Health plans are increasingly investing in programs that address the social factors affecting their members' health, especially through the use of community health workers (CHWs). This report by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and CVS Health® highlights the positive impact of these investments on clinical outcomes. It shows that CHWs are … [Read more...] about High-Impact Community Investments by Health Plans
CHW programs
Evaluating a Community Health Worker Program
Evaluating a Community Health Worker (CHW) program is essential from the planning phase, focusing on two key questions: 1) Was the program implemented as intended? and 2) What impact did the program have? Evaluation is a systematic way to assess a program's activities and outcomes, helping to improve effectiveness and inform decisions. It's important to tailor the evaluation to … [Read more...] about Evaluating a Community Health Worker Program
Understanding Screening and Responding to Social Determinants of Health
Social determinants of health (SDOH) are the conditions in which people live, work, and age, and they significantly impact health outcomes. These factors, such as housing, education, and access to healthy foods, influence about 80% of health outcomes, compared to 20% influenced by medical care. Community Health Workers (CHWs), who are trusted members of their communities, play … [Read more...] about Understanding Screening and Responding to Social Determinants of Health
Working Effectively with Community Health Workers
This tool offers guidance on effectively integrating Community Health Workers (CHWs) into your team and organization. It covers key areas like developing or updating workflows, assessing community needs, identifying populations CHWs can serve, establishing CHW caseloads, documenting their activities, and ensuring effective team communication and feedback. … [Read more...] about Working Effectively with Community Health Workers
Designing an Effective Community Health Worker Program
The CHW model effectively improves community well-being by having trusted community members serve as advocates and educators. Successful programs need leadership support and should be tailored to community needs. Key steps include understanding CHW roles, hiring the right people, providing training, and planning for evaluation. This toolkit helps with team preparation, … [Read more...] about Designing an Effective Community Health Worker Program
