Addressing Chronic Disease through Community Health Workers: A policy and systems-level approach

Authors: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention

This document provides guidance and resources for implementing recommendations to integrate community health workers (CHWs) into community-based efforts to prevent chronic disease. After providing general information on CHWs in the United States, this document sets forth evidence demonstrating the value and impact of CHWs in preventing and managing a variety of chronic diseases, including heart disease and stroke, diabetes, and cancer. In addition, descriptions of chronic disease programs that are engaging CHWs are offered, examples of state legislative action are provided, recommendations for comprehensive polices to build capacity for an integrated and sustainable CHW workforce in the public health arena are made, and resources that can assist state health departments and others in making progress with CHWs are described.