Supporting Community Health Workers
Community health workers (CHWs) are a diverse and dedicated workforce that serves as a trusted link between health services and the communities they support. This workforce includes community health workers, promotoras, peer navigators, lay clinic staff and many other critical partners. Together, they provide health education, connection to care, and address non-medical factors like housing, nutrition, transportation, and more.
EHF recognizes that CHWs are part of a community-based approach to improving health outcomes and reducing preventable health differences in under-resourced communities. That is why it is critical to support, strengthen, and sustain CHWs in Texas. At the same time, it is also important for community-based organizations and community members to engage CHWs in new and different ways.
As trusted advocates, CHWs have a deep understanding and personal experience across the many issues that directly impact the health of the communities they serve. Across the country, they have demonstrated significant effectiveness in improving health outcomes while reducing health care costs.
By supporting this wide-ranging group as they work in communities, EHF is committed to expanding their ability to partner with community organizations to improve health outcomes outside of the health care system. EHF’s experience has shown that CHWs play a vital role in improving community health by increasing access to health services, building community capacity, and shifting the power imbalance in underserved communities. They are crucial to bridging the gap between the community and health care.
