Community health workers (CHWs) play a vital and unique role in linking diverse and underserved populations to health and social service systems. Despite their effectiveness, as documented by empirical studies across various disciplines including public health, nursing, and biomedicine, the value and potential role of CHWs in the social work practice and research literature has … [Read more...] about Community Health Workers and Their Value to Social Work
Community Involvement
Preparing Community Health Workers for Their Role as Agents of Social Change: Experience of the Community Capacitation Center
Current efforts to better integrate Community Health Workers (CHWs) into the health and social service systems are promising, but may be less effective if they fail to support the role of CHWs as social change agents. The way CHWs are trained influences the roles they play. In this article, we review the literature on CHW training and summarize lessons learned to date. We … [Read more...] about Preparing Community Health Workers for Their Role as Agents of Social Change: Experience of the Community Capacitation Center
Towards a Collective Understanding of the Information Needs of Health Care Providers in Low-Income Countries, and How to Meet Them
Poor knowledge among health care providers (including health workers and citizens) leads to poor health outcomes. This article discusses current linear research-to-practice paradigms and argues that these approaches are not meeting the needs of health care providers in low- and middle-income countries. It suggests a broader, needs-led approach. This approach must look beyond … [Read more...] about Towards a Collective Understanding of the Information Needs of Health Care Providers in Low-Income Countries, and How to Meet Them
Designing for Behavior Change
The "Designing for Behavior Change" curriculum, developed by the CORE Group Social and Behavior Change working group, responds to community health managers' and planners' need for a practical behavioral framework that aids them in planning their projects strategically for maximum effectiveness. The curriculum is built upon the BEHAVE Framework, developed by the Academy for … [Read more...] about Designing for Behavior Change
The Care Group Difference Guide
The Care Group Difference guide, developed by World Relief, explores the evidence base for the Care Group model, offers criteria to assist project managers in determining the feasibility of using this approach within their own programs, and provides a step-by-step guide for starting and sustaining care groups. A care group is a group of 10 to 15 volunteer, community-based … [Read more...] about The Care Group Difference Guide
