Sisters In Common (SIC) measured the success of OUR project through both qualitative and quantitative methods. We tracked the number of Community Service Worker (CSW) Interns who, after completing their stipend-internship training, either became employees working as Community Health Workers (CHW) or continued their education to provide professional health services. This provided a clear, quantifiable measure of success. Additionally, SIC collected feedback from our staff, clients, and community leadership/stakeholders about the types, quantity, and quality of services, including thoughts on how to improve further. This qualitative checkout-feedback loops allowed us to assess the impact and effectiveness of our services from the community member’s perspective. By combining these quantitative and qualitative measures, we are able to get a comprehensive view of the project’s success.

Sisters In Common (SIC): Completion of Needs Assessment: Successfully conducting a comprehensive community member’s needs assessment, providing a clear understanding of the community member’s Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) and Health Related Social Needs (HRSN). Development of Plan: Creating a detailed plan for addressing the community member’s needs, including the establishment of a pipeline for advancing Community Service Workers (CSW) to Community Health Workers (CHW). Formation of Partnerships: Establishing partnerships with community leadership/ stakeholders, and organizations that can contribute resources, expertise, or other support to the project. Launch of Services: Beginning to provide SDoH services to the community members, marking the operational start of the project. Launch of Community Alerts Tool: Developing and launching the “Community Alerts” tool to share information and gather feedback from the community. First CSW to CHW Transition: The first successful transition of a CSW intern to a CHW role or further education in professional health services.

A valuable achievement as a result of this innovation project by Sisters In Common (SIC) is the creation of a sustainable, culturally competent pipeline for advancing Stipend Interns (CSW) to Community Health Workers (CHW). This achievement is significant for several reasons. Firstly, it addresses a critical need in our communities. The project was born out of a recognition of the systemic Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) disparity and inequity in our communities, driven by systemic racism. By creating a pipeline for Interns to become CHWs, SIC has developed a mechanism to address these disparities directly. CHWs, who are hired directly from the cultural and ethnic communities they serve, are uniquely positioned to understand and address the SDoH and Health Related Social Needs (HRSN) of their community members.

Secondly, the pipeline empowers community members by providing them with opportunities for professional advancement and personal growth. Interns, after completing their stipend-internship training, have the opportunity to become employees working as CHWs or to continue their education and become employees providing health services. This not only benefits the individuals involved but also strengthens the community as a whole. Thirdly, the pipeline contributes to the cultural competence of health services in the community. By ensuring that health workers share the same cultural and ethnic background as the community members they serve, SIC is ensuring that their services are culturally competent and community-specific. This increases the effectiveness of the services and ensures that they are valued by the community. Lastly, the pipeline is sustainable. SIC can developed strategies for sustaining the progress made, such as through billing for CHW, WA DOH Counseling Agency Affiliated Registration work hours. This ensures that the pipeline can continue to operate and benefit the community in the long term. In sum, the creation of a sustainable, culturally competent pipeline for advancing Interns to CHWs is the single most valuable achievement of this innovation project. It addresses a critical community need, empowers community members, enhances the cultural competence of health services, and is sustainable. This achievement embodies SIC’s commitment to addressing systemic disparities and advancing equity in our community. First CSW to CHW Transition: The first successful transition of a CSW intern to a CHW role or further education in professional health services.

Two of the many immediate impacts of the investment in Sisters In Common (SIC) include the creation of a sustainable pipeline for Interns to advance to Community Health Workers (CHWs), and the provision of culturally competent Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) services. This has empowered community members by providing them with professional advancement opportunities and has enhanced the cultural competence of health services in the community. In the long term, this work paves the way for systemic change by addressing disparities in SDoH and Health Related Social Needs (HRSN) driven by systemic racism. By ensuring that health workers share the same cultural and ethnic background as the community members they serve, SIC is fostering a health system that is more equitable, culturally competent, and responsive to the community’s needs. This lays the foundation for long-term improvements in health outcomes and health equity in the community.

Sisters In Common (SIC) community-based Innovation project face challenges such as limited resources, and systemic barriers. . For instance, SIC have struggled to fully meet the increased demand for Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) services due to resource constraints. Due to Covid-Long-Covid our efforts to hire healthy members from our cultural and ethnic communities, and we face challenges in recruiting and retaining Community Health Workers due to Covid-Long-Covid systemic issues such workforce shortages in the field.

Sisters In Common (SIC) community-based Innovation project face challenges such as limited resources, and systemic barriers. . For instance, SIC have struggled to fully meet the increased demand for Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) services due to resource constraints. Due to Covid-Long-Covid our efforts to hire healthy members from our cultural and ethnic communities, and we face challenges in recruiting and retaining Community Health Workers due to Covid-Long-Covid systemic issues such workforce shortages in the field. QA 34 Consider Sue, a single mother of three living in a culturally diverse community served by SIC. Sue has been struggling with Covid- Long-Covid and it exacerbated health issues and the associated social determinants of health, such as housing instability and food insecurity. She has often felt misunderstood and overlooked by the healthcare system due to cultural and language barriers. When SIC began providing our culturally competent Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) services in Sue’s community, she was connected with a Community Health Worker (CHW) who shared her cultural background and spoke her language. This CHW helped Sue navigate the healthcare system, access resources to address her housing and food needs, and provided emotional support and empowerment.

Sue’s health improved, and she felt more empowered and less isolated. Inspired by her experience, Sue decided to join SIC’s stipend-internship program to become a Community Service Worker (CSW). After completing her training, she was able to advance to a CHW, providing SDoH services to others in her community. Sue’s story illustrates the transformative impact of SIC’s project. Not only did it improve her health and social circumstances, but it also provided her with professional opportunities and the chance to give back to her community. This is just one example of how SIC’s project has the potential to create ripple effects of positive change in the communities we serve.

Sisters In Common’s (SIC) innovation contributes to systemic change by directly addressing Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) and Health Related Social Needs (HRSN) disparities in our communities. By creating a pipeline for Community Service Workers (CSWs) to become Community Health Workers (CHWs), we are empowering community members and enhancing the cultural competence of health services. This approach challenges the systemic barriers in healthcare, fostering a system that is more equitable and responsive to community needs. Over time, this can lead to improved health outcomes, reduced health disparities, and a transformed health system that truly serves all community members.