Timeline

Timeline of CHW Activities in South Dakota

Although Community Health Representatives (CHRs) have worked across South Dakota for over 50 years, the Community Health Worker (CHW) workforce in South Dakota is relatively new, with work beginning in 2015 to develop a CHW workforce across South Dakota.

2015

  • The South Dakota Department of Health (SD DOH) conducted an environmental scan and statewide analysis of the Community Health Worker (CHW) workforce.

2016

  • SD DOH and South Dakota Department of Social Services (SD DSS) co-facilitated a workgroup to develop key recommendations for CHWs in South Dakota.

2017/2018

  • SD DSS worked to draft a Medicaid State Plan Amendment and submitted it to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for review.

2019

  • On April 1, SD DSS announced CHW services as a covered service of South Dakota Medicaid under fee-for-service reimbursement.

2020

  • SD DOH launched the Community Health Workers Collaborative of South Dakota (CHWSD) to promote and develop the CHW workforce in South Dakota.
  • A 3-Year (2021-2023) Strategic Plan was developed for the CHWSD.

2021

  • The CHWSD began establishing relationships with Community Health Representative (CHR) Programs.
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Health Disparities Grant was awarded to SD DOH.
  • The CHWSD partnered with organizations in South Dakota to further develop supports for CHW workforce development.
  • Request for Applications (RFAs) were available to fund CHW program development.

2022

  • The first CHW programs launched in South Dakota.
  • Relationships with CHR programs continue to develop.
  • SD DSS and SD DOH continue to refine reimbursement.