(AP) Gov. Martinez signs Community Health Workers Act
Legislation that would create a state certification program for all community health workers in New Mexico will become law. Gov. Susana Martinez signed off on the legislation Sunday afternoon after participating in a discussion with several health workers in Albuquerque.
The bill creates voluntary community health worker training that would be the standard statewide.
Martinez says community health workers are an important piece of the health care workforce, particularly in rural and underserved areas of New Mexico.
Supporters say better trained community health workers could help with the state’s shortage of health care providers. The certification would make community health workers eligible to be reimbursed by insurance plans and even Medicaid for certain services.
Begs the question of who will provide the training that will lead to certification, and what the training would consist of, how extensive, etc. Kris, for one, has designed healthcare worker courses in the past. Also, as a growing field, one wonders exactly what the state thinks a “community health care worker” actually does.
PSA sees this aspect of healthcare, the parts that aren’t quite professional level, as being a growth field, and one that would adapt well to DLE training at a low cost, and convenient access, such as online.