Integrating oral health into community health worker and peer provider certifications in Michigan: A community action report

Abstract

Introduction: A multi-disciplinary, community-university-government collaboration resulted in the development of Oral Health for Community Workers, a brief, oral health online e-learning module. The e-learning module was designed to improve oral health literacy among frontline health workers who are members of underserved communities, and to address oral health disparities in safety net medical and behavioral health settings. Methods: Community-based participatory methods were used to design and evaluate the e-learning module. Participants took pre-, post-, and 3-month follow-up surveys.Results: Oral health literacy and confidence in incorporating oral health into practice improved. Satisfaction with the module was high. Discussion: Oral Health for Community Workers is now sustained as a standard module within Community Health Worker, Peer Support Specialist, and Peer Recovery Coach Certification and continuing education offerings in Michigan.K E Y W O R D S community health workers, lay health workers, mental health, oral health, peer specialists

Training Community Health Workers to Address Disparities in Dementia Care

“…The trainings demonstrated improvement in dementia knowledge, increased awareness of dementia resources, and showed the value of the creation of a network of CHWs who can share experiences and best practices. Our training approach confirmed that CHWs can serve as effective trainers for their peers, and that trainings can be successfully delivered virtually (Lapidos et al, 2022; Willock et al, 2015).…”