CHWSD Frequently Used Terms and Acronyms

Frequently Used Terms, Acronyms and SD-Specific Definitions

Last Updated: September 2022

ACRONYMS

  • ACO – Accountable Care Organization
  • APHA – American Public Health Association
  • BCBH-SD – Better Choices, Better Health © SD
  • CHR – Community Health Representative
  • CVD – Cardiovascular Disease
  • CHW – Community Health Worker
  • CHWSD – Community Health Worker Collaborative of South Dakota
  • DSMES – Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support
  • EHR – Electronic Health Records
  • FQHC – Federally Qualified Health Center
  • HIE – Health Information Exchange
  • HIPAA – Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
  • IT – Information Technology
  • NACHW – National Association of Community Health Workers
  • NPI Number – National Provider Identification Number
  • NPPES – National Plan & Provider Enumeration System
  • LATC – Lake Area Technical College
  • National DPP – National Diabetes Prevention Program
  • ROI – Return on Investment
  • SDoH – Social Determinants of Health
  • SD DOH – South Dakota Department of Health
  • SD DOH, OCDPHP – South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
  • SD DSS – South Dakota Department of Social Services
  • SD DSS, DMS – South Dakota Department of Social Services, Division of Medical Services
  • SFY – State Fiscal Year
  • SOW – Scope of Work
  • STC – Southeast Technical College

FREQUENTLY USED TERMS AND SD-SPECIFIC DEFINITIONS

  • Community-Based Organization – A Community-Based Organization is an organization that is typically a non-profit organization with the mission to serve the community. These organizations are often not able to bill for medical services or be reimbursed, and are often funded by grants, fundraising, and other supporting funds.
  • Community Health Worker (1)Community Health Worker is a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of and/or has an unusually close understanding of the community served. This trusting relationship enables the worker to serve as a liaison/link/intermediary between health/social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery.
  • Community Health Worker Program – The CHWSD defines a CHW Program as employing one or more CHWs at one site.
  • Community Health Representative – A CHR is an individual who has completed an approved CHR training program through Indian Health Service (IHS) and works under the APHA definition of a CHW and the IHS definition of a CHR.
  • Certificate-Level Community Health Worker (1)A Certificate-Level CHW is an individual who has obtained an approved CHW training certificate in South Dakota and works under the APHA definition of a CHW.
  • Certificate-Level Training Program – A Certificate-Level Training Program is a CHW training program in South Dakota that prepares an individual to work under all three (3) areas of the CHW SOW.
  • Healthcare-Based Organization – A Healthcare-Based Organization is an organization such as a hospital, clinic, health system, or other medically-focused organization that can bill for medical services and reimbursements.
  • Specialty Training Program – A specialty training program is an evidence-based training program that enhances a CHW’s Certificate-Level Training to expand their scope of work or allows an individual who is not a CHW to train and offer a specific service of the CHW Scope of Work for reimbursement purposes.

(1) Click here for more information about use of CHW titles in South Dakota.