The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recently executed two contracts totaling $198,520 to develop toolkits for employers interested in hiring community health workers (CHWs) and
community paramedics.
The toolkits will serve as “how-to” guides for employers interested in hiring an emerging professional. Toolkits may include information about:
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Training standards,
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scope of practice,
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supervision options,
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best practices for onboarding and integrating in a team-based environment,
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covered services, billing, and reimbursement,
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return on investment,
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sustainability planning,
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existing models,
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forms, templates, and protocols to be used by the emerging professional, and
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success stories and lessons learned.
When complete, the Toolkits will be posted online with workforce related data and other resources. Further information and updates can be found on the
Emerging Professions page of the MDH website.
WellShare International, a non-profit organization based in Minneapolis with over 30 years of experience recruiting, training, and employing over 8,000 community health workers (CHWs)
in low resource settings, was awarded a $98,845 Community Health Worker Toolkit Contract. WellShare International will partner with the Minnesota Community Health Worker Alliance in developing the toolkit.
The Paramedic Foundation, a non-profit organization based in St. Cloud whose members are leaders in community paramedicine worldwide, was awarded a $99,675 contract to develop a Community
Paramedic Toolkit.
These awards were made possible through Minnesota’s $45 million State Innovation Model (SIM) testing grant. MDH and the Department of Human Services (DHS) jointly received this federal
grant in 2013 and are using the funds to help implement the
Minnesota Accountable Health Model. The model helps providers and communities work together to reduce costs and create healthier futures for Minnesotans. It supports community and provider partnerships, team-based models of care, care coordination, Accountable
Care Organizations, payment reform, and health information technology investments.
More about emerging professionals
Community Health Workers are frontline public health workers who are trusted members of the community or often have a close understanding of their community. This relationship enables
them to serve as a liaison or intermediary between health care, social services and the community to increase cultural competence, improve access to health care for racial and ethnic minorities, improve the quality of care for chronically ill people, promote
healthy communities, and educate clients and others about access to and use of health care resources.
Community Paramedics are advanced paramedics that work to increase access to primary and preventive care and decrease use of emergency departments, which in turn decreases health care
costs. Among other things, Community Paramedics may play a key role in providing follow-up services after a hospital discharge to prevent hospital readmission. Community Paramedics can provide health assessments, chronic disease monitoring and education, medication
management, immunizations and vaccinations, laboratory specimen collection, hospital discharge follow-up care and minor medical procedures. Community Paramedics work under the direction of an Ambulance Medical Director.
A third contract, to develop a Dental Therapy Toolkit, is currently in negotiations.
For more information about the Emerging Professions Integration Grant Program and the State Innovations Model testing grant please visit the
Office of Rural Health and Primary Care (ORHPC) website or contact Kay Herzfeld, Emerging Professions Coordinator at (651) 201-3846.
