Reduce Cost
Community health workers (CHWs) help patients prevent costly medical expenses by supporting self-management and coaching patients in disease prevention.
Improve Care
Community health workers (CHWs) help patients adhere to provider recommendations by connecting them to community-based resources.
Advance Quality
Community health workers (CHWs) help to reduce educational, cultural, and language barriers between patients and healthcare providers which is vital to quality care.
The CCHW Profession
Community health workers (CHW) deliver culturally-competent, strengths-based, trauma-informed, family-centered case management services. CHWs provide individual and family-centered health education on disease prevention and management as well as referrals and linkage to other services and resources as needed. These services may be delivered in health care settings such as hospitals or clinics, client homes, and/or by phone. In order to be successful as a CHW, it is recommended that an individual seek formal CHW training.
INCHWA, as an agent of the Indiana State Department of Health, certifies vendors who wish to deliver formal CHW education. Each INCHWA-approved Training Vendor must meet strict requirements built around both national and Indiana core competencies and skills defined in the CHW scope of practice. An individual becomes a Certified Community Health Worker (CCHW) by successfully completing a training course offered by an INCHWA-approved Training Vendor.
Becoming a CCHW is beneficial to securing employment as a CHW in Indiana. Employers prefer this professional certification when hiring candidates, and certification is required for reimbursement by Medicaid.
For a list of INCHWA-approved Training Vendors, see the Education tab.
What is INCHWA:
The Indiana Community Health Workers Association (INCHWA) is a professional association advocating for the community health workers of Indiana.
Mission:
INCHWA's mission is to support the workforce of Indiana's CHWs through a unified voice with the vision to build healthy communities by advancing the CHW profession through evidence-based strategies, education, and advocacy.
INCHWA's goals are to:
- Promote CHWs and their role on the healthcare team;
- Educate CHWs, healthcare professionals, employers, community members and stakeholders; and
- Advocate for CHWs alongside local and statewide policymakers.
Join INCHWA
The purpose of the initiative is to seek greater clarity on the existing statewide infrastructure of and support for community health workers (CHWs) as a means of formally integrating CHWs into the health care delivery system. By becoming a member, you gain access to live and on-demand specialty training opportunities, CHW resources, networking and leadership opportunities, and information on best practices to keep you up-to-date so that you can best serve your community.
Organizational Members
Public Health in Indiana
Top 5 Disparities in Indiana
Social Determinants of Health
