Community Health Worker Certification for Mental Health Equity

(TEACH Trial)

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Baylor Research Institute

Disqualifiers: Under 18, Not UTA student, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

1500 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The investigators suggest a multi-step approach to improve access to mental health care for minority groups. The plan focuses on three goals: increasing diversity in the mental health workforce, bringing more expertise into the community, and strengthening the community's ability to address the factors that impact mental health. To do this, the TEACH study team will work with students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups at a minority-serving school. Students will be provided the opportunity to obtain their CHW Certification while receiving course credit for their degree. Students will then be eligible to participate in an internship to utilize their skills. The TEACH study team will help these students with their training, supervision, and ongoing support. These students will then be able to work with their communities to tackle common mental health issues and the social factors that contribute to those problems.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of this treatment?

Research shows that community health workers (CHWs) can effectively deliver mental health interventions, leading to symptom reduction in underserved communities. Training CHWs to provide evidence-based mental health support has shown promise in improving mental health outcomes, especially in populations with limited access to care. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the Community Health Worker Certification for Mental Health Equity generally safe for participants?

The available research does not provide specific safety data for the Community Health Worker Certification for Mental Health Equity program. However, community health workers (CHWs) are generally trained to support health interventions, and there is no indication of safety concerns related to their training or certification in the reviewed literature. ^{1 4 6 7 8}

How does the Community Health Worker Certification for Mental Health Equity treatment differ from other treatments for mental health conditions?

This treatment is unique because it involves training students as community health workers (CHWs) with additional EMPOWER training to deliver a brief psychosocial intervention, focusing on mental health equity. Unlike traditional treatments, it emphasizes culturally relevant care and community engagement to address mental health disparities, particularly in underserved populations. ^{1 4 8 9 10}

Research Team

Katherine Sanchez, PhD, LCSW

Principal Investigator

Baylor Scott and White Health

Ann Marie Warren, PhD, ABPP-RP

Principal Investigator

Baylor Scott and White Health

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups at a minority-serving institution. They should be interested in obtaining Community Health Worker Certification to help improve mental health care access within their communities.

Inclusion Criteria

Must be enrolled as a UTA undergraduate student with unmet internship hours

Must be able to provide informed consent

Must have successful completion of the UTA CHW/EMPOWER course (Phase 2) and/or State of Texas CHW certification (for non-EMPOWER-trained CHWs) at the start of internship

Exclusion Criteria

I am under 18 years old.

Non-successful completion of EMPOWER course and/or State of Texas CHW certification at the start of internship

Not enrolled as an undergraduate student at UTA

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Training and Certification

Undergraduate students undergo a semester-long course for CHW certification and EMPOWER training

16 weeks

Weekly sessions (in-person)

Internship

CHW certified students engage in an internship at Baylor Scott and White Health

10 months

Regular supervision and support sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for job placement and mental health outcomes

12 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• A semester-long course for training of students as CHWs with additional EMPOWER training for delivering a brief trans-diagnostic psychosocial intervention

Trial Overview The study tests a semester-long course that trains students as Community Health Workers (CHWs) with additional EMPOWER training for delivering brief psychosocial interventions aimed at diverse populations.

Participant Groups

Group I: EMPOWER-trained CHWs Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Undergraduate students at the University of Texas at Arlington will engage in a semester-long course for training of students as CHWs with additional EMPOWER training for delivering a brief trans-diagnostic psychosocial intervention. CHW certified students will then engage in an internship at Baylor Scott and White Health.

Group II: Non-EMPOWER-trained interns Active Control 1 Intervention

Intern health workers who have not undergone the EMPOWER training curriculum will engage in an internship at Baylor Scott and White Health.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Baylor Research Institute

Lead Sponsor

Trials

210

Recruited

205,000+

National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)

Collaborator

Trials

473

Recruited

1,374,000+

The University of Texas at Arlington

Collaborator

Trials

48

Recruited

7,300+

Findings from Research

Community health workers (CHWs) have proven effective in various health care settings, but their perceived value is diminished due to inconsistent credentialing and lack of billing structures for their services.

The article proposes a framework to better define CHW roles and competencies, which could help integrate them into health care systems and improve recognition and payment for their contributions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development of a Framework to Describe Functions and Practice of Community Health Workers. Corder-Mabe, J., Johnson, S., Mazmanian, PE., et al.[2021]

A survey of 77 Community Health Workers (CHWs) revealed that while 79.2% provide medication management services, over half (57.1%) rated their confidence in this area as 'poor' or 'fair', indicating a significant gap in self-assessed competency.

The findings suggest a strong need for enhanced medication management training in CHW certificate and continuing education programs to improve their confidence and effectiveness in delivering these services.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Identifying Medication Management Confidence and Gaps in Training Among Community Health Workers in the United States. Jam, VA., McKay, KL., Holmes, JT.[2020]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mobilizing Community Health Workers to Address Mental Health Disparities for Underserved Populations: A Systematic Review. [2023]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mental Health Interventions with Community Health Workers in the United States: A Systematic Review. [2019]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Interprofessional collaboration between social workers and community health workers to address health and mental health in the United States: A systematised review. [2023]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development of a Framework to Describe Functions and Practice of Community Health Workers. [2021]

5. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Community-Based Diabetes Community Health Worker Intervention in an Underserved Chicago Population. [2018]

6. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Identifying Medication Management Confidence and Gaps in Training Among Community Health Workers in the United States. [2020]

7. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluating the impact of community health worker certification in Massachusetts: Design, methods, and anticipated results of the Massachusetts community health worker workforce survey. [2023]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Community Health Workers During COVID-19: Supporting Their Role in Current and Future Public Health Responses. [2023]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Training Community Residents to Address Social Determinants of Health in Underresourced Communities. [2022]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Community Health Workers and Stigma Associated with Mental Illness: An Integrative Literature Review. [2023]