Call to Action Health Literacy Training Curriculum

The introduction to an expanding definition of health literacy that not only addresses individual abilities but addresses the critical impact professionals, organizations and systems play in communicating health information.   

In this session, trainees will learn the importance of customizing each training based on health literacy competencies according to the needs of their audience.  Additionally, the importance of knowing your objectives and metrics prior to creating a training will be covered. 

Ednita Wright, PhD, LMSW, CASAC, will provide insight on why cultural competency needs to be included in each and every health literacy training we do.  Dr. Wright discuss the importance of cross-cultural communication and the tool (RESPECT model) from the Office of Minority Health's Think Cultural Health Communication Guide.

In this session, we will continue the discussion of communication matters.  Assessing or screening a person for their health literacy skills can be ineffective, costly and cause a shaming environment for the individual being served.  Strategies to improve a professional's ability to communicate clearly, confirm understanding and be culturally competent can improve outcomes for all clients/patients. Individuals who typically assess for intermediate or proficient literacy levels can and do experience low health literacy levels when experiencing cognitive burden.  Trainees will explore the importance of organizational health literacy initiatives including more than evaluation of written materials and providing an interpreter. 

In this session, trainees will discuss how adult learning styles should influence staff development training and client/patient education materials in their organization.   Trainees will review Bloom's Taxonomy and discuss how Miller's Prism of Clinical Competence is the foundation for implementing strategies for customizing effective training in your organization to improve competencies and for sustainability.

In this session, trainees will work in small groups to prioritize and select competencies they may like to work on in their organization.  As a large group, trainees will explore metrics related to the health literacy competencies selected that are observable and meaningful.  

In this session, trainees will review a collection of health literacy training materials created by government agencies, educational institutions, community-based organizations, and more.  Materials are multimedia and can be adapted for the required 6 hours of practical training (stipend requirement).

In this session, trainees will explore assessment tools for evaluating an organization's health literacy, addressing health equity through health literacy, and support services available to each trainee during the program.  Trainees will discuss how to get the most from the  learning collaborative and individual consulting services that will extend until December 31, 2021.   Trainees will be asked to select a tool and evaluate their organization prior to the last two sessions.  

In this session, trainees will review the advantages of creating a champion model for organizational cultural change around health literacy.  Trainees will be asked to present on the tool and the results of their organizational assessment.