WASHINGTON, May 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Planned Parenthood of
Metropolitan Washington, DC (PPMW)
recently received an Underserved Communities Projects grant from
Montgomery County, Maryland, to
grow the PPMW Promotoras de Salud community health outreach
program. The Promotoras de Salud program is one of 11 awardees
selected through a highly competitive process, out of 132
applicants.
PPMW's Promotoras de Salud are Spanish-speaking peer educators
who teach their communities about sexual and reproductive health
and rights and work to destigmatize these complex topics. Prior to
connecting with community members, they receive training through
PPMW's health education staff. The curriculum, developed by
Bilingual Program Manager Karen Gomez
Morales, focuses on building a sense of trust and
openness between Promotoras and their community members. It
prepares Promotoras to facilitate meaningful discussions on
challenging, often sensitive topics related to sexual health.
"Now, thanks to the UCP grant, the PPMW team will take the
program to the next level by converting it into a state-accredited
Community Health Worker program, which upon completion makes the
Promotoras eligible for certification through Maryland State," explains Andrea Augustine, Assistant Vice President
of Education and Community Engagement at PPMW.
By creating a new opportunity to access this formal
certification, PPMW hopes to strengthen the public health workforce
of the DC metropolitan region and increase Latinx representation in
the area of community health. "Community health workers can make an
important difference in addressing unmet needs related to social
determinants of health, which can drive health disparities in
Latinx communities," Augustine notes. At the same time, PPMW's
Promotoras will access the necessary skills and credentials to
pursue careers in this field.
In year one of the grant, the PPMW education team will use the
UCP funding to enhance the existing Promotoras program, ensuring
its alignment with the accreditation standards for Maryland's
Community Health Worker Certification Training Program and
completing the accreditation process.
In year two, once accreditation has been secured, PPMW will
pilot (and continue to refine) the enhanced Promotoras program and
will work to connect graduates with employment opportunities. This
will prepare PPMW's Promotoras de Salud program for an official
launch as an accredited Community Health Worker Certification
Training Program in year three, and will enable PPMW's Promotoras
to turn their passion for peer education into careers in community
health, having an even greater impact.
"Promotoras de Salud are essential for the overall health of
communities because they directly connect people to the services
they need," says Gomez Morales.
"This grant will allow us to recognize the valuable work PPMW's
Promotoras de Salud do in connecting people to reproductive
services and comprehensive sex education by supporting their
professional journeys as educators."
About PPMW
Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC (PPMW) provides
high-quality, affordable health care, including sexual and
reproductive health care; promotes education programs that empower
all individuals to make informed health decisions; and advocates
for reproductive rights and health equity for all. PPMW is the
oldest and largest provider of family planning services in
Metropolitan Washington, serving Washington, DC; Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in Maryland; and Northern Virginia.
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SOURCE Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, D.C.