Board ofCertification ofCommunity Health Workers
Writtentestimony submitted by LisaReneeHolderby-Fox
June29,2017
To theBoardof Certification of CommunityHealth Workers,
MynameisLisaReneeHolderby-Fox.I’ma long timecommunityhealth worker(CHW),foundingmemberoftheMassachusettsAssociationof CommunityHealthWorkers,CHWeducatorand co-authorof thelawwhich created theBoard ofCertification ofCommunityHealth Workers.CurrentlyI’memployed by theMassachusettsHousing andShelterAlliance(MHSA),astheDirectorof HospitaltoHousing (H toH).In mycurrentroleIoverseeMHSA’sfirstCHWprogram and supervisefivefulltimeCHWs.Additionally, Iam adjunctfaculty atHolyokeCommunityCollege,teaching CHWcorecompetenciesandadultbasiceducation.My engagementwith theCHWmovementspansseveraldecades. I amsubmittingtestimonyasanindividual.
I’d liketo thanktheBoard foritshard workand for theopportunity toprovide writtentestimonyduringthecommentperiod.AsCHWsmovetowardscertificationwewillfacechallenges,many ofwhich theBoardof Certificationhasdiscussed in thepast.I amhopefulthebenefitsof certificationto theCHWworkforceandour communitieswillfaroutweigh any challengesmoving forward.
Therearethree(3)specificportionsoftheproposedregulations Iwish to commenton.First,I’d liketosharethatthelanguage“goodmoralcharacter” wasinitiallyincluded becauseduring theoriginaldrafting wewereadvised thelanguageneededtobeincluded. In hindsight,perhaps weshould havefoughthardertonotincludethatlanguage.Myconcern isthatthephraseissubjective.Whoamong usisin theposition tojudgeanother’scharacter?Iwould liketosuggestremoving“goodmoralcharacter”or attheveryleastaframeworkfordetermining the meaningof“goodmoralcharacter”should beavailableto all.
Alsotheintentof“goodmoralcharacter” wasnevertobedirectlybetied toaCORIcheck.I hopethatIamjudged formy currentcontributionstothecommunities I serve,notfor a“mistakeor poorjudgement”inmydistantpast.Weallhavemadedecisionswewish could betaken back. Some of usmay havehad a seriousconsequencefor apoordecision.Theindividualsand familiesCHWsassist tomakechangeintheirlivesoftenreceivesecond (and sometimesmultiple)chances to “makeright”pastpoorchoices,so should theworkforceserving them.Additionally,CHWs who sharelifeexperienceswiththepopulationsserved areoftenmoreeffective.Asmoreprogramsfocuson assisting individualswithreentry intocommunitiesafterserving timein correctionalinstitutions,itbecomesmorelikelythatCHWsmay haveitemsidentified onCORIs.ThosesameitemsidentifiedmayassistCHWstobetterunderstand theirtargetpopulations.
Weknowthatcommunities ofcoloroften havemoreinteractionswith thecriminaljusticesystemthanour Whitecounterparts.Theuseof CORItodetermine“goodmoralcharacter”and appropriatenessforcertificationwilldisproportionatelyaffectcommunities ofcolor.
Secondly,theinclusionof CHWsastrainersiscrucial.Notonlybecauseofthewealth ofknowledgeexperienced CHWsbring to theclassroom,butalso thepotentialforcareeradvancementforCHWs.Inorderto supportCHWsastrainersthereshould be opportunitiesforCHWsto gain theskillstobecomeknowledgeablein adulteducation.Thiswillassisttoensurequality training andeducationalopportunitiesacrosstheCommonwealth.As aCHWeducatorwithover500hours ofconductingtraining, I can attestthatproviding educationaland training for CHWsrequiresskillsthatnoteveryCHWmay possess.AstheCommonwealthimplementsCHWcertification thequalityof educatorsandtrainerswillhavea directimpactonthequalityofservicesdelivered byCHWs.
Finally, I thanktheBoardofCertification forconsidering theaveragepayrateofCHWswhendetermining theproposedfees.Thefeesforboth initialand for renewal ofcertification arereasonable.TheremaybeunintendedbarriersforsomeCHWswishing tobecomecertified,howeveriftheproposedfeesstay in place,costwillnotbeone.
Thankyou again fortheopportunity to providewritten commentontheproposed regulations.Pleasefeelfreeto contactmeif Ican provideany clarityregarding thetestimonyI’vesubmitted.
LisaReneeHolderby-Fox216B E.Mountain StreetWorcester,MA 01606 9