Recruitment, Training, and Roles of the Bilingual, Bicultural Navegantes: Developing a Specialized Workforce of Community Health Workers to Serve a Low-Income, Spanish-Speaking Population in Rhode Island

Authors: Meghan McCarthy, Katherine Barry, Cindy Estrada, Brenda Veliz, Damaris Rosales, Morgan Leonard, Anne S. De Groot

Bilingual Community Health Workers (CHW) are key team members who improve the ability of the clinic to provide care for and improve the health status of the large population of uninsured Spanish-speaking patients in Providence, RI. Clínica Esperanza/Hope Clinic (CEHC), a free healthcare clinic, developed an Advanced Navegante Training Program (ANTP). ANTP is a relatively low-cost, sustainable program that allows CHWs to access higher-paying jobs, and promote community health for the medically underserved.