What is a Community Health Worker?
A Community Health Worker is a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of a community or has an unusually close understanding of the community served. Because of this trusted relationship, the CHW serves as a liaison/link/intermediary between health/social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery. A community health worker also builds individual and community capacity by increasing health
knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach,
community education, informal counseling, social support, and advocacy.
Community health workers (CHWs) help patients prevent costly medical expenses by supporting self-management and coaching patients in disease prevention.
Community health workers (CHWs) help patients adhere to provider recommendations by connecting them to community-based resources.
Community health workers (CHWs) help to reduce educational, cultural, and language barriers between patients and healthcare providers which is vital to quality care.
The Mississippi Community Health Workers Association (MSCHWA)
is a professional association advocating
for the community health workers of Mississippi.