Question

Do an internet search for non-traditional public health organizations doing population health-related work. List no fewer than five organizations and a short description of their population-health related work/project. Your list must not contain any governmental, academic, or hospital/health care organizations.

Answer 1

#. The four types of non-traditional health workers: Community Health Workers, Peer Wellness Specialists, Personal Health Navigator, and Doulas.

1. Community Health Worker means an individual who promotes health or nutrition within the community in which the individual resides, by:

a) Serving as a liaison between communities, individuals and coordinated care organizations;

b) Providing health or nutrition guidance and social assistance to community residents;

c) Enhancing community residents’ ability to effectively communicate with health care providers;

d) Providing culturally and linguistically appropriate health or nutrition education;

e) Advocating for individual and community health;

f) Conducting home visitations to monitor health needs and reinforce treatment regimens;

g) Identifying and resolving issues that create barriers to care for specific individuals;

h) Providing referral and follow-up services or otherwise coordinating health and social service options; and,

i) Proactively identifying and enrolling eligible individuals in federal, state, local, private or nonprofit health and human services programs.

2. Peer Wellness Specialists build on the already existing designation of Peer Support Specialists.

(a) A self-identified person in recovery from a substance use disorder, who meets the abstinence requirements for recovering staff in alcohol and other drug treatment programs

The Peer Wellness Specialist designation expands the role from services focused on behavioral health and addictions recovery to include physical health promotion, and disease prevention and intervention activities for individuals and their families who experience mental health and substance abuse challenges. Peer wellness specialists receive training focused specifically on reducing the levels of co-morbidity and shortened lifespan that are endemic among persons with behavioral health issues, and be active participants on primary care health teams.

3. Personal Health Navigator means an individual who provides information, assistance, tools and support to enable a patient to make the best health care decisions in the person’s particular circumstances and in light of the patient’s needs, lifestyle, combination of conditions and desired outcomes.

4. Doulas are certified professionals who provide personal, non-medical support to women and families throughout a woman’s pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum experience. The doula’s role is to help women have a safe, memorable and empowering birthing experience. Because doulas traditionally come from the communities they serve and have an intimate knowledge of the culture, they are uniquely positioned among the health care workforces to improve birth outcomes.