How States Can Fund Community Health Workers through Medicaid to Improve People’s Health, Decrease Costs, and Reduce Disparities

Authors: Ellen Albritton

This brief explains how community health workers improve people’s health, reduce health care costs, and address barriers to care. The brief continues to discuss key questions regarding sustainable funding of CHW programs through Medicaid reimbursement for states that want to start or expand such programs. Case studies in Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New Mexico are presented, detailing how these states fund, train, certify, and integrate CHW programs. Finally, the authors discuss what state advocates need to know to move forward with building or expanding CHW programs in their state.