Disparities across racial and socioeconomic lines in the utilization of health care services and in patient outcomes continue to plague healthcare systems in the U.S. (AHRQ, 2008; Smedley, 2003; Children’s Defense Fund, 2006). Policies to address health care disparities have varied, including steps to increase access to health insurance coverage at both the state … [Read more...] about Community Health Workers: A Review of Program Evolution, Evidence on Effectiveness and Value, and Status of Workforce Development in New England
Policy
Addressing Chronic Disease through Community Health Workers: A Policy and Systems-level Approach
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, it sets forth evidence demonstrating the value and impact of CHWs in preventing and managing a variety of … [Read more...] about Addressing Chronic Disease through Community Health Workers: A Policy and Systems-level Approach
Transforming the delivery of care in the post-health reform era: what role will community health workers play?
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) affords opportunities to sustain the role of community health workers (CHWs). Among myriad strategies encouraged by PPACA are prevention and care coordination, particularly for chronic diseases, chief drivers of increased health care costs. Prevention and care coordination are functions that have been performed by CHWs for … [Read more...] about Transforming the delivery of care in the post-health reform era: what role will community health workers play?
Developing the national community health assistant strategy in Zambia: a policy analysis.
In 2010, the Ministry of Health in Zambia developed the National Community Health Assistant strategy, aiming to integrate community health workers (CHWs) into national health plans by creating a new group of workers, called community health assistants (CHAs). The aim of the paper is to analyse the CHA policy development process and the factors that influenced its evolution and … [Read more...] about Developing the national community health assistant strategy in Zambia: a policy analysis.
Community health workers: social justice and policy advocates for community health and well-being.
Community health workers are resources to their communities and to the advocacy and policy world on several levels. Community health workers can connect people to health care and collect information relevant to policy. They are natural researchers who, as a result of direct interaction with the populations they serve, can recount the realities of exclusion and propose remedies … [Read more...] about Community health workers: social justice and policy advocates for community health and well-being.