A first-of-its-kind county health partnership between Fort Bend County and Lamar Consolidated ISD is expected to begin this fall, officials said.
At their Sept. 10 meeting, Fort Bend County commissioners approved a community health worker certification program between Fort Bend County Health and Human Services and LCISD’s Health Sciences Career and Technical Education Program.
what it means
This program offers high school students ages 16 and older the opportunity to work with county health care workers to earn community health worker certification from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
According to the agenda document, community health workers are “trained and certified individuals who serve as liaisons and provide essential health education and support services focused on the community, especially underserved populations.” defined as “an individual who has been
“This program is unique in that it embeds public health training directly into the high school curriculum, allowing students to earn valuable certifications before graduation,” said Kyla Williams, communications director for the Fort Bend County Department of Health and Human Services. he said in an email.
The first cohort will begin at Lamar High School with 20 students in designated health science courses, she said. Students will complete 160 hours of coursework that combines classroom instruction and hands-on training provided by the county.
cost
According to agenda documents, LCISD will be responsible for paying the county $750 per participant prior to the program’s start date.
Additional funding will be provided through the county’s existing health operations and education budget, Williams said.
why is it important
The program will help increase the number of certified community health workers in the county who can respond to local public health needs, Williams said.
“As our population grows and becomes more diverse, Fort Bend County faces an increased demand for health care workers who understand our community and are culturally competent,” she said. “This program will help fill that gap by training students to work in health care roles supporting prevention, education and advocacy.”
For the future
The first cohort is expected to begin at Lamar High School later this fall and continue through the remainder of the 2024-2025 school year, Williams said. After the pilot program, the county plans to implement the program annually, with the potential to expand to additional schools in LCISD and other school districts in the region.
“Our long-term vision is to equip as many students as possible with the skills to serve as community health workers and support public health efforts across the county,” she said.
