72. On the Road in Bowling Green: What is a Community Health Care Worker?

Join us on a deep dive into the buzzworthy world of Community Health Care Workers (CHWs) as we explore their evolving role in rural healthcare! Recorded from Bowling Green, Kentucky—where the CHW model has been in motion for over 30 years—we'll unpack the origins, state certification processes, and Medicaid billing implications driving this workforce's rapid expansion. With insights from Kentucky, Iowa, and beyond, we examine how CHWs are bridging gaps in behavioral health, care coordination, and public health systems. Could CHWs be the future of healthcare delivery in rural America? Tune in to find out!

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Mastering the Art of Navigating Behavioral Health Systems: Learn how to effectively guide patients through the complexities of behavioral health services.
• Empowering Community Healthcare Workers through Tailored Training: Discover the key strategies for equipping community healthcare workers with the skills and knowledge they need to make a meaningful impact.
• Unveiling the Impact of Medicaid on Healthcare Access: Gain insights into how Medicaid influences healthcare access and what it means for both patients and providers.
• Tackling Rural Health Challenges with Innovative Solutions: Explore the unique obstacles faced in rural healthcare and uncover innovative solutions to address them.
• Fueling Workforce Development in Healthcare: Uncover the latest trends and strategies for building a skilled and resilient healthcare workforce.

The key moments in this episode are:
00:00:02 - Introducing Community Healthcare Workers
00:04:41 - Evolution of Community Health Workers
00:07:52 - Workforce Development and State Adoption
00:10:17 - Potential Bottlenecks and Sustainability
00:12:27 - Future Opportunities and Sustainability
00:13:10 - Medicaid and MCO Shuffle in Kentucky
00:14:12 - Expansion of Medicaid Services
00:15:33 - State Plan Amendment and Medicaid
00:17:49 - Implications for Behavioral Health
00:24:19 - Innovations in Healthcare
00:26:49 - The Need for Direction and Understanding in Healthcare
00:27:22 - Navigating Healthcare in Basic Jobs
00:28:08 - Importance of Connections During Christmas
00:29:28 - Missed Opportunity in Community Healthcare Workers
00:30:30 - Call to Action and Conclusion

Links:

• State Certification and Medicaid Billing
• Healthcare Transformation Collaborative. 
• https://communityhealthworker.org/iowa-activities/iowa-chw-alliance/
• https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dpqi/cdpb/Pages/chwp.aspx

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https://www.youtube.com/@ruralpolicypartners

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-8nmp2SpIko