This program spotlight describes the process of designing and implementing an electronic monitoring system at Alivio Medical Center in support of its ¡Mi Salud es Primero! program. Learn about how program monitoring has helped community health workers reach the target population and improve program implementation. [Read More]

Who Can Deliver Ongoing Diabetes Self-Management Support?

One of our recent blogs discusses a paper from Simenerio and colleagues that compared the effectiveness of diabetes self-management support as provided by certified diabetes educators, peer supporters, and primary care practice staff. The paper may be found under the Research Briefs section below. [Read More] 
 

The University of Michigan Health System’s Quality Improvement for Complex Chronic Conditions (QUICCC) offers peer support program materials for conditions such as heart failure, diabetes, and depression. Program materials include manuals, scripts, workbooks, and DVDs. [Read More]

CHW Handouts and Interview Scripts

The iADAPT Project at the Morehouse School of Medicine offers handouts and interview scripts to help community health workers provide peer support to people with diabetes. [Read More]

Peer Specialist Toolkit: Implementing Peer Support Services in the VHA

This toolkit was developed by two Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Centers (MIRECC) to advocate for the implementation of peer support for mental health services in the Veterans Health Administration. [Read More]

Research Briefs 

Who Can Provide Diabetes Self-Management Support in Primary Care?: Findings From a Randomized Controlled Trial

The purpose of this comparative effectiveness study is to compare diabetes self-management support (DSMS) approaches and determine who can be most effective in helping patients maintain/improve clinical outcomes, self-care behaviors, distress, and satisfaction following diabetes self-management education (DSME) delivered in primary care. These findings reaffirm the critical role of educators but suggest that others may serve as DSMS supporters. Results suggest that DSME delivered in primary care is effective and multiple DSMS agents are reasonable. [Full Abstract]

Peer Support for Postpartum Depression: Volunteers' Perceptions, Recruitment Strategies and Training From a Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effect of telephone-based peer support (mother-to-mother) on preventing postpartum depression among high-risk mothers. 205 volunteers were recruited and trained to provide peer support to 349 mothers randomized to the intervention group. Volunteers' perceptions were measured at 12 weeks using the Peer Volunteer Experience Questionnaire. Results from this study can assist clinicians and program planners to provide effective training, sufficient on-going support and evaluation and appropriate matching of volunteers to mothers who desire peer support and are at high risk of postpartum depression. [Full Abstract]

A Cost Analysis of a Community Health Worker Program in Rural Vermont

This CDC study examined the costs of a program staffed by three CHWs associated with a small, rural hospital in Vermont. The estimated total program cost was $420,348, a figure comprised of $281,063 (67%) for personnel and $139,285 (33%) for operations. This cost analysis approach may be adapted by others to conduct cost analyses of their CHW program. [Full Abstract]

An RCT with Three-Year Follow-Up of Peer Support Groups for Chinese Families of Persons with Schizophrenia

This study was conducted to test the effects of a 9-month family-led peer support group for Chinese people with schizophrenia in Hong Kong over a 3-year follow-up and to compare outcomes with those of psychoeducation and standard psychiatric outpatient care. Patients and families in the peer support group reported consistently greater improvements over three years in overall functioning and reductions in duration and number of hospitalizations without any increase in service utilization. [Full Abstract] 

Growing to Love Program Monitoring

Who Can Deliver Ongoing Diabetes Self-Management Support?

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