The South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations applauds Southeast Tech and congratulates the latest graduates for becoming South Dakota’s first class of certified community health workers.
Community Health Workers (CHW) are frontline public health workers that build individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support, and advocacy.
SDAHO has actively followed the progress of the Community Health Worker Collaborative of South Dakota (CHWSD), as they worked on developing a sustainable CHW workforce in South Dakota. In April of 2022, SDAHO created and published a document for members that outlines the role of CHW.
In August of 2022, Ben Tiensvold the Community Outreach Coordinator with CHWSD, shared an overview with SDAHO members through a webinar, that laid out the organizations 3-year strategic plan.
The latest CHW graduates will help fill an important gap in healthcare and social services across the state. The Southeast Tech CHW certificate prepares graduates to provide critical and needed services in their communities, acting as a link between health and social service providers and the public.
To learn more about the CHW Southeast Tech program, visit them here.
To learn more about CHWSD, visit their website.
