-based dementia care in pima county by enhancing the dementia-capability of pima county's CHW and DCW workforce. Additionally, this project will strengthen the overall public health and aging services workforce and infrastructure in pima county to better support plwd and their caregivers and provide professional development opportunities for dementia-capable chws. Project activities and deliverables will include: 1) integrating dementia-capable training into community health worker (CHW) curriculum throughout pima county; 2) developing dementia-care capacity among chws at partner organizations; 3) building a dementia-capable CHW workforce at pcoa; 4) increasing the dementia-capability of dcws through CHW-led continuing education; 5) delivering EII dementia-related behavioral management training; 6) developing and implementing a project sustainability plan and scaling effective interventions. Project outcomes will improve QOL for plwd and reduce stress and improved mental wellbeing, knowledge, skills, and confidence for caregivers. Additionally, the project will build professional skills, and confidence among chws, and increase DCW understanding about adrd and practical dementia-care skills. Baseline outputs will include: 1) training 20 chws from partner organizations and onboarding 2 chws with pcoa; 2) completing 130 adrd screenings and 120 screenings for unmet needs; 3) referring 90 individuals with unmet needs to appropriate services/supports; 4) providing EII training to 80 caregivers of plwd; 5) disseminating 110 healthy brain kits to plwd and their caregivers; 6) providing dementia-capable training to 300 in-home care providers/dcws.