Healthforce center at UCSF

Supporting the Integration of Community Health Workers into Health Care Teams in California

Community health workers (CHWs) and promotores de salud are playing an increasingly important role in the delivery of high quality and equitable health related services, particularly to vulnerable populations. Using a Theory of Change framework, this report connects intervention and support opportunities across the spectrum of policy, care delivery and workforce development to drive collective action toward integrating this complex and critically important role into health care teams in California.

Integrating CHWs and promotores into more traditional clinical care models is proving to have direct impact on addressing social determinants of health, enhancing patient care, and improving access to health care and social services. Creating a sustainable community health workforce will require institutional and cultural change in health care systems as well as direct investment into community health and the existing models of care that have been actively working on-the-ground for decades to enhance the health and well-being of marginalized communities.

Here are some quotes from study participants:

“We want people to grow as CHWs in all levels, whether at the field level, program design/evaluation, supervisor, etc.”
—Medical Director

“I feel blessed at the moment. I am a trailblazer, and I like that. I would like to have the ability to train others as well.”
—Community Health Worker

“We are like the thread in the material. You don’t always see it, but it’s important. You are always winding and tying things together from the community to the medical field.”
—Community Health Worker

“It would be nice if all of us could work together and skill share. The promotora model has more knowledge about the community, interpersonal, and family matters that [clinicians] may not be tapping into. There is room to work together...”
—Social Work Lead/CHW Supervisor

Details

Authors

Susan Chapman,
Jennifer Schindel,
Jacqueline Miller

Date: July 6, 2017

Source: Healthforce Center at UCSF

Pages: 34

Report pdf

Healthforce Center at UCSF

Utilization of Community Health Workers in Emerging Care Coordination Models in California

Utilization of Community Health Workers in Emerging Care Coordination Models in California

Author(s):

Susan Chapman,
Onyi Okwandu,
Jennifer Schindel
Jacqueline Miller

Date: January 24, 2017

Source: Healthforce Center at UCSF

Pages: 14

Community health workers (CHWs) and promotores de salud are playing an increasingly important role in community-based and clinical care settings. This research, supported by the Blue Shield of California Foundation, represents the culmination of the first phase of a two-part project aimed at enhancing California's readiness to integrate CHWs and promotores in the health care delivery system.

This brief includes:

An overview of CHW/promotor definition and scope of work
The historical context for the emergence of these health professionals
A snapshot of evidence and impact
A discussion of state laws and policies that impact CHWs/promotores
Recommendations for future research, policies and training programs

Download report

https://healthforce.ucsf.edu/sites/healthforce.ucsf.edu/files/publication-pdf/BSCF%20CHW%20Policy%20Brief%20Final%201.4.17%5B1%5D.pdf

MPH Salud

Training, Consulting, and Program Implementation Services

A Community Health Worker is a trusted member of the community who empowers their peers through education and connections to health and social resources. Building on 35 years of experience in designing, implementing and improving Community Health Worker programs, we have taken our innovative, outcomes-driven Community Health Worker programming to offer you the tools to make it work in your system, with your providers, and for your population.

Training
Consulting
Guided Implementation

Phone : 956-968-3600

WEBPAGE

https://mhpsalud.org/how-we-can-help-you/training/

City Of Philadelphia DBHIDS: Peer Support Toolkit

Peer Support Specialist

City Of Philadelphia DBHIDS: Peer Support Toolkit

Module 1: Preparing the Organizational Culture
Module 2: Recruiting and Hiring Peer Staff
Module 3: Service Delivery
Module 4: Supervision and Retention

The interactive PDF format allows easy navigation among sections of the toolkit. The toolkit performs best when the PDF is downloaded to your device and opened in Adobe.

To download the PCCI Peer Support Toolkit (275 pages)

To learn more about the Peer Support Toolkit, be sure to take advantage of a quick tutorial in this YouTube video.