Posted on Apr 14, 2022
 
Kathy Kroberg, President-elect, introduced the scholarship recipients at the April 8th meeting.
Tisha ButlerBrandice HatcherNiki Cooper

The Madison West Town-Middleton Rotary club is partnering with the Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness (ffbww.org) to pay the tuition for three women to enroll and complete the AHEC (WI Based Area Health Education Center) CHW Training. 

The Cost is $2500 per enrollee, and we wish to support 3 enrollees.  

Additional relevant background and details of the project.

PROJECT:  The three women have already been hired as full-time employees (with benefits) by the FFBWW as of January 2022.  The AHEC CHW training program is recognized by the Department of Workforce Development, which when/if reimbursement for CHWs happens, they will have the "correct" certification for Medicaid reimbursement.  The need for CHW in the Madison area has been well documented by the FFBWW in the needs assessment published report SAVING OUR BABIES. (https://www.ffbww.org/saving-our-babies#Download-Report) and a subsequently published policy blueprint for Black Women’s Health in Dane County (which they describe as “Nine years of listening to Black women and engaging them as thought leaders, co-creators, experts and partners in shaping the priorities, work, and broad agenda of our organization).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

This 7-week course includes a syllabus, books, materials and online education. Ongoing support to the individual CHW trainees is also provided for one year following the 7-week course by AHEC. This training program is designed to provide the core competencies needed for work in community-based and inpatient settings.                

These employees will be supervised by a recently hired Director of Community Health Initiatives who previously served with the Dane County United Way. (Gabe Doyle).                                                           

A Community Health Worker is an individual who contributes to improved health outcomes in the community where they reside and/or share ethnicity, language and life experiences.  They proactively serve as a liaison between communities and healthcare agencies, provide guidance and social assistance to community residents, advocate for individuals and community health, provide referrals and follow-up services for care and so much more.                                                                                                 

Throughout the past year, the MWT-M Rotary has conducted many meetings, speaking and collaborative sessions to discover ways in which we can support the FFBWW in their work.  Although the CHW Training for certification is a proscribed 7-week process, Rotarians will provide additional education (monthly)  throughout their first year of work for FFBWW.  This will include such topics as financial thriving, End of Life Care, Death Doula work, Health care system navigation and linking with educational and governmental systems.  This training will include at least 5-10 Rotarians providing the instruction.  

The three scholarship persons are already employed by the FFBWW and have been funded for two years under a current grant.  There is a Director of Community Health Initiatives (Gabe Doyle) who will serve as their supervisor.             

MWT-M Rotary, as indicated, has sought to work with the FFBWW in allyship in addressing the critical problem of Black Women and Family Wellness in Dane County.  This partnership will continue beyond these scholarships.   

 This is an inaugural effort of hiring outreach Community Health Workers – serving a previously unmet need as documented by the needs assessment cited above.

Completion of a recognized certification training for CHW and establishing credentials for reimbursement of their work from Medicaid/Medicare.  The AHEC CHW training program is recognized by the Department of Workforce Development, which when/if reimbursement for CHWs happens, they will have the "correct" certification for Medicaid reimbursement.