For Further Information Contact:
Paul Conrad, BS, CCHW, CT, Director of Training & Workforce Development
pconrad@aspin.org
317-536-4681

ASPIN Announces First Federally Registered Community Health Worker Apprenticeship Program in Indiana

Affiliated Service Providers of Indiana (ASPIN) has been notified by the Department of Labor (DOL) that their Community Health Work Apprenticeship Program has been approved by the Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship.  This program is the first of its kind in the State of Indiana. 

ASPIN has been a part of the Certified Community Health Worker (CHW) movement for almost a decade; training over 1,000 community health workers.  Sensing a growing demand for CHWs in the healthcare industry, ASPIN took the initiative to expand on their already established training programs into Indiana’s first CHW apprenticeship program. 

The program combines 137 hours of online instruction with 2,080 hours of on-the-job learning at a partnered employer.  Apprentices will also earn hourly wages while they perform their on-the-job training which will progressively increase as they reach certain milestones.  Every graduate of ASPIN’s CHW Apprenticeship program receives a nationally recognized credential signifying to future employers that they are fully qualified for their job. 

Certified Community Health workers are the key components to healthcare delivery in the future.  As evidenced by the recent COVID 19 Pandemic, CHWs will be vital in assisting consumers connect to needed resources such as filing for unemployment, accessing food pantries, and addressing social isolations.  CHWs will be needed post pandemic to assist with contact tracking, isolation and quarantined monitoring, virus testing, and vaccination education and tracking. Furthermore, as Performance Based Payment evolves in healthcare, CHWs will be vital in assisting consumers with medication compliance, accessing primary care, and reducing hospital admissions. 

Affiliated Service Providers of Indiana, Inc. (d.b.a. ASPIN) is a 501 (C) 3 not for profit network that operates four major service lines: third party administration, training and workforce development, health improvement, and grants management. The mission of ASPIN is to provide innovative educational programs, resource management, program development, and network management in collaboration with all healthcare entities to address health disparities and whole health management.

Individuals and employers interested in learning more about participating in the ASPIN CHW Apprenticeship Program should contact Paul Conrad, Director of Training & Workforce Development at pconrad@aspin.org or at 317-536-4681.

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $600,000 with 0% percentage funded by non-governmental sources.  The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.