Epilepsy Foundation New England is Helping Expand Healthcare Services Across Northern New England
EFNE Is Hiring A Community Health Worker to Serve
Vermont, New Hampshire & Maine
(Portland, ME) Epilepsy Foundation New England is expanding its mission in northern New England by bringing on a Community Health Worker (CHW), joining the five additional CHWs already in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The new CHW will serve more than 500 patients per year in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. All EFNE CHWs complete the state-accredited CHW certification program, and new staff will be on the job in June.
“EFNE is committed to meeting the needs of our community across northern New England,” said John Hedstrom, President and CEO of Epilepsy Foundation New England. “When someone is first diagnosed with epilepsy, there are a lot of unknowns. Community Health Workers provide much-needed answers and emotional support in a very difficult time and help patients and their families navigate the healthcare system and resources available to them.”
EFNE launched the Epilepsy Quality of Life initiative in 2021 to improve the lives of people with epilepsy through hospital-based, certified, specialized Community Health Workers. In the US, 150,000 people are diagnosed with epilepsy each year, and a Community Health Worker can help guide them to the services and support they need. CHWs serve as liaisons between hospital care teams and patients and their families, connecting them with community resources and support services. This collaborative program frees up hospital resources and ensures patients have the most complete care possible. Research has shown that CHWs improve patients’ quality of life, understanding, self-management of their chronic conditions, and satisfaction with their health care provider. Additionally, studies show that CHWs reduce hospitalizations, providing cost savings to both the patient and the health care system.
EFNE originally developed the role of Community Health Workers with funding from AmeriCorps. When those funds ran out, EFNE stepped in to fill the funding gap with the help of donations and grants.
About EFNE:
Established in 1983, Epilepsy Foundation New England (EFNE) is a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to help people and families affected by epilepsy in New England. EFNE is an independent affiliate of Epilepsy Foundation of America whose mission is to lead the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy and to accelerate therapies to stop seizures, find cures, and save lives. EFNE serves the approximately 110,000 people in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont affected by epilepsy and the people who care for them.