Gina N Eaton CDCA QMHSMA CMSMA

Community health workers (CHW) are lay members of communities who work either for pay or as volunteers in association with the local health care system in both urban and rural environments and usually share ethnicity, language, socioeconomic status and life experiences with the community members they serve. They have been identified by many titles such as community health advisors, lay health advocates, "promotores(as), outreach educators, community health representatives, peer health promoters, and peer health educators. CHWs offer interpretation and translation services, provide culturally appropriate health education and information, assist people in receiving the care they need, give informal counseling and guidance on health behaviors, advocate for individual and community health needs, and provide some direct services such as first aid and blood pressure screening. Some examples of these practitioners are Community Health Aides or Practitioners established under 25 USC 1616 (l) under HHS, Indian Health Service, Public Health Service.

An individual paid to provide non-emergency transportation using their privately owned/leased vehicle.

Home-delivered meals are those services or activities designed to prepare and deliver one or more meals a day to an individual's residence in order to prevent institutionalization, malnutrition, and feelings of isolation. Component services or activities may include the cost of personnel, equipment, and food; assessment of nutritional and dietary needs; nutritional education and counseling; socialization services; and information and referral.

An individual educated and trained in an applied knowledge discipline used in the performance of work at a level requiring knowledge and skills beyond or apart from that provided by a general education or liberal arts degree.

An individual who provides supervision, socialization, and non-medical care to a functionally impaired adult. Companions may assist or supervise the individual with such tasks as meal preparation, laundry and shopping, but do not perform these activities as discrete services. These services are provided in accordance with a therapeutic goal in the plan of care.

A private or public agency usually under local government jurisdiction, responsible for assuring the delivery of community based mental health, intellectual disabilities, substance abuse and/or behavioral health services to individuals with those disabilities. Services may range from companion care, respite, transportation, community integration, crisis intervention and stabilization, supported employment, day support, prevocational services, residential support, therapeutic and supportive consultation, environmental modifications, intensive in-home therapy and day treatment, in addition to traditional mental health and behavioral treatment.

A facility or distinct part of a facility that provides short term, residential care to children diagnosed with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities as respite for the regular caregivers.

A provider who is trained and educated in the performance of behavior health services through interpersonal communications and analysis. Training and education at the specialty level usually requires a master's degree and clinical experience and supervision for licensure or certification.

A provider of service/function that assists participating individuals to make informed decisions about what will work best for them is consistent with their needs and reflects their individual circumstances. Serving as the agent of the individual, the service is available to assist in identifying immediate and long-term needs, developing options to meet those needs and accessing identified supports and services and may include assistance with recruiting, screening, hiring, and training in-home support providers. A family or person-centered planning approach is used. Supports Brokerage offers practical skills training to enable families and individuals to remain independent. Examples of skills training include providing information on recruiting and hiring personal care workers, managing personal care workers and providing information on effective communication and problem solving. The service/function provides sufficient information to assure that individuals understand the responsibilities involved with self-direction and assist in the development of an effective back-up and emergency plan. Plans may elect to fulfill the requirement of this service/function using a self-directed case manager or creating a distinct service. The Supports Brokerage documents the need for assistive services, planning for and documenting the use of excess funds and locating and maintaining services.

A person who provides case management services and assists an individual in gaining access to needed medical, social, educational, and/or other services. The person has the ability to provide an assessment and review of completed plan of care on a periodic basis. This person is also able to take collaborative action to coordinate the services with other providers and monitor the enrollee's progress toward the cost-effective achievement of objectives specified in the plan of care. Credentials may vary from an experience in the fields of psychology, social work, rehabilitation, nursing or a closely related human service field, to a related Assoc of Arts Degree or to nursing credentials. Some states may require certification in case management.

A religious nonmedical practitioner offers spiritually-based care. Services may be rendered in an office, home, or care facility or by phone, email, or written correspondence.

An individual who provides general household activities such as meal preparation, laundry, and light housekeeping, when the individual regularly responsible for these activities is temporarily absent or unable to provide for himself. Homemakers must meet the state defined training standards.

Source: NUCC, CMS