From the early years of primary health care, community-based health workers and volunteers (CHWs) have played a key role in satisfying the need and demand for essential health services. This article proposes that CHWs need to be supported and recognized as a pivotal part of health care. CHW programmes need be comprehensive rather than vertical and they should rely on both the … [Read more...] about CHWs and other FLHW: Moving from Fragmentation to Synergy to achieve Universal Health Coverage
Policy
Community Health Workers: Part Of The Solution
Community health workers are recognized in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as important members of the health care workforce. The evidence shows that they can help improve health care access and outcomes; strengthen health care teams; and enhance quality of life for people in poor, underserved, and diverse communities. This article traces how … [Read more...] about Community Health Workers: Part Of The Solution
Paving a Path to Advance the Community Health Worker Workforce in New York State: A New Summary and Recommendations
The New York State Community Health Worker Initiative has researched the role of community health workers (CHWs) and identified how to advance this workforce through state-level recommendations on employment and practice, training and certification, and financing. In order for CHWs to be better integrated into the health care and social service systems, the … [Read more...] about Paving a Path to Advance the Community Health Worker Workforce in New York State: A New Summary and Recommendations
‘‘A cup of tea with our CBD agent…’’: community provision of injectable contraceptives in Kenya is safe and feasible
In rural areas of Kenya, where the majority of the population lives, contraceptive use remains low compared with that in urban areas (37% vs. 47%). Inadequate access to family planning services in rural areas is partly due to fewer health facilities and the shortage of health care workers. Community-based access to injectable contraceptives can improve access for … [Read more...] about ‘‘A cup of tea with our CBD agent…’’: community provision of injectable contraceptives in Kenya is safe and feasible
Winning Policy Change to Promote Community Health Workers: Lessons From Massachusetts in The Health Reform Era
There is a national movement among community health workers (CHWs) to improve compensation, working conditions, and recognition for the workforce through organizing for policy change. As some of the key advocates involved, we describe the development in Massachusetts of an authentic collaboration between strong CHW leaders of a growing statewide CHW association and their … [Read more...] about Winning Policy Change to Promote Community Health Workers: Lessons From Massachusetts in The Health Reform Era
