Educational Programs & Opportunities

High School and Young Adult Opioid Reduction Training Program

In 2018, nearly 700,000 adolescents engaged in the misuse of opioid pain relievers. Substance use disorders often emerge during adolescence, with symptoms manifesting by age 18 in half of affected individuals, and by age 24 in 80% of those who have experienced a drug use disorder at some point 1. Therefore, a crucial aspect of prevention involves educating and empowering youth. The High School Opioid Reduction Program, established through CETOUR, addresses this need by integrating a comprehensive curriculum into school systems. Developed by Morehouse School of Medicine, a renowned expert in community health worker curriculum, the program consists of seven modules that delve into the personal and community-wide impact of opioids. It also guides students in finding local resources for assistance, explores the link between opioid abuse and mental health, and encourages them to become advocates for their communities.

Nineteen students participated in the program, divided into two cohorts. Cohort 1, conducted in the Health Education class at Fannin County High School, saw seven students successfully complete the program. Cohort 2 targeted homeschooled students in Gilmer and Fannin County, recruited through the Bethesda Mobile Clinic, a local free medical treatment site. 12 students in cohort 2 successfully completed the program. Upon completion, students received a certificate of achievement, along with an iPad, iPad case, backpack, mobile phone charger, water bottle, and polo shirt.

1 Opioid Abuse in Teens: How Parents Can Protect Their Teens.” American Addiction Centers, 14 Sept. 2022, americanaddictioncenters.org/prescription-drugs/help-prevent-teen-addiction.

 Goals & Objectives: 

• Identify signs and symptoms of opioid overdose.
• Identify the mental health, health, and social consequences of opioid abuse.
• Identify preventative measures for opioid overdose including local treatment options and resources.
• Identify local mental health resources to seek help, treatment, and support.
• Understand the stigma surrounding mental health, mental health disorders, and their treatments.

 For more information, contact Somilez Francis.

High School & Young Adult Community Health Worker Program

The High School & Young Adults Community Health Worker training program is a year-long virtual training program that seeks to increase the number of trained high school and young adult CHWs to engage family, peers, and communities in strategies for better health and wellness. The program consists of a 7-week intensive training including shadowing experiences, self-guided and facilitated curriculum activities, and interactive virtual sessions led by medical and public health professionals.

Goals & Objectives: 

• Increase the number of trained student community health workers to assist with community health programs in underserved communities.
• Assist trained high school and young adult CHWs with the design and implementation of school-based and community-based health initiatives.
• Provide health monitoring and health literacy activities to students’ family members and community members.
• To increase healthcare access and improve health equity in local communities.
• Promote health education and health literacy in schools and communities.

Additional Resources:

• HSYACHW Detailed Program Overview
• Online Community Health Worker Curriculum
• Digital Information Packet

For more information, contact Christie George or Frank Sutton.

Young Adult Mental Health Worker Program

The Young Adult Mental Health Worker Training Program is a 6–month virtual program designed to align three focal components to address mental health and wellbeing among youth: mental health literacy training, community-based mental health intervention (i.e., communication campaign + service linkage), and year-round engagement through mental health screening and reinforcing lessons. Participants will also be involved in the development and implementation of a mental health public messaging campaign to cover topics including stress, substance and alcohol abuse, and suicide. Participants also learn strategies for mitigating mental health emergencies and work with peers to implement community-based mental health initiatives.

Goals & Objectives: 

• Increase the number of trained young adult mental health workers to assist with mental health education in underserved communities.
• Provide mental health monitoring and mental health literacy activities to family member and community members.
• To increase mental health resources and improve health equity to local communities.
• To promote mental health education and mental health literacy in schools and communities.
• To introduce a new cadre of emerging adults to the field of mental health and turn them into workers able to take an active role in the health and mental wellness of their community.

For more information, contact Christie George or Frank Sutton.

Black Girls HealthTech Innovation Academy

The Black Girls HealthTech Innovation Academy was designed to expose motivated, female high school students to the field of Health Technology. The integrated curriculum is composed of data science, human design, health innovation, and product development. Through this program, students will be able to identify a health-related problem or issue in their own community, school or peer group or another diverse population and help them develop and commercialize their own HealthTech products to address the problem.

Goals & Objectives: 

• Engage students to solve real-world problems using Health Technology.
• Increase understanding of data in social, economic, and environmental sectors.
• Increase thinking, reasoning, teamwork, investigative, and creative skills that students can use in all areas of their lives.

 For more information, contact Somilez Francis or Matthew Calhoun.

Haitian American Young Adult Mental Health Worker Program

Many individuals who suffer from poor mental health within the Haitian American Community do not seek treatment due to simply not knowing where to go for help, financial strains, citing the expensive cost of treatment, and the stigma surrounding mental health, thus creating an unmet need in this field. The Haitian American Young Adult Mental Health Worker (HAYAMHW) Training Curriculum was developed to fill this unmet need for the mental health well-being of young adults. It encompasses the core competencies needed to promote emotional, psychological, and social well-being thus becoming an integral part of the mental health support system.

The Haitian American Young Adult Mental Health Worker Training Curriculum is a 6-month virtual Curriculum designed to align three focal components to address mental health and well-being among young adults of Haitian descendant: mental health literacy training, community-based mental health intervention (i.e., communication campaign + service linkage), and engagement through mental health screening and reinforcing lessons.

Participants will also be involved in the development and implementation of a mental health public messaging campaign to cover topics including stress, substance and alcohol abuse, and suicide. Participants also learn strategies for mitigating mental health emergencies and work with peers to implement community-based mental health initiatives.

Goals & Objectives: 

• Increase the number of trained young adult community mental health workers to assist with mental health education in underserved communities.
• Provide mental health monitoring and mental health literacy activities to family members and community members.
• To increase mental health resources and improve health equity to local communities.
• To promote mental health education and mental health literacy in schools and communities.

For more information, contact Christie George.

Indigenous American Young Adult Community Health Worker

Historic trauma and continued inequities contribute to factors that adversely affect tribal communities. This curriculum will train American Indian/Alaskan Native youth in the fight against disease and prepare the next generation to serve in the field of community health, taking an active role in the health and wellness of their communities.

The Native American (American Indian/Alaskan Native) curriculum is an adaptation of the High School & Young Adult Community Health Worker curriculum. This innovative curriculum will prepare American Indian and Alaskan Native high school and young adults to serve in the field of community health and take an active role in the health and wellness of their communities. Participants who complete this curriculum will serve as ambassadors for healthy behaviors, healthcare access, and a better quality of life in their communities. CLICK HERE to complete the application today!

Goals & Objectives: 

• Train high school and young adult CHWs in identified indigenous areas to engage their peers, schools, and community in strategies for better mental health and overall wellness.
• To implement and validate the success of the adapted HSYACHW within the target population to mental
• health literacy training and improved mental health

For more information, contact Christie George.

Promising Practices Innovation Academy

The Promising Practices Innovation Academy is an 8-module innovation bootcamp designed by Morehouse School of Medicine’s Innovation Learning Lab for community organizations, community members, parents, teachers, and students to learn the innovation development process from idea to proof of concept. The Innovation Academy supports the development, innovation and evaluation of health-related promising practices, programs, and products.

Participants are those with new ideas as well as those with existing products. For new ideas: we take participants through the Ideation - proof of concept - testing - dissemination process. For existing products, we take participants through the Innovation - proof of concept - testing - dissemination process. By the end of the bootcamp, with due diligence, participants will be on the path to commercialization of their products. 

Goals:

• To empower community organizations, community members, parents, teachers, and students with the knowledge and skills to engage in the innovation development process.
• To provide support for individuals and organizations with existing products to innovate, refine, and potentially commercialize their offerings.
• To foster a culture of innovation within the community by providing a structured platform for idea generation, development, and evaluation.

Objectives:

• To increase the number of innovators creating products for the communities they serve.
• To provide practical, hands-on exercises and activities to help participants apply the concepts learned to to develop a clear roadmap for commercializing their products.

 For more information, contact Somilez Francis

Community Health Worker Apprenticeship Training Curriculum

The Morehouse School of Medicine Community Health Worker Apprenticeship training is a workforce development initiative that aims to improve the health of communities by providing on-the-job training for individuals interested in becoming registered CHW apprentices. The program provides apprentices with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, and community organizations. Through this program, apprentices will learn how to provide direct patient care and support services, as well as how to advocate for their patients’ rights and needs. Additionally, they will gain an understanding of the social determinants of health and how they can be addressed through community-based interventions. By equipping individuals with the skills necessary to become effective community health workers, this program seeks to improve the overall health of underserved communities. 

Apprentices can be new hires – or businesses can select current employees to join the apprenticeship program.  Apprenticeships are a good way to reward high-performing entry-level employees and move them up the career ladder.  Apprenticeship programs are impactful as they offer hands-on, experiential learning that bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, individuals who complete apprenticeships earn a higher average starting salary showcasing the substantial economic benefits of such programs.1 Through mentorship and real-world engagement, apprentices gain valuable skills, fostering a deeper understanding of community health. This program will not only empower individuals with career-ready expertise but also contribute to workforce development, economic growth, and the cultivation of skilled CHWs who can drive innovation and progress within their communities. 

Goals & Objectives: 

• Expand the public health workforce by training new and existing CHWs to become newly credentialed CHWs and health support workers.
• Increase CHW employment readiness that will enable trainees to respond to and support essential public health services.
• Advance health equity and support for underserved communities by increasing the number of CHWs on integrated care teams.
• Increase the number of CHWs who have completed apprenticeship programs

For more information, contact Somilez Francis.

 

Adult Community Health Worker Training Program

The online Adult Community Health Worker Curriculum prepares adults to become skilled frontline community health workers. Participants will learn how to promote, maintain, and improve the health of individuals and communities in various settings.
Download our Digital Packet to learn more!

Objectives:

• Increase the number of trained adult community health workers to assist with community health programs in underserved communities.  
• Support and promote the Community Health Worker field.
• Promote health education and health literacy.
• Support trained Community Health Workers with the design and implementation of community-based health initiatives. 
• Provide health monitoring and health literacy activities to underserved communities. 

Competencies:

Role of CHW	Covid-19 Emergency Preparedness	Cultural Competency	Reproductive Health
ACA Health Insurance Navigation	Confidentiality & Privacy	Public Health & Bioethics	Data Science
Community Health	HIPPA & SBE Training	Basic Anatomy	Vitals & CPR Trainin
Social Determinants	Public Speaking	Chronic Disease	Community Assessment
Barriers to Compliance	Motivational Interviewing	Mental Health	Integrative Health
Case Management	Health Monitoring	Nutrition	Advocacy

Why the Adult CHW Program
Developed out of popular demand, the Adult CHW Program aims to train individuals in community health to bridge the gap between underserved communities and health providers. This program provides individuals with the core competencies needed to truly make an impact in their community. 

Benefits of Completing the Adult CHW Program: 

• Gain an understanding of the importance of community health work and why it is important to be an advocate for your community. 
• Learn the importance of motivational interviewing and how to conduct health aid services like blood pressure monitoring. 
• Become a health liaison between your community and health professionals. 
• After completion of the program, you will be able to apply for CHW jobs and other similarly skilled positions. 

Eligibility
Participants should have a US High School diploma. 

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For more information, contact Somilez Francis.

 

African & African Diaspora Natural and Traditional Medicine Certificate Program

The aim of the African & African Diaspora Natural and Traditional Medicine (AAD-NTM) Certificate Program is to encourage the study of African and African diaspora ways of knowing as related to health and healing.  This is a six (6) month certificate program consisting of five (5) mandatory courses and (1) elective course.  Each course is four (4) weeks long.  The certificate program is virtual with in-person study abroad options available.  Students are guided through the curriculum with fun interactive welcome videos, assignments, readings, and activities.

Goals & Objectives:

• Benefit directly from the knowledge of experienced African & African diaspora traditional healers
• Be able to describe various cultural & regional healing practices
• Be able to describe various healing modalities & applications to specific illnesses
• Learn core competencies and possible integration into healthcare and heath related services

View AAD-NTM informational Video

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For more information, contact Somilez Francis.