How do we get to

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How do we get to Carnegie Hall?
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Practice! Practice! Practice!

• Performance-based Assessment in
• Community Health Worker Training

Elena Schwolsky RN, MPH Community Health Worker
Project Hunter College Romelia Rodriguez,
CHW Jamaica Childhood Asthma Initiative Safe
Space
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A word of thanks to

• SFSU CHW Certificate Program
• Community Health Worker Evaluation Toolkit,
  University of Arizona Rural Health Office
  College of Public Health
• CHWs from New York City Childhood Asthma
  Initiative Community-based programs in the Bronx,
  Brooklyn, Jamaica, Queens and East Harlem, New
  York City

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Community Health Workers must be of the people
they serve
They must live with them Work with
them Rejoice with them Suffer with
them Grieve with them And decide with
them World Health Organization
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A little background

• Citywide initiative funded by NYC Department of
  Health
• 20 CHWs from 5 community asthma programs around
  NYC
• Different organizational missions structures
• Diverse communities
• Broad range of life work experience

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Our Challenge

• How can we ensure
• That CHWs acquire basic asthma knowledge skills
  
• That CHWs are able to communicate this knowledge
  accurately to families
• That CHWs are able to help families to achieve
  asthma self-management

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CHW Core Competencies

• Communication Skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Knowledge Base
• Service Coordination Skills
• Capacity-Building Skills
• Advocacy Skills
• Teaching Skills
• Organizational Skills
• National CHA Advisor Study

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What skills did we assess?

• Communication Skills
• Listening
• Using language confidently appropriately

• Teaching Skills
• Ability to share information one-on-one

• Knowledge Base
• Knowledge about specific health issue

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Why Performance-Based Assessment?

• Learner is active participant
• Based on authentic or real life situations
• Tasks skills are related to job
• Clear standards expectations
• Accommodates individual differences in learning
  styles
• Encourages learner to use judgment and develop
  problem-solving skills

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What did we do?

• Integrate role plays skill demonstrations into
  training
• On-site performance-based evaluation
• Observed home visits

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Performance AssessmentSafe Space -- Jamaica, NY
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Community Health Workers in Action

• Teaching role play
• Use of teaching guide

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Observations Feedback

• Use of performance checklist
• Role of observer

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Learning from each other

• Each CHW has a different teaching style
• Using effective language to teach about asthma
• Learning the right way from the beginning
• Learning to be uncomfortable

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What did we learn?

• One size does not fit all -- tailor assessment to
  individual/group needs
• Involve experienced CHWs in design of assessment
  tool
• Collaborative effort of program funder, CHW
  supervisors trainers is needed to ensure
  constructive use of performance assessment
• Performance assessment informs training program
  design
• Measuring CHW skills can enhance program
  evaluation

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The Best Assessments.
The best assessments teach students teachers
alike the kind of work that most
matters. -Wiggins