Promoting the Health of the Community: Community Health Workers Describing Their Roles, Competencies, and Practice

Community health workers (CHWs) are essential members of the healthcare and public health professions, but there is a gap in the literature regarding their roles, skills, scope of practice, job settings, and national standards. This collection of contributions provides information about CHWs, their roles as change agents, integration into healthcare teams, and support and recognition of the CHW profession. The book supports the CHW definition as defined by the American Public Health Association and follows the framework of the nationally recognized roles of CHWs developed through the "The Community Health Worker (CHW) Core Consensus (C3) Project". It covers topics such as cultural mediation, care coordination, case management, advocating for individuals and communities, building individual and community capacity, implementing assessments, participating in evaluation and research, and uniting the workforce.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 428 pages
Publication date: 20 February 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Community health workers (CHWs) are crucial members of the healthcare and public health professions, playing a vital role in enhancing primary care capacity. Despite the significant expansion of CHW interventions, training programs, certification, and credentialing by state agencies, there remains a gap in the literature regarding the current roles, skills, scope of practice, job settings, and national standards of CHWs. This collection of contributions aims to address this gap by providing comprehensive information on CHWs, their roles as change agents in their communities, integration into healthcare teams, and support and recognition of the CHW profession.

The book aligns with the definition of a community health worker as defined by the American Public Health Association (APHA), Community Health Worker Section (2013), which states that a community health worker is a frontline public health worker who is trusted by and deeply understands the community they serve. The text follows the framework of nationally recognized roles of CHWs developed through the "The Community Health Worker (CHW) Core Consensus (C3) Project," a national consensus-building project. The chapters in the book explore various topics related to the roles of CHWs, including cultural mediation among individuals, communities, and health and social service systems; care coordination, case management, and system navigation; advocating for individuals and communities; building individual and community capacity; implementing individual and community assessments; participating in evaluation and research; and uniting the workforce to build capacity for a national association of community health workers.

This resource is a valuable tool for CHWs, as well as individuals interested in understanding the scope of practice of CHWs. It provides a comprehensive overview of the CHW profession, highlighting the critical contributions CHWs make to improving health outcomes and promoting equity in communities. By presenting the latest research, best practices, and case studies, the book equips professionals and stakeholders with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively support and collaborate with CHWs in their efforts to enhance the health and well-being of individuals and communities.

Weight: 706g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030563776
Edition number: 1st ed. 2021