$3 Million UNMC Grant Intends To Strengthen Linkage Between Community And Health Care

By Cindy Gonzalez, Nebraska Examiner:

October 25, 2022

OMAHA — A new, nearly $3 million federal grant opens the door for the University of Nebraska Medical Center to recruit and train 240 “community health workers” as frontline soldiers seeking to eradicate health disparities across the state.

The funding, over a three-year period, comes from the Health Resources and Services Administration to the UNMC College of Public Health.

Dejun Su, associate professor at UNMC, led the effort to secure the grant, which substantially expands the state’s community health worker program.

Bridge the gap

“Community health workers are uniquely positioned to help us address social determinants of health and bridge the gap between the health care system and underserved communities,” Su said.

He said participants of the program will work with health care providers and community organizations to improve patient access to care. They’ll help families and individuals with translation, enrollment in medical services and connections to community-based agencies.

They’ll “promote effective chronic disease management through culturally and linguistically appropriate health communication and education,” said Su.

UNMC has partnered with numerous health care and community organizations across the state to “showcase a unique whole community approach” to address health disparities, said Ali Khan, dean of the UNMC College of Public Health.

‘Transformational’

Enrolled trainees at first will undergo 10 weeks of learning core competencies, followed by individualized, on-the-job training for eight weeks to earn a certification.

A team of faculty, training site managers and community health workers are to create the curriculum for the program.

“Community health workers are the unsung heroes of the community,” said Mona Zuffante, chief public health officer at the Winnebago Public Health Department. “This partnership will allow us to enhance the current staff and elevate the discussion of the importance of community health workers in our communities.”

Said Kathy Karsting, chair of the advisory committee for the training: “This project has the potential to be truly transformational to our health care system in Nebraska, and address some of our most persistent and costly health disparities.”

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