About Community Health Workers

Who are CHWs?

Community health workers (CHWs) are trusted, knowledgeable frontline health personnel who typically come from the communities they serve and have a shared life, cultural, and linguistic experience. CHWs serve as a liaison between health and social services and the community to facilitate access to services, improve health outcomes, and the quality and cultural sensitivity of service delivery.

CHWs bridge gaps between health and social services and the community. CHWs:

• Increase access to preventive health care and social services
• Reduce avoidable health care expenses
• Help service providers provide quality and culturally appropriate care
• Address the community conditions that impact health.

What do CHWs do?

CHWs work in a variety of settings including health care, public health, communities, schools, community-based organizations, and more.

• CHWs work with individuals to increase health knowledge, self-sufficiency, and access to care and resources.
• CHWs empower individuals and communities for better health through a range of activities such as system navigation, education, connection to resources, informal counseling, support, and advocacy.
• CHWs are effective in supporting health, reducing health disparities, and preventing chronic health conditions, injury, violence, and substance use disorders.