Project Grant T2946721

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER TRAINING PROGRAM - PROJECT DIRECTOR SONYA FRANKLIN, EDD/CI, MHA, MSN, RN, CNE OFFICE 423-473-2448 SFRANKLIN@CLEVELAND.EDU PROJECT FUNDS REQUEST: $2,969,200 REQUESTING FUNDING PREFERENCE CONSIDERATION: SEE ATTACHMENT #7 TBR WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST CONSIDERATION FOR PREFERENCE FUNDING. THE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN LONG TERM SERVICES AND SUPPORTS (QUILTSS) PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH CARE AND SUPPORT RECEIVED BY ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES AND FRAIL ELDERS THROUGH ENHANCED TRAINING FOR EXISTING COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS (CHW). ADDITIONALLY, THIS PROJECT WILL SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A CHW REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP ACROSS OUR CAMPUSES TO EXPAND THE PIPELINE OF QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES. THIS PROJECT WILL WORK WITH OUR COLLEGES TO IDENTIFY AND CREATE ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS FROM CHW APPRENTICESHIPS INTO RELATED ALLIED HEALTH ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS. TENNESSEE HAS 40 COLLEGES AND A DISTANCE EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP THAT WILL OFFER ASYNCHRONOUS COURSES. LEARNERS WILL HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO ENROLL IN EITHER 18 STUDENT CREDIT HOURS, 331 CLOCK HOURS, OR NON-CREDIT FORMAT. LEARNERS WILL BE COACHED AND SUPPORTED AT EACH COLLEGE LOCATION. TRAINEES WILL ENROLL IN A BLOCK OF COURSES EACH TERM. AFTER SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING THE COURSES, STUDENTS WILL NOT ONLY EARN COLLEGE CREDIT TOWARDS AN ACADEMIC CERTIFICATE OR DEGREE, BUT THEY ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE TO TAKE A BADGE LEVEL ASSESSMENT. LEARNERS WILL RECEIVE UP TO $3000 PER YEAR TO COVER MANDATORY AND/OR NON-MANDATORY FEES. LEARNERS MAY ALSO APPLY FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO SUPPORT NON-EDUCATION-RELATED EXPENSES. THE CONTENT IS DESIGNED BY NATIONAL SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, WHO ARE CONSIDERED TO BE THE LEADING THINKERS IN THEIR FIELD AND FOR THEIR TOPIC. COURSES ARE COMPETENCY-BASED, MEANING LEARNERS ARE EXPECTED TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND INTELLECTUAL BEHAVIORS BEFORE BEING CERTIFIED AS COMPETENT. A ROBUST LEARNING ENVIRONMENT ALLOWS TRAINEES TO PRACTICE NEWLY LEARNED COMPETENCIES IN THE REAL-WORLD APPLICATION THROUGH STRUCTURED ON-THE-JOB ACTIVITIES. HSWS DEMONSTRATE MASTERY OF A DESIGNATED COMPETENCY BY PARTICIPATING IN VIRTUAL SIMULATIONS AND ROLE-PLAYS THROUGH THE QUILTSS VIRTUAL ASSESSMENT CENTER. TRAINEES WILL EARN MICRO-CREDENTIAL BADGES FOR EACH COMPETENCY, WITH AWARDED BADGES BEING CAPTURED IN A PORTABLE AND TRANSFERABLE TRAINING AND LEARNING RECORD. THE PROGRAM IS OFFERED THROUGH A MOBILE-READY ONLINE DELIVERY PLATFORM, WITH SOME PROGRAMS OFFERING AN IN-PERSON TRAINING PROGRAM OPTION. ACADEMICALLY QUALIFIED FACULTY TEACH THE TRAINEES COURSES, WITH SUCCESSFUL COACHES ENCOURAGING TRAINEES TO COMPLETE THE COURSEWORK THROUGH WRAPAROUND SUPPORT SERVICES. THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS, TRAINEES CAN EARN COLLEGE CREDIT AND ADVANCE ALONG CLEARLY ARTICULATED CAREER PATHWAYS. OUTCOMES THE QUILTSS TRAINING PROGRAM WILL SERVE 600 NEW AND UPSKILLING PARTICIPANTS, WITH NO MORE THAN 25% OF THE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WILL BE IN THE UPSKILLING PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, LEARNERS WILL BE RESIDENTS OF MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. LEARNERS WILL TAKE 4 BADGE LEVEL ASSESSMENTS AND EARN CREDENTIALS RECOGNIZED BY LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND STATE EMPLOYERS. FIFTY PERCENT OF THE LEARNERS WILL HAVE CREDIT AS PART OF A CERTIFICATE OR AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE, AND AT LEAST 25% OF THE NEW LEARNERS WILL BECOME CHW THROUGH A REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM. ALL OF THE TRAINEES WILL PARTICIPATE IN HANDS-ON SKILLS IN ACTUAL CAREGIVING JOBS OR HEALTH SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTS. EMPLOYERS WILL PROVIDE UP TO $3.00 PER HOUR OF ADDITIONAL PAY FOR THE FOUR STACKABLE CREDENTIALS. THIS PROJECT WILL ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING HRSA GOALS FOUND IN THE HRSA STRATEGIC PLAN: IMPROVE ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTH CARE AND SERVICES; FOSTER A HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE ABLE TO ADDRESS CURRENT AND EMERGING NEEDS; ENHANCE POPULATION HEALTH AND ADDRESS HEALTH DISPARITIES THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.