Rural Community Health Worker Training
NRHA's Rural Community Health Worker Training Network spans the U.S.-Mexico border, along with partnerships across various regions of the United States.
Rural Community Health Worker Training Academy
In 2011, NRHA established a commitment to action to train at least 60 community health workers (CHW) along the U.S.-Mexico border to address access to care in this region of the country. In five years, the effort has evolved into an official Rural Community Health Worker Training Network that now spans the U.S.-Mexico border, along with partnerships across various regions of the United States.
In 2013, NRHA, with funding from the Verizon Foundation, established partners in the southwestern, southern, midwestern and eastern regions of the U.S. through the incorporation of a technological training module. The trainings provided skill-building sessions in leadership, coordination, policy and pressing health concerns in the various regions. From this partnership, NRHA was able to connect CHWs with type II diabetes patients in rural counties of Georgia and initiate the use of technology to help track their glucose and fitness levels, ultimately improving health outcomes.
Today, NRHA is proud to have implemented over 30 trainings with over 2,100 CHWs trained. These trainings have covered topics related to chronic disease, COVID-19, and other pressing health issues. The success of the Rural Community Health Worker Training Network reflects the importance of empowering the health care workforce in rural communities and demonstrates how cultural competency and flexibility are key to improving health outcomes.
For more information, contact Gaby Boscan at gboscan@ruralhealth.us