Community Health Workers As Essential Partners To Promote Health Equity Lisa Renee Holderby...

Community Health Workers As Essential Partners To Promote Health Equity Lisa Renee Holderby Director, Health Equity Community Catalyst November 12, 2010

Community Catalyst, Inc.

30 Winter Street, 10th Fl.

Boston, MA 02108

617-338-6035

Fax: 617-451-5838

www.communitycatalyst.org

Presented by:Lisa Renee Holderby

Electronic copies of this presentation are available by calling 617-338-6035. Organizations seeking to distribute or otherwise make widespread use of this publication are asked to notify Community Catalyst.

Community Catalyst is a national non-profit advocacy organization that works with national, state and local consumer organizations, policymakers and foundations to build consumer and community leadership to improve the health care system.

We support consumer advocacy networks that impact state and federal health care policy, and ensure consumers have a seat at the table as health care decisions are made.

© Community Catalyst 2010

About Community Catalyst

Who Are Community Health Workers (CHWs)?


“What makes me different from the people I work with, my colleagues? I am who I serve.”

CHW from Springfield, MA


Community Health Workers

• frontline public health worker• trusted member of and/or has an unusually close

understanding of the community she/he serves • liaison/link/intermediary between health/social

services and the community • facilitate access• builds health knowledge in communities and

individuals


CHWs included in the ACA

Community Health Workers in Primary Care and Prevention


“We are meeting people where they are, just like a taxi, you know. We pick you up where you are and take you where you want to go.”

CHW from Boston, MA


Increase Access to Care

• Health insurance enrollment• Link communities to primary care • Increase the use of preventative care• Provide assistance to navigate the health care

system


Improving Quality

• Improve communication between providers and patients

• Enhance culturally appropriate services• Provide ongoing chronic disease self

management skills• Enhance patient satisfaction with health care

and support service providers


Promoting Health Equity

• Improve health outcomes for vulnerable and underserved populations

• Address social determinants of health• Assist communities to organize to address

root causes of health inequities

Supporting Community Health Workers



How Can You Support CHWs?

• Advocate for CHWs to be integrated into health care and human service teams and incorporated into newly created medical homes

• Seek sustainable funding for CHW programs and initiatives

• Encourage all funders and employers to adopt the community health worker term

• Support CHW organizations and CHW leadership development


Community Health Workers in MassachusettsImproving Health Care and Public Health

Report of the Massachusetts Department of Public HealthCommunity Health Worker Advisory Council

Deval Patrick, GovernorJudyAnn Bigby, MD, Secretary of Health and Human Services

John Auerbach, Commissioner of Public Health

December, 2009

Questions?


Lisa Renee HolderbyDirector, Health EquityCommunity CatalystNovember 12, 2010

Community health Workers As essential Partners to Promote Health Equity

Community Health Workers As Essential Partners To Promote Health Equity Lisa Renee Holderby...

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