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.

Goals

Promote CHWs and their role on the healthcare team,
Educate CHWs, healthcare professionals, employers, community members, and stakeholders,
Advocate for CHWs alongside local and statewide policymakers, and
We uphold high-quality and ethical standards for CHW certification education, meeting national and state workforce requirements, as recommended by the Governor’s CHW Task Force of 2018.

We provide the following for all Indiana CHWs:

Information About Consulting Services Available with INCHWA

Encouragement of CHW wellness

through resilience-building opportunities and resources for self-care.

Connection to high-quality trainings

by ensuring Training Organizations provide curriculum that meets national and state standards for foundational CHW training through our CHW Training Recognition Process.

Access to specialty education

by offering CHWs an opportunity to further their knowledge and meet continuing education requirements. INCHWA members have access to our full library of courses.

Legitimization of the CHW workforce

through strategic partnerships with organizations committed to promoting and cultivating the impact CHWs have both today and beyond a grant cycle. We work with partners to develop ways of measuring return on investment when employing CHWs.

Advocacy for fair wages

by promoting appropriate living wages and working conditions.

Development of job opportunities

by collaborating with partners to envision how CHWs can innovatively decrease health inequities.

We are a non-profit organization providing a community for the CHW workforce and supporters
through membership and monthly events.

Our History

2011

The Indiana State Department of Health begins a research project to define CHWs in Indiana.
The first statewide meeting to develop the CHW workforce is held.

2012

A CHW Coalition plan is developed.
An assessment of the CHW landscape is conducted in both English and Spanish.
A CHW coalition, literature, website, and Facebook are launched.
A CHW Symposium is held to share assessment findings.

2013

Districts are defined to better organize the CHW movement.
The CHW Coalition becomes the Indiana Community Health Workers Association (INCHWA).

2015

Margarita Hart is named INCHWA Interim Coordinator and is tasked with leading the Staging Phase.
A strategic plan, scope of practice, coordinator job and description are developed.
ISDH provides INCHWA with seed funding.
INCHWA incorporates.
Margarita Hart is appointed President.
A Board is established to direct INCHWA governance.
Regional Directors are recruited to offer operational direction.
ISDH provides funding for the implementation of the strategic plan.
INCHWA develops a strategy to become the certifying body for CHWs in Indiana.

2016

INCHWA places Regional Directors in 9 of 10 regions.
County Chairs are recruited to help represent each county's workforce.
An Education Committee is developed to aid in developing a process to certify CHWs.

2017

INCHWA is designated as the certifying body for CHWs in Indiana by the ISDH.
The certification process is piloted. HealthVisions Midwest becomes the first INCHWA-approved Training Vendor of Certified CHW curriculum.
A research study is completed to assess employer knowledge of CHWs and to understand barriers to hiring CHWs.
Indiana’s Governor builds a CHW Taskforce that is charged with defining CHWs and the certification process for the state, including securing reimbursement for CHWs. INCHWA is invited to sit on this Taskforce and share past work.

2018

HealthVisions Midwest certifies 133 CHWs under the Skill Up grant and places them in jobs statewide.
The Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning (OMPP) announces reimbursement opportunities for CHWs.
The CHW Curriculum Certification process is updated to align with national and state core competencies and skills (as defined by the Governor's Taskforce).
INCHWA works with the APHA CHW Section regarding creating policy to establish a national definition for CHWs and standardize the credentialing and monitoring of CHW work.
The Governor’s Taskforce causes a temporary hold on various activities, including certification of additional Training Vendors as we wait to see what decisions the state makes in terms of how CHWs will be certified and who will oversee certification.
A PhotoVoice Project highlighting the everyday work of CHWs and the attitudes of employers, clients, health providers, and payers is completed by PhD student Ryan Logan in collaboration with INCHWA.
The Skill Up Project ends with 86% of employers reporting that employees who participated in the Skill Up Project performed better or equal to others in their organizations. Ninety-eight (98%) of the participants felt the training and program helped prepare them for their jobs as Certified CHWs.
INCHWA resumes the Curriculum Certification process under the direction of ISDH.
Manchester University becomes the second INCHWA-approved Training Vendor.

2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the ways INCHWA supports the workforce.
Online delivery of CHW foundational and specialty training is encouraged.
Mind-Body Medicine Groups are offered for CHWs.
Online meetings (Huddles) are increased to offer CHWs a place for connection.
Both the state and national recognition the crucial role of CHWs in public health.

2021

The CDC commits to investing in CHW services to support COVID-19 control and prevention.
Nationally, additional dollars are committed for training, technical assistance, and evaluation of CHWs.
The national goal is to increase the CHW workforce by 150,000.
INCHWA partners with the Office of Minority Health to build a statewide CHW model to address health equity throughout the state.

2022

Health Equity Councils (HECs) are developed in partnership with the Office of Minority Health and Purdue University.
10 health equity councils were formed in the state.
CHWs participate in coalition-building roles around the state.
CHWs become leaders in their districts.
CHWs lead research efforts with Purdue University.
Courses continue to be developed to help CHWs meet new demands and opportunities.

Our Leadership

Staff

Margarita Hart, Executive Director
Carey Frazier, Assistant Director
Briana Spiegl, Project Manager

Board of Directors

Raquel Castro, Purdue University
Lisa Staten, IUPUI Fairbanks School of Public Health
Representative from the Community Health Worker Development Institute (CHWDI), Purdue University
Ryan Logan, California State University Stanislaus
Wendy Bailey, Greene County Health

INCHWA Operation Reports

January 2023 Report

Our Partners

CHW Training Organizations

HealthVisions Midwest

Manchester University

UIndy - MICI-AHEC

IVY Tech Community College

Organizations listed have successfully completed INCHWA's CHW Training Recognition Process, and their CHW Training adheres to both national and state standards.

Supporters

HealthVisions Midwest

UIndy - MICI-AHEC

Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute