Courses

Despite medical and technological advances, half of the world’s population lacks access to essential health services, and over 8.9 million preventable deaths occur every year. There is an acute global shortage of health workers, a gap that will grow to 18 million by 2030. Studies show that training high-performing community health workers can help close these gaps and save more than 3 million lives annually. In the past few decades, many community health worker programs across the world have demonstrated their ability to save lives — including in the hardest-to-reach areas. Yet despite this progress, lessons on how to successfully scale these programs as part of national primary health systems are not widely shared. This course, developed in collaboration with the Community Health Academy at Last Mile Health, introduces learners to the core concepts of community health worker programs, and explores what is needed to build and strengthen large-scale programs in order to improve access to high-quality health services. The curriculum highlights the key components of designing community health systems, addresses common management challenges, and showcases lessons learned from a range of contributors — from community-level practitioners to government leaders and other global health experts. Through case studies of exemplar countries (including Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and Liberia), participants will learn from leaders across the globe how to advocate for, build, and optimize community health worker programs. This course was created by health systems leaders for health systems leaders. Whether you work in a Ministry of Health, lead or support a community health worker program, mobilize resources and advocate for increased investment in community health, or you are simply interested in knowing what it takes to deliver quality care through community health worker programs, learners will have the opportunity to advance their knowledge and skills to implement critical change. This course can be taken individually, but learners are also encouraged to convene their colleagues from within or across organizations to share insights and further enhance the learning experience. About the Community Health Academy Last Mile Health launched the Community Health Academy in 2017 to revolutionize training for community health workers and health systems leaders. The Academy is equipping current and next-generation health systems leaders to build strong community health systems through university-quality courses that are delivered virtually and in-person through coaching, mentorship, and group discussion. The Academy is also supporting Ministries of Health to enhance the effectiveness of their health worker training by deploying mobile phones equipped with high-quality digital content to frontline and community health workers.

Volunteer community health workers (CHWs) are a major strategy for increasing access to and coverage of basic health interventions. Our village health worker training course reviews the process of training and continuing education of CHWs as an important component of involving communities in their own health service delivery. Participants will be guided through the steps of planning training and continuing education activities for village volunteers. The course draws on real-life examples from community-directed onchocerciasis control, village health worker programs, community case management efforts, peer educators programs and patent medicine vendor training programs, to name a few.

Explore the vital role of community health workers as the frontline defense in remote areas lacking healthcare access. Delve into their responsibilities, including disease outbreak detection, malnutrition and malaria identification, and primary care provision. Learn how these practitioners are evolving from isolated individuals to a global movement through online platforms and learning communities. Discover the training, autonomy, and coverage aspects of community health workers, and hear insights from experts like Albert, Tendo, Dylan, Madeline, and Naomi from Liberia. Examine strategies for scaling up community health worker programs and discuss sustainable business models to support their crucial work in bridging healthcare gaps worldwide.

कार्यक्रम के विषय में सामुदायिक स्वास्थ्य मूक्स प्रोग्राम स्वास्थ्य एवं चिकित्सीय दृष्टि से महत्वपूर्ण पाठ्यक्रम है। आपातकालीन स्थितियों (जैसे – अचानक सड़क दुर्घटना, जलना, पानी में डूबना, घरेलू मशीनों व उपकरणों से चोट लग जाना, खून बहना, रात्रि में तेज पेट दर्द या तेज बुखार हो जाना, या किसी गर्भवती महिला के लेवर पेन शुरू हो जाना, करंट लगना, प्राकृतिक आपदा आदि) हमें तुरंत डॉक्टर और हॉस्पिटल की याद आती है, जो अक्सर वहाँ आसपास नहीं होते और रोगी को तत्काल प्राथमिक उपचार की आवश्यकता होती है, उस समय ऐसे कुशल स्वास्थ्य कर्मी अथवा स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्ता की आवश्यकता होती है, जो रोगी को धैर्य बंधा, तत्काल प्राथमिक उपचार दे सके, एंबुलेंस आदि की व्यवस्था कर सके और रोगी की स्थिति के अनुसार, उसे प्राथमिक स्वास्थ्य केंद्र (पीएचसी) या अन्य संबन्धित हॉस्पिटल को रेफर कर सके। ये कुशल प्रशिक्षित स्वास्थ्य कर्मी अथवा स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्ता रोगी एवं डॉक्टर के बीच एक महत्वपूर्ण कड़ी हैं, और प्राकृतिक आपदा व आपातकालीन परिस्थतियों में जीवन रक्षक की तरह कार्य करते हैं। सामुदायिक स्वास्थ्य कार्यक्रम एक ऐसा ही कार्यक्रम है जो, आपातकालीन स्थितियों में प्राथमिक चिकित्सा व उचित प्रबंधन का प्रशिक्षण प्रदान करता है साथ ही मातृत्व एवं बाल स्वास्थ्य देखभाल, रोगों से बचाव, राष्ट्रीय स्वास्थ्य कार्यक्रम, परिवार कल्याण आदि संबन्धित कौशल प्रदान कर प्रशिक्षणार्थी को सक्षम बनाता है। पाठ्यक्रम में तीन विषय सम्मिलित हैं: विषय-1 आधारभूत जीव विज्ञान, विषय-2 मातृत्व एवं बाल स्वास्थ्य की देखभाल और विषय-3 रोगों व आपातकालीन स्थितियों में निवारण एवं प्रबंधन। इसमें उपचार के क्षेत्र की तकनीक को आप समझेंगे। आपातकालीन चिकित्सा के अनुप्रयोग एवं प्रबंधन में कुशलता हेतु आपको संबन्धित केन्द्रों पर अभ्यास करना होगा ताकि आप एक बेहतर और कुशल स्वास्थ्य कर्मी बन सकें। और व्यावहारिक प्रशिक्षण प्राप्त कर स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्ता के रूप में काम कर सकें।

Explore the critical distinction between community data and community metrics in this insightful 27-minute talk by Brian Proffitt from Red Hat. Delve into the importance of asking the right questions when analyzing community health, rather than simply collecting data. Learn how to avoid being distracted by visually appealing data and instead focus on extracting meaningful insights. Discover the key factors that contribute to a healthy community, including evolution and diversity. Gain valuable knowledge on combining metrics effectively and formulating essential questions to truly understand and improve community dynamics.

In bringing about behavior change in public health, we often focus on the individual mother, student, or farmer. We should not forget the community structure and norms constrain for encouraging individual health behaviors. This course examines the community context of the changes needed to promote the public’s health. We begin by examining the various definitions of ‘community’ and the processes by which we ‘diagnose’ or seek to understand the structure and characteristics of different types of communities. An appreciation of community similarities and differences is necessary lest we fall into the trap of designing one-size-fits-all interventions. We need to recognize that no matter that outsiders may view a community as poor or neglected, we can find strengths and capacities for improvement in each community. Identifying community capacities and resources is the first step in facilitating community change. Different practical and philosophical approaches to change and therefore, examined. Specific to the change process is our recognition of the need for communities to participate in the design, implementation and evaluation of any intervention. We examine the concept of participation in an effort to see how different levels of involvement may affect sustainability of community change efforts. Finally a case study of a community participatory approach to onchocerciasis control in Africa is presented. Community Directed Intervention has subsequently been successfully applied to providing other essential primary health care services by and in the community, such as insecticide treated bednets, malaria treatment, vitamin A distribution, deworming medicines, and pneumonia and diarrhea case management.

This course is intended to serve as an introduction to population health from both the vantage point of both public health and healthcare. We will examine the key components of community health needs assessments, how they are used, and how to compare population health assessments across subpopulations and time. We will also explore the epidemiological sources and criteria by which to select high quality data sources to estimate population health indicators and to select evidence-based interventions to improve population health. Finally, we will design multi sector collaborations that support the phases of population health improvement. As a survey of the population health, the course provides an overview for students wishing no more than an introduction to the field, as well as good grounding for students who wish to pursue additional coursework in population health. After taking this course, you will be able to: - Explain differences between population health assessments for public health and healthcare. - Outline the key components of community health needs assessments (CHNA). - Compare how public health and healthcare will use a CHNA to improve population health. - Identify key population health indicators for social determinants of health. - Identify key population health indicators for mental health and opioid abuse. - Categorize data sources by epidemiologic criteria. - Analyze differences between subpopulations and across time trends. - Formulate multi sector collaborations that support population health improvement. - Outline a plan for population health improvement. - Evaluate evidence-based interventions based on epidemiologic criteria and community suitability.

Stanford Center for Continuing Medical Education, Pediatric Grand Rounds (RECORDING) Integrating Community Health Workers into Team-Based, Early Childhood Preventive Care, 6/15/2022 12:00:00 AM - 6/15/2023 12:00:00 AM, This presentation is a recording of a Stanford Pediatric Grand Rounds Session. World-renowned experts will present the latest research, practice guidelines, and treatment protocols to advance best practices in the care of pediatric patients. These online recordings will provide pediatricians and family physicians with up-to-date clinical information on a wide range of clinical issues encountered in daily pediatric practice. In this session, we explore how well-child care can be designed to meet the needs of these families. We review various well-child care interventions and their evidence, and focus in on the importance of team-based care and how to integrate clinicians, such as Community Health Workers, into the primary care team to help provide equitable preventive care to families.

Explore a thought-provoking conference talk from try! Swift NYC 2016 that examines open-source communities through the lens of mental well-being. Delivered by Erik Romijn, co-founder and CTO of a healthcare management company, this 39-minute presentation delves into the importance of fostering healthy minds within a supportive community environment. Gain insights into existing community initiatives and learn about new approaches introduced by the Django community. Discover how to create a more inclusive and welcoming atmosphere for developers, regardless of their background. Draw inspiration to implement similar strategies in your own open-source communities, promoting mental health and overall well-being among members.

This course will help institutions and individuals better manage the mental health challenges of being a healthcare worker. Healthcare providers such as the University Health Network (UHN) address the mental health needs of their staff through several initiatives intended to help build resilience and to provide respite from the demands of their work. This was critical during the pandemic but, of course, healthcare workers encounter high levels of stress even without a pandemic. The primary purpose of this course was to document and explain lessons learned with the hopes of informing healthcare institutions and healthcare workers about effective strategies and why they work. Dr. Heather Gordon will highlight strategies she has employed within the UHN during the pandemic, and Professor Steve Joordens will discuss the psychology underlying these interventions.

Explore the transformative power of community-led public health interventions in this 18-minute TEDx talk by Dr. Satyanarayana Ramanaik. Discover how working with marginalized groups can lead to effective social change, from combating HIV/AIDS and gender-based violence to empowering young adolescent girls. Learn from powerful case studies that demonstrate the profound impact of grassroots initiatives. Gain insights from Dr. Ramanaik's 20 years of experience in public health and developmental issues in India, covering critical areas such as HIV/AIDS, gender-based violence, intimate partner violence, migration, child marriage, school dropout, and adolescent health. Understand the importance of large-scale public health interventions and collaborative research initiatives with esteemed donors and academic institutions. Delve into the work of a social scientist whose efforts have resulted in over 40 peer-reviewed articles in prestigious journals and whose expertise has contributed to significant advancements in community-led public health solutions.

Explore the development and implementation of an NLP toxicity detection system for effective community management in this 17-minute conference talk from DevConf.cz Mini. Discover how automatic post-processing and alerting can enhance moderation workflows, freeing up moderators' time. Learn about the steps taken to create a toxicity detection system using a pre-trained classifier and containerized services. Understand how the system integrates into existing moderation processes for early detection of toxic messages and calculates long-term values to assess community health. Gain insights into using these metrics for alerting, incident identification, and mitigation, as well as evaluating overall community well-being. Delve into the importance of managing community toxicity and its impact on Open-Source project reputation.

Explore the comprehensive overview of Central Iowa Community Services Mental Health Region and Brain Health Services in this informative grand rounds presentation. Gain valuable insights into the region's mental health and brain health services, delivered by experts Linn Adams, Liza Maxwell, and Robin McKee from CICS. Discover the latest developments, strategies, and resources available to support mental health and brain health in central Iowa during this hour-long session.

Discover community-centred approaches to promoting health and wellbeing This course will teach you why and how to adopt a community development or centred approach to promoting public health within your healthcare role and are of practice. You’ll learn how community empowerment can engage people in public health, and be introduced to effective health promotion approaches and models. Learn how to prioritise public health needs in your community By working with and in the community, nurses experience first hand the importance of community empowerment for improving general health and wellbeing. On this course, you’ll learn how a range of health information can help us to identify and assess priorities for action, and how to analyse and identify which health needs should have priority in your community. Discover key health promotion strategies for effective community health promotion Once you’ve set health priorities, it’s vital to engage your community in these values. This course will introduce you to tried and tested health promotion models and strategies for engaging not just the individual, but the community as a whole. You’ll enhance your knowledge of health promotion in the community, and learn practical ways of encouraging community participation in public health. Apply Beattie’s model of health promotion and improve long term health in the community On the second week of the course, you’ll study the lower-right paradigm in Beattie’s health promotion model, ‘community development’. You’ll also be introduced to the variety of skills needed for community empowerment, participation, and development. Alongside learning health promotion activities and interventions to set up in the community, you’ll acquire the specialised skills and knowledge required to improve the health and wellbeing of your community now and in the future. This course is designed for experienced nurses who’d like to extend their understanding of how nurses can act as promoters of health.

Explore the critical topic of mental health in community caretaking through this insightful 39-minute panel discussion featuring experts Monica Ayhens-Madon, Karen Hixson, Ruth Ikegah, and Amy Marrich. Delve into common challenges faced by open source community caretakers, including burnout, boundary-setting, and seeking additional support. Gain valuable perspectives on normalizing mental health discussions and implementing strategies to mitigate burnout's impact. Learn how to advocate for the social, emotional, and mental wellbeing of community caretakers while promoting realistic role expectations. Connect with fellow community caretakers, fostering a sense of solidarity, and discover new practices to enhance your role in the open source ecosystem.

Explore a groundbreaking approach to mental health in schools through this 17-minute TEDx talk by Sarah Farrell-Whelan, a seasoned social worker with over 20 years of experience in Child and Youth Mental Health. Discover how the 'Open Dialogue' process, adapted from Finnish Community Health workers, can be implemented to support children, educators, and parents in the Australian school system. Gain insights into Farrell-Whelan's work as a Wellbeing Coordinator in an Independent K-12 school and learn about the potential benefits of this innovative method for improving mental health support in educational settings.

Welcome to the Community Engagement in Population Health course! As you will learn, the health system is in the midst of a critical transition. The current system is not sustainable with escalating costs, mediocre health outcomes, and unacceptable disparities. This course will first discuss the current system, including definitions of population health and social determinants of health, and how the US compares to other countries on the triple aim –lower cost, better care, and a healthier population. Section 2 will review resources for both population health data and evidence-based public health interventions. Now more than ever, hospitals are addressing community needs through community benefits spending, community health improvement planning, and problem-based research networks. In the final section, the course describes community engagement in practical terms with a discussion of benefits and barriers. Community-based participatory research is presented as an effective way to engage the community in developing solutions to address problems in the health system.

Explore a thought-provoking conversation between Lynda Resnick, vice chair and co-owner of The Wonderful Company, and New York Times columnist David Brooks on corporate responsibility in fostering healthy communities. Delve into The Wonderful Company's innovative approach to employee benefits and community development in California's Central Valley. Discover how this agricultural giant is redefining corporate social responsibility by providing access to healthy food, education, mental health services, and community improvements. Learn about Resnick's comprehensive strategy, its impact, and her personal journey towards creating significant change. Gain insights into topics such as philanthropy, wellness initiatives in Lost Hills, the connection between worker health and performance, geographic focus in community development, and efforts to combat Valley Fever. Examine the business case for corporate involvement in community health and the potential for widespread behavior change in nutrition and overall well-being.

Learn how to build and maintain a thriving kernel subsystem community through the experiences of a Linux kernel maintainer. Explore strategies for creating a welcoming environment in technical communities, focusing on the transformation of the drivers/platform/x86 (pdx86) kernel subsystem from late 2020 onwards. Discover practical approaches to fostering inclusivity through mailing list management, demonstrating patience in technical discussions, and leading by example to encourage community participation. Examine techniques for growing developer communities, delegating responsibilities effectively, and preventing maintainer burnout through sustainable leadership practices. Gain insights into managing external stress factors that impact technical leadership roles and understand the importance of succession planning in open source projects. Master the balance between technical excellence and community building to create sustainable, collaborative environments in kernel development and other technical communities.

Explore the unique financial challenges faced by independent workers in a comprehensive panel discussion. Delve into the complexities of freelancing, independent contracting, and solopreneurship, examining issues such as income volatility, lack of employer-provided benefits, complex tax filing requirements, and difficulties in saving for the future. Gain insights into innovative solutions from both private and public sectors aimed at addressing these challenges in a changing economy. Learn about creative approaches to improve the financial health and stability of millions of Americans who choose flexible and entrepreneurial work arrangements.