Foundation for Healthy Generations 2014
Community Health Workers: Making it Real
Kathy Burgoyne, [email protected]
Foundation for Healthy Generations 2014
“What should health and health care in America look like? And how do we
foster new thinking and breakthrough initiatives that will get us there from
where we are today?”
Fannie E Ripple Foundation
Foundation for Healthy Generations 2014
What is Health ?
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social
well being and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity.”
World Health Organization
Foundation for Healthy Generations 2014
Making Healthy Choices the Easy Choices
Social Circumstances:
• Housing
• Education
• Employment
• Health Care
• Access to services
• Safety
• Sidewalks
• Availability of Healthy Food
Systems and Policies Matter
Foundation for Healthy Generations 2014
Relationships Matter
Quality Social Connections
• Family
• Friends
• Community
• Culture
Peer support programs are emerging as highly effective and empowering ways for people to manage health issues.
Foundation for Healthy Generations 2014
Supporting Health by Building Connections
Between Neighbors
Between Neighbors and Systems
Between Systems and Policy makers
Between Neighbors and Policy Makers
Foundation for Healthy Generations 2014
The Glue: Community Health Workers
• frontline workers who help individuals and communities to improve their health
• trusted member of and/or has an unusually close understanding of the community serve
• a unique position to engage individuals and populations that professionals have difficulty reaching.
• founded on natural helping systems within communities and is based on peer-to-peer relationships rather than provider-client relationships
Foundation for Healthy Generations 2014
“Trust is the conduit of influence”
The trusting relationship enables the CHW to serve as a link between systems and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery systems.
(Amy Cuddy, social psychologist)
Foundation for Healthy Generations 2014
What do Community Health Workers do?
• Outreach
• Cultural mediation
• Navigation: help people get the services they need
• Create more effective linkages between communities and care systems
• Provide culturally appropriate health education and self-management support
• Advocate for underserved individuals and community needs
• Informal counseling and social support
• Build individual and community capacity in addressing health issues
• Some direct services (e.g. screening)
Foundation for Healthy Generations 2014
Where do CHWs Work?
• social service organizations
• outpatient care centers
• education programs
• public health departments
• hospitals
• physicians’ offices
• behavioral health programs
Foundation for Healthy Generations 2014
Are CHWs Effective?
• Population Health: CHWs are effective in preventing and controlling chronic conditions
• Patient Care: CHWs improve the patient experience
• Cost Effective. ROI average is 3:1
Foundation for Healthy Generations 2014
Different Models
Healthy Living Collaborative of Southwest Washington
Working together, to make living better - for everyone.
Foundation for Healthy Generations 2014
Salishan
Partners• Tacoma Housing Authority• Salishan Community Association• Community Health Clinic• Tacoma Pierce County Health Department
Community Health Workers• 18 Natural Helpers• Ages 16 – 70• Multi-ethnic: Latino, Cambodian, African American,
Vietnamese and Caucasian
Foundation for Healthy Generations 2014
Helping neighborhoods become healthier from within:
• Community Kitchens
• Community Garden
• Senior Bingo
• Youth Bike Club
• Outreach
Community Driven Health Improvements
Foundation for Healthy Generations 2014
360 Degree Cultural Translators
Trust and Credibility Lead to Systems Change
• Public Health and Housing Authority no-smoking policy.
• Housing Authority methamphetamine testing program.
• Community Association community builder position.
• Community Health Care onsite office and In Person Assister.
• Tacoma City Council proposed transportation cuts.
Foundation for Healthy Generations 2014
What’s Next?
• Community Health Care
Targeted population
Prevention/Management Services
Medical referral
Share data
Share staff