Meet the DIP-IN Eskenazi Community Health Worker team

One of DIP-IN’s aims is to help individuals living with diabetes in the three DIP-IN communities better manage the disease so they can improve their quality of life. This is where our amazing Eskenazi Community Health Worker team comes in.

The DIP-IN Eskenazi CHWs meet with clients in their homes and work with the client’s care team (physician, dietician, etc.). Not only is the CHW team helping with blood glucose monitoring and diabetes education, but they are identifying any social needs that the client may have and getting them connected to services.

The CHWs are connectors to all kinds of wraparound services that can directly impact the client’s ability to manage their diabetes—barriers that physicians and other providers may not have time to address in a clinic environment.

The DIP-IN Eskenazi CHW team is fully staffed once more, and we thought this would be a great time for our community members and stakeholders to meet and hear from the Eskenazi CHWs serving their communities. Take a look at what each of them has to say about being a CHW!

Malia

How has being a community health worker personally enriched you? Do you now have any long-term personal goals because of this opportunity?

Being a community health worker has personally enriched me by having the opportunity to help others and make an impact in patients’ lives. My patients have welcomed me into their homes and lives, and by doing so I get to understand the alternate reasons why they may be struggling with current health issues.

It is powerful that a person who was once a stranger to me has opened up and allowed me to be by their side during what may be a difficult time in their life. Working with these patients has allowed me to develop meaningful relationships. I am grateful to have helped each one of them work to improve their health outcomes. This experience as a CHW has further increased my passion and goal to help individuals in any way I can, now and in the future.

Quedawnta

What is a success story you would like to share, to show the impact a community health worker can have? 

A patient was referred to me that had recently received a diagnosis of diabetes. The patient received a meter and diabetic supplies a few months before I met with them but did not know how to use the supplies because of difficulty with their vision.

The patient was the sole provider for their family and could not work because they felt driving was unsafe. Their hemoglobin A1c was over 11 but after enrolling the patient into the DIP-IN program and providing constant follow-up and support, connecting the patient to the social worker for assistance with transportation, and coordinating clinic care with nursing staff, dietician, and provider, their hemoglobin A1c decreased to just over 8.

Although the client has improved, they recognize they still have work to do. I continue to follow this patient and provide encouragement and support.

Dasia

Tell me about why you chose to become a community health worker and what it has meant to serve the DIP-IN communities. 

I became a community health worker because I love helping people and serving in my communities. Serving in a DIP-IN community has impacted my life because this is the community I represent and reside in, these are my family, neighbors, and friends.

It is a privilege to assist my community and remove social determinants of health barriers. Once these barriers are removed, I can see a difference in their overall health. I look forward to continuing this work.

Toni

For someone who may not know, can you explain all the things a community health worker can do for their clients? 

The impact a community health worker can have on our underserved populations can be vital. Playing an important and active part in the community means daily interaction, shared responsibility, and empowerment.

Connecting patients with health care services and resources in the community is crucial. Helping patients understand that I am here to advocate and show support to improve health care outcomes. It is powerful to know that a knock on the door or a simple phone call can empower a patient who was once missing appointments, but has now started to be an active participant in their care due to the efforts of a CHW.

Once a patient meets with me, I work with the patient from my heart to identify, coordinate and organize realistic goals that will improve their health outcomes.

“A great community health worker is hard to find, difficult to part with and impossible to forget!”

LaTanya

What has been your most memorable moment working as a Community Health Worker for DIP-IN? 

Working as a CHW, I have lots of memorable moments. I would say working with a patient who struggled with alcohol use prior to enrolling in DIP-IN stands out. After getting the patient enrolled for diabetic care, we were able to build a bond. A bond of weekly social support that led to a bond of trust. The patient wanted to manage their diabetes but was struggling.

They were facing barriers such as unemployment, being a single parent, and feeling as if no one cared about them. The patient was afraid to trust other people during this journey and declined all resources that were offered. I followed up with the patient weekly with home and telephone visits. I continued to educate them at each visit on the importance of better diabetes management.

During my visits I also provided social support and the client slowly started reducing their alcohol usage and decreasing tobacco consumption. They met their goal of decreasing daily alcohol and tobacco usage, started taking daily medications, and checking their blood sugar. They began to feel like someone genuinely cared about them and would often tell me, “You care about me, you call and check on me, you come by and check on me, and you are so supportive with me getting on track.”

This will always be a memorable moment for me to know that this patient started in DIP-IN with a hemoglobin A1c of over 11, struggled with alcohol use, did not take medications, did not keep doctor’s appointments, and refused to check their blood sugar. Although their blood sugar reading has been elevated at times, the patient has been able to decrease their hemoglobin A1c to just over 6. They continue to participate in the DIP-IN program and are doing well with diabetes management.