Workforce Coaches
The DSP Workforce Initiative is focused on sustaining efforts for addressing workforce challenges. Over the 2020-2021 academic year, coaches are working with University of Minnesota mentors to learn more about the DSP Workforce Toolkit strategies of assessment, recruitment, selection, and retention. Coaches are learning how to keep the Workforce Initiative moving forward by developing and working closely with Communities of Practice. Each region of Tennessee will have coaches from Managed Care Organizations and provider organizations. Coaches will work on statewide efforts in addition to focusing on their own region.
A coach is a person who guides rather than directs, but also creates a network to develop a community focused on workforce challenges. Coaches will provide ongoing support to the organizations and the Community of Practice. Good coaches meet a learner where they are, support growth, instruct where it is necessary, care about the people they coach, inspire deeper thought, and validate progress. Coaches focus on relationships by listening and asking questions, professionalism by keeping conversations and actions within an organization, and being honest about what they know and what they don’t know.
The role of the Workforce Coach is to 1) provide training and consultation on workforce tools and strategies to organizations as they address workforce challenges within their designated regions; and 2) work with other coaches to develop and facilitate a community of practice for addressing workforce issues and challenges in each region of Tennessee.
2020-2021 Coaches
The coaches for the 2020-2021 academic year are:
West Region:
- Ashante Hodges, Ashante_Hodges@BCBST.com
- Erica Hurd, ehurd@supportsolutionsms.com
- Victoria Burgess, burgess@thementornetwork.com
Middle Region:
- Faith Franklin, Faith_Franklin@uhc.com
- Joy Dalton, Joy.dalton@amerigroup.com
- Beulah Brooks, Gingerale_b@yahoo.com
East Region:
- Dana Scott, dana.scott@amerigroup.com
- Nichelle Johnson, Nichelle_H_Johnson@uhc.com
- Robin Wilmoth, Robin.Wilmoth@tn.gov
2020 Workforce Coaches Training
The coaches received training from July through September with six sessions of content and five huddles where they discussed how to apply the content. The sessions included:
- Coaches Orientation
- Understanding Data and Organizational Assessment
- Recruitment Strategies and Tools
- Selection Strategies and Tools
- Retention Strategies and Tools
- Community of Practice Plan