The New York State Department of Health (DOH) SHIP/DSRIP Workforce Workgroup met on October 19 to discuss plans to promote new workforce models that would contribute to greater population health outcomes. The Workforce Workgroup was created to address workforce challenges and meet the goals of the State Health Innovation Plan (SHIP) and the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program. The Workgroup’s membership includes provider associations, unions, representatives from higher education organizations, and representatives of DOH and the New York State Education Department (NYSED). The Workforce Workgroup plans to create a compendium of best practices for new workforce models for the academic and provider community.
Organizations that employ community health workers (CHWs) to meet population health goals made presentations. Topics of discussion included how partnerships form between CHWs and other care team members, the backgrounds of these workers, and the education and training offered by their employers. Planned legislation to enhance data collection on the distribution and practice patterns of various types of health workers, similar to data currently collected for New York’s nurse practitioners, was also discussed. DOH officials also reviewed the status of the new Advanced Home Health Aide title, which was authorized in New York by legislation signed into law in 2016. NYSED has issued a set of regulations about the new title, and DOH is expected to release a comparable set shortly.