COVID-19 & Resilient Communities
Community Health Workers for COVID Response and Resilient Communities (CCR)
A Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) Initiative
In collaboration with the Allegheny County Health Department and 18 community partners, this 3-year CDC-CCR grant-funded initiative focuses on expanding and enhancing the public health workforce and directly addressing COVID-19 and related health disparities in Allegheny County by centralizing, supporting, and enhancing existing CHW programs among local community-based organizations (CBOs) and clinical providers.
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By creating a unified approach to COVID-19 training and CHW documentation and facilitation under the guidance of a community-driven coalition, we aim to ensure that CHWs have access to continuing education opportunities, are able to address community-surfaced needs, and are able to adapt quickly to changing COVID-19 conditions and respond with direct services and community education. This alignment will also create a central infrastructure of CHWs, CBOs, and clinical care services that is at the ready to address community health needs beyond COVID-19 through a trusted, culturally competent public health workforce.
Purpose of CDC-CCR Initiative
Launched in August 2021, CDC’s Community Health Workers for COVID Response and Resilient Communities (CCR) initiative provides financial support and technical assistance to 69 states, localities, territories, tribes, tribal organizations, urban Indian health organizations, and health service providers to tribes.
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Community health workers (CHWs) are frontline public health workers who are trusted members of the community they serve. This trusting relationship enables the worker to serve as a link between health/social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve service delivery.
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Public health crises, such as COVID-19, worsen existing health disparities. CHWs are well-positioned to reach communities hit hardest by COVID-19, stop the spread of COVID-19, and move toward health equity.
Overview
The COVID Response & Resilient Communities (CCR) initiative builds upon the foundational knowledge and skills acquired through the AHEC 100-hour CHW training curriculum by deepening CHWs understanding of COVID-19 while taking a trauma-informed, compassionate approach to talking with and educating community members about the coronavirus and focusing on stress reduction and healthy coping strategies for CHWs as they do this vital work.
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The CCR Initiative incorporates two "arms" as part of training and awareness raising: the CORE curriculum and monthly modular "lunch and learn" sessions.
Purpose of CDC-CCR Initiative
Upcoming CORE Curriculum Sessions
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The COVID CORE curriculum will include 11 hours of training and will cover the below topics over the course of 7 sessions. Each session takes 1.5 hours to complete.
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Because information in the following sessions relies upon an understanding of coronavirus disease identification and prevention, all participants will need to complete the Covid Basics sessions before being able to register for other sessions ( required indicated by * ).
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COVID-19 Basics: Disease Identification & Prevention*
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Trauma-Informed Care & COVID-19
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COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy & Confidence
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Addressing COVID-19 & Vaccine Misinformation
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COVID-19 Testing & Quarantine Procedures
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Treatment for COVID-19
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COVID-19 & Special Settings (long-term care, schools, childcare, group homes)
Covid-19 & SDOH 'Lunch & Learn' Sessions
Lunch & Learn sessions at one hour long and focus on helping CHWs adapt to the consistently changing realities of COVID-19 - how you serve clients, emerging variants and community outbreaks, and how to best protect yourself and those around you.
Topics include:​​
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Status of local cases
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Understanding Disinformation
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Social Determinants of Health
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Emerging variants and breakthroughs
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Longer terms impact of COVID infection - impact on mental health and well-being
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Health-related screenings for conditions that increase the risk for COVID-19 such as
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BP readings for hypertension
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urine glucose dip for diabetes
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Signups for PENNIE
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Culturally specific health needs
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Trauma-informed care
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CHW Self-care
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Experts/guest lecturers
Upcoming Lunch & Learn Sessions
Nothing to book right now.
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This website is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $2,075,290 with 50% funded by HRSA/HHS and $1,037,645 funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and nongovernment source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.