Community Health Outreach Worker Training
 
Southwestern AHEC supports the training of community outreach workers in order to enhance their effectiveness in linking communities to services. This 8 week, 48 hour core-competency curriculum was developed by a community advisory group of outreach workers and employers. It has been provided to both experienced outreach workers and those new to the field. The training was offered in both English and Spanish, and featured a mentoring component with an experienced outreach worker.

Immunization

Pediatric physicians and nurses attend quarterly CDC/web-based updates hosted by Southwestern AHEC. Updates on vaccine developments and in the state’s immunization regulatory program are provided to medical providers in their offices by Southwestern AHEC staff.

Medical Interpreter Training

Medical Interpretation is a highly specific skill; patients and providers should not have to rely on family members and non-clinical staff to translate health care symptoms and medical terminology. The curriculum includes topics such as interpreting skills, medical terminology, communication skills, and professional protocols.

OpenWide and EPIC Oral Health Training

Through the ORBIT Collaborative (Oral Health-Bridgeport Initiative), non-dental providers (including pediatric teams and prenatal providers) are trained to recognize the signs of oral health problems and disease. This program is also being extended to parents and pregnant women in the Bridgeport and Stratford communities.

Professional Education for Providers

Southwestern AHEC, in collaboration with community partners, has provided training providers and community health center the state in Emergency Preparedness, Customer Training, Medical Billing and Coding, Cultural HIV/AIDS, Immunization for Adults and various other topics. Trainings can be designed needs of any agency or target audience.