Recent state experience suggests that states and Medicaid programs are increasingly using community health workers (CHW) to expand the health care safety net to reach underserved populations. CHWs do not provide clinical care or replace other health care providers. Instead, they complement services delivered through the more formal health care network “to provide more … [Read more...] about Community health workers: Expanding the scope of the health care delivery system
United States of America
Community Health Workers in the Midwest: Understanding and developing the workforce
Community Health Workers (CHWs) play a unique and valuable role in their communities, particularly in reducing health disparities by reaching underserved populations. To support efforts to build CHWs into a sustainable component of the health care system, the American Cancer Society - Midwest Division sought to increase understanding of and document the work … [Read more...] about Community Health Workers in the Midwest: Understanding and developing the workforce
Making the Connection: The Role of Community Health Workers in Health Homes
The development of health homes creates a unique opportunity to develop and implement care management models that meet the complex needs of high-need and high-cost patients. Incorporating CHWs into care management teams is an effective - and cost-effective - approach to achieving the goals of health homes. The roles and tasks CHWs perform already align well … [Read more...] about Making the Connection: The Role of Community Health Workers in Health Homes
Predictors and a Framework for Fostering Community Advocacy as a Community Health Worker Core Function to Eliminate Health Disparities
In the United States, CHWs have been recognized as integral to providing patient-centered care and reducing health inequalities among disenfranchised groups. The workforce impact of CHWs is far-reaching in the realms of the prevention and control of chronic and infectious disease, the reduction of health care costs, and improved outreach, … [Read more...] about Predictors and a Framework for Fostering Community Advocacy as a Community Health Worker Core Function to Eliminate Health Disparities
Establishing a Professional Profile of Community Health Workers: Results from a National Study of Roles, Activities and Training
This paper presents results from the 2010 National Community Health Worker Advocacy Survey (NCHWAS) in an effort to strengthen a generalized understanding of the CHW profession that can be integrated into ongoing efforts to improve the health care delivery system. Results indicate that regardless of geographical location, work setting, and demographic characteristics, CHWs … [Read more...] about Establishing a Professional Profile of Community Health Workers: Results from a National Study of Roles, Activities and Training
