Community Health Workers
Community health workers (CHW) are an important part of Wisconsin's public health and health care systems. They are the bridge between you and resources available in your community.
The Chronic Disease Prevention Program collaborates with partners to advance the sustainability and integration of the CHW workforce to promote equity and positive health outcomes for people in Wisconsin.
What is a community health worker?
CHWs, are the bridge that connect people to care and resources to help them be healthy. CHWs are community members who have lived experience in overcoming barriers to access, navigating systems, and using resources in the communities they serve. The primary goal of a CHW is to improve health outcomes of people in their communities.
CHWs can be found working in many different places like health departments, community organizations, hospitals, clinics, and schools. CHWs work under different job titles, including promotores(as) de salud, community health representatives, doulas, neighborhood navigators, patient navigators, and peer educators, just to name a few.
How to connect with a community health worker in your community
- Ask your provider or local health department to connect you with a CHW
- If your provider or health department isn’t familiar with CHWs or the impact of their work, you can share this page with them
- For more information or questions about CHWs, you can contact DHSCommunityHealthWorkers@dhs.wisconsin.gov
What does a community health worker do?
Help people access care and social services
A CHW can work alongside a community member to remove obstacles that get in the way of being the healthiest they can be. Some of these barriers might be related to transportation, housing, or access to healthy foods. CHWs can also help people learn how to navigate health and social service systems, so they can connect to the care and resources they need to stay healthy.
Advocate for people and their community
CHWs are members of the same communities they serve and have often had to deal with some of the same challenges that their clients are facing. This means they have a connection and understanding of the community.
When community members do not have the resources needed to be healthy, CHWs can advocate for resources the community needs to thrive.
Promote resilience in communities statewide
When community members have the power and knowledge to navigate the systems and access the resources they need to be healthy, this creates resilience and allows them to thrive. Through their work, CHWs help build resilience in communities and community members. This resilience helps reduce the impact of COVID-19 and/or future public health emergencies.
How do community health workers make a difference in their communities?
Community health workers across the nation
CHWs have been active in the United States for many decades. Before CHWs were hired in formal CHW positions, specialized health workers were making a positive impact in their communities by doing much of the same work that CHWs do today. Over the decades, the CHW workforce has continued to evolve and expand. CHWs have also formally organized themselves and advocated to professionalize CHW work.
Wisconsin efforts in supporting community health workers
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has used grant awards to support CHW work to improve health outcomes for conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, asthma, HIV, and maternal and child health. There are a growing number of other programs and units within DHS that engage CHWs in their work.
Community health worker success stories in Wisconsin
- Meeting the Hmong Community Where They Are, P-03431a (PDF)
- Meadowood Health Partnership: Bringing Stability and Building Trust, P-03431 (PDF)
Resources for education, awareness, and promotion
Use these resources to learn about CHWs and answer the question “what does a CHW do?” Leverage our library of free resources to promote your own CHW program and/or to educate people on the benefits of investing in CHWs. Check out our specially designed toolkits with ready to use and customizable materials. In addition to the toolkits, we have videos featuring actual CHWs from Wisconsin. Simply download and use for presentations, at events, on websites, social media platforms, and more.
Community Health Worker Toolkit: Resources to build the understanding of community health workers' work in your community
The toolkit provides materials community health workers can use to raise awareness and educate the public about your important work.
Some materials are ready-to-use, while others can be customized for your unique message.
Use what works best for you, but feel free to customize the materials we’ve provided as a template.
- Toolkit for general population summary document, P-03563, in English (PDF)
- Toolkit for general population summary document, P-03563s, in Spanish (PDF)
- Toolkit for general population summary document, P-03563s, in Hmong (PDF)
Contents of toolkit
Use this to make an introduction to people who need to know about CHWs and what they do. Print it, post it, or email it!
Community Health Worker Toolkit for the General Population one-page fact sheet, P-03563A. Available in English, Hmong, and Spanish.
Sharing tip sheet, P-03563b, available in English, Hmong, and Spanish. Get tips and best practices on how to reach your community and get your message out
Posters, P-03563c. available in English, Hmong, and Spanish. Use this ready-made poster to raise general awareness about who CHWs are and what they do.
Use this to help raise awareness and show your support right on your profile picture. Ask your friends and family to follow suit!
Posts for Facebook or Instagram. Use these to increase your reach through social media. Share your success stories and encourage your clients to share their positive experiences. You can use the provided text or create your own message. Remember to encourage likes and shares!
“I am a community health worker”
“I support community health workers”
“I ally with community health workers”
Use this background to raise awareness and show your support during Zoom meetings with clients, coworkers, family, or friends.
Community Health Worker Toolkit for Wisconsin Policy Makers and Community Leadership
Resources to implement and promote community health workers and community health worker programs
The toolkit provides guides and materials that you can use to raise awareness and help educate potential advocates about community health workers.
Some materials are ready-to-use, and others can be used as a guide to maximize your reach and message.
Use what works best for you, but feel free to customize the materials we’ve provided as a template.
- Toolkit for key decision makers summary document in English, P-03562 (PDF)
- Toolkit for key decision makers summary document in Spanish, P-03562s (PDF)
- Toolkit for key decision makers summary document in Hmong, P-03562h (PDF)
Contents of toolkit
Use this customizable PowerPoint template (PDF) to make formal presentations to key stakeholders and organizations. We’ve provided several useful slides and talking tips, but you can easily make this your own.
Email staff at DHSCommunityHealthWorkers@dhs.wisconsin.gov for a copy of the PowerPoint slides - available in English, Hmong and Spanish.
Use this ready-made flyer, P03562a (available in English, Hmong, and Spanish) to show how community health workers and health care partnerships make a positive impact.
Advocacy flyer, P-03562b. Available in English, Hmong, and Spanish. Use this as a step-by-step guide to identify potential advocates and deliver your message with an impact.
Add this to your organization’s website and encourage your partners to do the same.
Instructions for adding a button to a website, P-03562c in English, Hmong, and Spanish
Needing original files? Reach out!
If you would like access to the original files, contact us today at DHSCommunityHealthWorkers@dhs.wisconsin.gov.
Community health worker videos and additional resources
Community health worker videos
Enjoy videos of CHWs from across the state of Wisconsin and learn how they are making a positive impact on the health of their communities. View them, share them, or download them - choose the options that fit your situation. Download a high-quality copy of the videos from our Vimeo page.
Hear from CHWs Blanca, CherPao, Darreon, and Olga and discover all the unique ways each one is making a difference.
Watch these videos in Hmong of CHWs Chia and CherPao. Learn how Chia in Wood County and CherPao in Sheboygan County are working to make a difference.
Watch these videos in Spanish of CHWs Olga and Blanca. Learn how Olga in Wood County and Blanca in the Madison area are working to make a difference.
Advertising
Consider using digital advertising tools to amplify the message about CHWs.
Use these banner ads for digital campaigns to acknowledge and thank CHWs for their work. These make great tools to generate interest if you’re hosting a big event such as a health fair or celebrating an awareness day.
“My CHW connects me with care”
Mobile
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728 x 90
“Thank you CHWs”
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Thank You CHWs
I found a health ally
Thank You CHWs
I found a health ally
Use these photos of actual community health workers to add authenticity to your CHW materials
Blanca
CherPao
Chia
Darreon
Olga
Add these images to your promotional items, like t-shirts or coffee tumblers, to thank CHWs for the work they do for our communities.
"Thank You CHWs" blue and white
"Thanks You CHWs" multicolor
Questions? Reach out!
If you would like access to these or need any assistance with the promotional resources, contact us today at DHSCommunityHealthWorkers@dhs.wisconsin.gov.
How can community health workers help lower health care costs?
When CHWs are part of care teams, there is a history of lower health care costs. Community members living with chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, HIV, or asthma will need to learn how to manage the condition(s) in order to live well. It can be hard to figure out how to manage a condition along with all the other things in life. CHWs can help community members create a self-management plan for their condition(s) that fits into their lives. When a condition is well-managed, it is less likely to result in visits to the emergency department or having to stay overnight at the hospital. This means better health for community members and lower healthcare costs overall.
Research studies have shown that CHWs are a good financial “return on investment.” View a summary of research studies that show the effectiveness of CHWs across multiple settings and health conditions.
- How Community Health Workers can be a Cost-Effective Strategy to Reducing Emergency Department Use - from MHP Salud
- For every dollar spent on Community Hub activities for members there was a savings of $2.36. Pathways Community HUB Institute – a model for CHW work that focuses on building a sustainable community-based care coordination network.
- Evidence-Based Community Health Worker Program Addresses Unmet Social Needs And Generates Positive Return On Investment: A return on investment analysis of a randomized controlled trial of a standardized community health worker program that addresses unmet social needs for disadvantaged individuals. Health Affairs, 39(2), 207-213. Kangovi, S., Mitra, N., Grande, D., Long, J. A., & Asch, D. A. (2020).
- Return on Investment Education (ROI) Tool - from MHP Salud. A comprehensive guide with examples from different CHW employment settings.
Learn more about community health workers
- Envision Equity – CHW training and technical assistance center
- NACHW (National Association of Community Health Workers) – Webinars, CHW toolkits, advocacy, and learning opportunities. Convenes a national CHW conference
- CCHA - Center for Community Health Alignment - at the University of South Carolina. CHW best practice toolkits, CHW training, and more
- Penn Center for Community Health Workers – at the University of Pennsylvania. CHW research, training & education, and consultation
- CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – CHW toolkit, policy resources, and peer-reviewed journal articles
- Definition of a community health worker - the American Public Health Association
- Designing an Effective CHW Program - from the Center for Community Health Alignment. Best practice toolkit with key considerations in the early stages of planning a CHW program
- Hiring Practices That Support State Integration of Community Health Workers - from ASTHO. Guidance on developing hiring practices, job descriptions, identifying and interviewing candidates, including sample interview questions
- On the Front Lines of Health Equity: CHWs - from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Information on the benefits of CHW programs, different settings where CHWs may work, CHW program planning and implementation, as well as info on CHW roles, training, and finding mechanisms
- Considerations for Recruiting, Hiring Community Health Workers - from Patient Engagement HIT. Covers identifying candidates and hiring and supporting CHWs once they are on staff
- Checklist for Inclusion of CHWs into Health Care Settings - from the CDC. Includes planning, implementation, evaluation, and sustaining a CHW program
- Recruiting, CHW Hiring, and Employment Considerations - from the Rural Health Information Hub
- Tips for Recruiting & Hiring Promoters(as) and Community Health Workers as Employees - from MHP Salud. Tips on how to retain and recognize CHWs, as well as common hiring problems and how to address them
- Great Rivers HUB – in-person core competency training in the La Crosse area
- Milwaukee AHEC (Area Health Education Center)– Virtual CHW core competency training
- Unite WI – in-person core competency training in Milwaukee
- CHW Training Program – a workforce development initiative to increase the number of CHWs across Wisconsin. Trainees participating in core competency training, that follows a validated curriculum, may be eligible for financial support.
- NASHP (National Academy for State Health Policy) - state-by-state details on CHW certification & training, services & reimbursement, and legislation
- APHA (American Public Health Association) CHW member section, convene an annual meeting
- Pathways Community HUB Institute – a model for CHW work that focuses on building a sustainable community-based care coordination network
- Financing Strategies to Support the CHW Workforce - 2019 presentation from ASTHO reviewing the different options available to finance CHW work, including managed care contracts, State Plan Amendments, Medicaid fee schedules, and including in core operating budgets
- Sustainable Financing of CHW Employment - 2020 brief from The National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW).
- MHP Salud – non-profit organization that provides training, consulting, and support to CHW programs. Content available in Spanish and English
- WPHA (Wisconsin Public Health Association) – CHW section with CHW representatives from Wisconsin, convene an annual public health conference
- Kangovi, S., Mitra, N., Grande, D., Long, J. A., & Asch, D. A. (2020). Evidence-Based Community Health Worker Program Addresses Unmet Social Needs And Generates Positive Return On Investment: A return on investment analysis of a randomized controlled trial of a standardized community health worker program that addresses unmet social needs for disadvantaged individuals. Health Affairs, 39(2), 207-213.
- Rosenthal, E. L., Rush, C. H., & Allen, C. G. (2016). Understanding Scope and Competencies: A Contemporary Look at the United States Community Health Workers Field. Houston, TX: University of Texas School of Public Health. Institute for Health Policy.
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Contact us for more information
Wisconsin Department of Health Services
Chronic Disease Prevention Program
1 West Wilson St.
Madison, WI 53701-2659
DHSCommunityHealthWorkers@dhs.wisconsin.gov