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
United States of America
Project MATCH: Training for a Promotora Intervention
Adequate training and support are critical for community health workers (promotoras de salud in Spanish) to work effectively. Current literature on promotora training is limited by a focus on promotoras' knowledge and satisfaction immediately after training. The relevance of training to subsequent work performance and the need for ongoing training are rarely addressed. This … [Read more...] about Project MATCH: Training for a Promotora Intervention
Community Health Worker (CHW) Certification and Training: A National Survey of Regionally and State-Based Programs
Increased utilization of community health workers (CHWs) in the U.S. is coupled with a growing interest in standardized training of, and formal credentialing requirements for, CHWs on the part of state legislatures and federal agencies. The purpose of this qualitative study is to provide a national overview of state policy and state involvement in more formal training and … [Read more...] about Community Health Worker (CHW) Certification and Training: A National Survey of Regionally and State-Based Programs
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
Community Health Worker Opportunities and the Affordable Care Act (ACA)
This short article demonstrates potential opportunities for community health workers under the new Affordable Care Act. The role of CHWs has more recently become legitimized as their value to improving the efficacy of care is increasingly recognized. The Maricopa County Department of Public Health discusses the potential roles of CHWs and funding opportunities to promote … [Read more...] about Community Health Worker Opportunities and the Affordable Care Act (ACA)