Community Health Worker Resources
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A community health worker (CHW) is a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member or has a particularly good understanding of the community served. A CHW serves as a liaison between health and social services and the community to facilitate access to services and to improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery.
The resources on this page are collected from programs across CDC that host materials pertinent to CHWs. These resources should be helpful not only to CHWs but also to those who work with them. Each description identifies which of the following audiences are most likely to find the resources useful:
- CHWs, who might be known by other names (e.g., promotores de salud, coaches, lay health advisors, community health representatives, peer mentors, peer navigators)
- Certified educators, who might be CHWs or belong to another allied clinical group
- Community-based organizations, including faith-based organizations and other community groups that work with or host CHWs
- Health insurers, purchasers, and payers―including Medicaid, Medicare, commercial insurers, and employers―who have questions about reimbursing for the services that CHWs provide
- Healthcare providers, who want to incorporate CHWs into their practices
- Public health professionals who work with CHWs and other groups listed here
- Members of the general public, who might have engaged with CHWs and want to understand more about their role
If you identify a CDC resource not listed here, see an error, or have additional feedback, please email the NCCDPHP Community Health Worker Workgroup.
Asthma
Evidence Summary: Control Asthma
CDC’s 6|18 Initiative includes a payer intervention to expand access to home visits by licensed professionals or qualified lay health workers to improve asthma self-management education and reduce home asthma triggers. This intervention, based on the 2007 National Asthma Education and Prevention Program guidelines, expands access for individuals whose asthma is not well-controlled with medical management and intensive self-management education. Evidence cited references the engagement of CHWs to provide asthma self-management education as well as to decrease exposure to indoor asthma triggers.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: 6|18 Initiative, National Asthma Control Program
Learning As We Grow: Evaluation Highlights from National Asthma Control Program Grantees [PDF-18.5MB]
This is a compilation of evaluation success stories; use of CHWs can be found in the descriptions from Texas, Massachusetts, and Hawaii.
Type of Resource: Report
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: National Asthma Control Program, 6|18 Initiative
CDC’s National Asthma Control Program Evaluation Resources
This web page hosts evaluation resources relevant to asthma and other public health programs. The document “Learning As We Grow: Evaluation Highlights from National Asthma Control Program Grantees” is part of the materials on this page.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: National Asthma Control Program, 6|18 Initiative
Asthma Control: Home-Based Multi-Trigger, Multicomponent Environmental Interventions—Children and Adolescents with Asthma
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends the use of home-based multi-trigger, multicomponent interventions with an environmental focus for children and adolescents with asthma to improve overall quality of life and productivity. These interventions involve home visits by trained personnel who may be CHWs. This finding is based on a systematic review of evidence.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, National Asthma Control Program
Cancer
Improving Cancer Prevention and Control: How State Health Agencies Can Support Patient Navigators and Community Health Workers
This issue brief, written with substantive contributions from CDC staff, focused on how state health agencies and ASTHO members can further bolster the sustainability of patient navigator and community health worker programs to support health reform and improve health outcomes for all populations.
Type of Resource: Report
Language: English
Audiences: Community-based organizations, health insurers, purchasers, and payers, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Cancer Prevention and Control
AMIGAS: Ayudando a las Mujeres con Información, Guía, y Amor para su Salud (Helping Women with Information, Guidance, and Love for their Health)
AMIGAS is a bilingual educational outreach intervention designed to help promotoras ( CHWs) and other lay health educators increase cervical cancer screening among Hispanics who have rarely or never had a Pap test.
Type of Resource: Educational materials
Language: English, Spanish
Audiences: Certified educators, community health workers, community-based organizations, NGOs, general public, healthcare providers
Related CDC programs: Gynecologic Cancers, Cancer Prevention and Control
Community Cancer Screening Program: Implementing Interventions to Address Disparities
The Cancer Coalition of South Georgia hired health navigators to help implement interventions recommended by the Community Preventive Services Task Force to reduce cancer-related disparities in a rural, medically underserved region.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Cancer Prevention and Control
Black Corals: A Gem of a Cancer Screening Program in South Carolina
In rural South Carolina, where many African American women have limited access to lifesaving medical screenings, the St. James-Santee Family Health Center launched Black Corals to increase cancer screening among women. The Community Guide served as a resource to help the Black Corals program dramatically increase breast and cervical cancer screenings in their community. Activities included promoted events and educational sessions in local churches, hair salons, and restaurants throughout the community.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Cancer Prevention and Control
Increasing Cancer Screening: Group Education for Clients—Breast Cancer
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends group education to increase breast cancer screening. Interventions are conducted by health professionals or by trained laypeople. This finding is based on a systematic review of evidence.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Cancer Prevention and Control
Increasing Cancer Screening: One-on-One Education for Clients—Breast Cancer
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends the use of one-on-one education to increase screening for breast cancer. Interventions are delivered by healthcare workers or other health professionals, lay health advisors, or volunteers. This finding is based on a systematic review of evidence.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Cancer Prevention and Control
Increasing Cancer Screening: One-on-One Education for Clients—Cervical Cancer
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends the use of one-on-one education to increase screening for cervical cancer. Interventions are delivered by healthcare workers or other health professionals, lay health advisors, or volunteers. This finding is based on a systematic review of evidence.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Cancer Prevention and Control
Increasing Cancer Screening: One-on-One Education for Clients—Colorectal Cancer
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends the use of one-on-one education to increase screening for colorectal cancer. Interventions are delivered by healthcare workers or other health professionals, lay health advisors, or volunteers. This finding is based on a systematic review of evidence.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Cancer Prevention and Control
Refining the Patient Navigation Role in a Colorectal Cancer Screening Program: Results From an Intervention Study
This study was part of a randomized intervention trial investigating the efficacy of patient navigation in increasing colonoscopy completion . It examine s navigators’ activities to lessen barriers to colonoscopy screening in a medically disadvantaged population.
Type of Resource: Journal article
Language: English
Audiences: CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, general public, health insurers, purchasers, and payers, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Cancer Prevention and Control
Use of Community Health Workers and Patient Navigators to Improve Cancer Outcomes Among Patients Served by Federally Qualified Health Centers: A Systematic Literature Review
Systematic literature review that identified studies of cancer-related CHW/ Patient Navigator (PN) interventions in Federally Qualified Health Centers described the components and characteristics of those interventions. Findings may guide future CHW/PN intervention development and evaluation.
Type of Resource: Journal article
Language: English
Audiences: CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, general public, health insurers, purchasers, and payers, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Cancer Prevention and Control
New Hampshire Colorectal Cancer Screening Program Patient Navigation Model Replication Manual
The New Hampshire Colorectal Cancer Screening Program (NHCRCSP) patient navigation model has been highly effective in increasing the completion and quality of colonoscopy screening among these groups. The results of a comparison group study showed that NHCRCSP-navigated patients were 11 times more likely to complete colonoscopy than non-navigated patients. Given its success, CDC and NHCRCSP developed a manual to help others replicate the model. This manual provides specific information and tools to replicate the NHCRCSP patient navigation model. We provide detailed information on implementing a model that improves completion of colonoscopy and follow-up, increases patients’ knowledge about their tests and results, and improves overall screening quality and patient satisfaction.
Type of Resource: Toolkit
Language: English
Audiences: CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, general public, health insurers, purchasers, and payers, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Cancer Prevention and Control
New York: Increasing Cancer Screenings, Saving Lives
The New York State Department of Health Bureau of Cancer Prevention and Control coordinates multiple programs based on Community Preventive Services Task Force recommendations to increase the screening rates for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers. Interventions include client reminders, small media, mass media, and programs to reduce structural barriers.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Cancer Prevention and Control
Cancer Screening: Multicomponent Interventions—Breast Cancer
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends multicomponent interventions to increase breast cancer screening. Some components may be conducted by health professionals, CHWs, or patient navigators. This finding is based on a systematic review of evidence.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Cancer Prevention and Control
Cancer Screening: Multicomponent Interventions—Cervical Cancer
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends multicomponent interventions to increase cervical cancer screening. Some components may be conducted by health professionals, CHWs, or patient navigators. This finding is based on a systematic review of evidence.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Cancer Prevention and Control
Cancer Screening: Multicomponent Interventions—Colorectal Cancer
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends multicomponent interventions to increase colorectal cancer screening. Some components may be conducted by health professionals, CHWs, or patient navigators. This finding is based on a systematic review of evidence.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Cancer Prevention and Control
Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Control: Interventions Engaging Community Health Workers
This web page provides information and supporting materials for the Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommendation about interventions engaging CHWs to prevent cardiovascular disease. It includes the CPSTF finding and rationale statement and a summary of the evidence that serves as the basis for this recommendation.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Control: Team-Based Care to Improve Blood Pressure Control
This web page provides information and supporting materials for the Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommendation about team-based care to improve blood pressure control. It includes the CPSTF finding and rationale statement and a summary of the evidence that serves as the basis for this recommendation.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
A Community Health Worker Training Resource
A Community Health Worker Training Resource for Preventing Heart Disease and Stroke (2015) is an evidence-based, plain-language training resource and reference for CHWs, as well as a curriculum that health educators, nurses, and other instructors can use to train CHWs.
Type of Resource: Training
Language: English
Audiences: Certified educators, CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, general public, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Technical Assistance Guide: States Implementing Community Health Worker Strategies [PDF-514KB]
This resource serves as a support tool for funded state partners who are implementing CHW strategies in health systems and community–clinical linkages. Others working in these areas might also find the information useful.
Type of Resource: Training
Language: English
Audiences: Certified educators, CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, general public, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Addressing Chronic Disease through Community Health Workers [PDF-1.10MB]
This resource provides evidence demonstrating the value and impact of CHWs in preventing and managing a variety of chronic diseases. In addition, it offers descriptions of chronic disease programs that are engaging CHWs, provides examples of state legislative action, makes recommendations for an integrated and sustainable CHW workforce in the public health arena, and describes resources that can assist state health departments and others in making progress with CHWs.
Type of Resource: Report
Language: English
Audiences: Health insurers, purchasers, and payers, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Implementation Guide: The St. Johnsbury Community Health Team Model [PDF-1.64MB]
This resource is a comprehensive overview of the core elements of the St. Johnsbury, Vermont, Community Health Team (CHT) Model. This guide provides information on how to start a CHT in your community along with steps for planning an evaluation for a CHW program.
Type of Resource: Training
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Fotonovela: How to Control Your Fat and Cholesterol [PDF-3.69MB]
This resource was designed for CHWs and promotores de salud to read with community members to help them learn about how to control their cholesterol. The Spanish version is available as Fotonovela: Cómo controlar la grasa y el colesterol.
Type of Resource: Educational materials
Language: English
Audiences: Certified educators, CHWs, community-based organizations, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Fotonovela: Cómo controlar la grasa y el colesterol [PDF-4.08MB]
This resource was designed for CHWs and promotores de salud to read with community members to help them learn about how to control their cholesterol. The English version is available as Fotonovela: How to Control Your Fat and Cholesterol.
Type of Resource: Educational materials
Language: Spanish
Audiences: Certified educators, CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Promotora Guide: How to Control Your Fat and Cholesterol [PDF-783KB]
This resource serves as a job aide for CHWs and promotores de salud to use in conjunction with the fotonovela How to Control Your Fat and Cholesterol. The Spanish version is available as Guía de la promotora: Cómo controlar su consumo de grasa y colesterol —Aprenda a controlar su colesterol.
Type of Resource: Training
Language: English
Audiences: Certified educators, CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
This resource serves as a job aide for CHWs and promotores de salud to use in conjunction with the fotonovela Cómo control ar la grasa y el colesterol. The English version is available as Promotora Guide: How to Control Your Fat and Cholesterol.
Type of Resource: Training
Language: Spanish
Audiences: Certified educators, CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Community Health Workers and Million Hearts® [PDF-308KB]
This fact sheet is about the CHW’s role in the Million Hearts® Initiative. This resource provides information on how CHWs, promotores de salud, CHWs, and others can work together with CDC and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to help reach Million Hearts® goals. Specifically, it shows how CHWs can support the healthcare needs of people at risk for high blood pressure and cholesterol.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: Certified educators, CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, general public, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Community Health Workers and Million Hearts® [PDF-437KB]
This fact sheet is about the CHW’s role in the Million Hearts® Initiative. This resource provides information on how CHWs, promotores de salud , CHWs, and others can work together with CDC and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to help reach Million Hearts® goals. Specifically, it shows how CHWs can support the healthcare needs of people at risk for high blood pressure and cholesterol.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: Spanish
Audiences: Certified educators, CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, general public, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
This resource highlights the structure, processes, and outcomes of an initiative in the Mississippi Delta that integrates CHWs in healthcare facilities, barbershops, and churches. Also outlined are the goals and objectives of the initiative and the reach and impact as of 2014.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: Certified educators, CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
This resource highlights the structure, processes, and outcomes of the St. Johnsbury, Vermont, Community Health Team, which includes CHWs. The team model aims to improve the coordination of care to address chronic disease conditions. Also outlined are the goals and objectives of the initiative and the reach and impact as of 2012.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: Certified educators, CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
The second half of this web page provides links to fact sheets and training resources for CHWs working on hypertension prevention.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: Certified educators, CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
St. Johnsbury Vermont Community Health Team: Evaluation Summary [PDF-617KB]
This resource highlights a mixed-method evaluation intended to 1) describe the program; 2) identify practices and lessons that other programs might consider using; and 3) determine the effect the Community Health Team (including CHWs) model has on patient outcomes related to quality of life, hypertension, and healthcare use.
Type of Resource: Report
Language: English
Audiences: Community-based organizations, NGOs, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
This resource is a synopsis of the article “Do State Community Health Worker Laws Align with Best Available Evidence?” published in October 2015 in the Journal of Community Health. The authors of this article sought to help states make informed decisions by identifying the core policy components of effective CHW policies and assessing the extent to which existing state laws include these components.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
This resource is a synopsis of the article “Community Health Workers ‘101’ for Providers and Other Stakeholders” published in the July/September issue of Journal of Ambulatory Care Management.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Science-in-Brief: A Cost Analysis of a Rural Community Health Worker Program [PDF-149KB]
This resource is a synopsis of the article “A Cost Analysis of a Rural Community Health Worker Program in Rural Vermont” published in June 2013 in the Journal of Community Health. In this article, the authors described the cost analysis conducted as a part of the first phase of a comprehensive evaluation of a CHW program in rural Vermont. This CHW program helps people access social and economic services to improve their life conditions and thus reduce the risk of, or effectively manage, chronic conditions.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
This resource is a synopsis of the article “Cost-Effectiveness of Nurse Practitioner/Community Health Worker Care to Reduce Cardiovascular Health Disparities” published in April 2013 in the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. In this article, the authors summarize the outcomes and cost-effectiveness analysis of a cardiovascular disease risk reduction program delivered by nurse practitioner/CHW teams versus enhanced usual care. The program aimed to improve cholesterol, blood pressure, and hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) levels (a measure of diabetes control) among patients in federally qualified community health centers in major cities.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
This resource is a synopsis of the article “Effectiveness of a Community Health Worker Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Program in Public Health and Health Care Settings” published in January 2013 in the American Journal of Public Health. In this article, the authors describe the Colorado Heart Healthy Solutions CHW program implemented by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment in clinical and community settings. The program aimed to reduce risk for coronary heart disease among residents in 34 Colorado counties.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Science-in-Brief: Community Outreach and Cardiovascular Health (COACH) Trial [PDF-365KB]
This resource is a synopsis of the article “Community Outreach and Cardiovascular Health (COACH) Trial: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Nurse Practitioner/Community Health Worker Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction in Urban Community Health Centers” published in September 2011 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality Outcomes. In this article, the authors describe the COACH trial, which engaged 525 patients in urban community health centers to evaluate the effectiveness of a cardiovascular disease risk reduction intervention.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Science-in-Brief: Community Health Workers: Part of the Solution [PDF-285KB]
This resource is a synopsis of the article “Community Health Workers: Part of the Solution” published in the July 2010 issue of Health Affairs. In this article, the authors highlight approaches states have taken to expand CHWs’ roles and strengthen CHW financial support so that CHW positions are sustainable over time. The authors present two case examples, Massachusetts and Minnesota, both of which initiated comprehensive changes in policies and systems to support CHWs. Notably, Minnesota has legislation that makes CHW services reimbursable under Medicaid, and the state regulates CHW training, supervision, enrollment criteria, and billing policy. In Massachusetts, broad-based policies combined with consistent and powerful advocacy from the leaders of the CHW workforce, together with state public health partners, have secured the ongoing integration of CHWs in state health reform efforts.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Best Practices Guide for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
The Best Practices Guide for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention describes and summarizes scientific evidence behind eight effective strategies for lowering high blood pressure and cholesterol levels that can be implemented in healthcare systems and that involve community-clinical links. The guide is a resource for state and local health departments, decision makers, public health professionals, and other stakeholders interested in using proven strategies to improve cardiovascular health. It includes a section about the role of CHWs called Integrating Community Health Workers on Clinical Care Teams and in the Community.
Type of Resource: Webpage
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Diabetes
Effectiveness of Community Health Workers in the Care of Persons with Diabetes
This CDC staff-authored paper evaluated the effectiveness of CHWs in the care of people with diabetes and concluded that interventions involving CHWs showed some improvements in participant knowledge, behavior, and physiological measures and decreased hospital admissions, particularly in minority populations.
Type of Resource: Journal article
Language: English
Audiences: Health insurers, purchasers, and payers, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Division of Diabetes Translation
Road to Health Toolkit
Road to Health Toolkit resources were developed for CHWs and educators working with African-American or Hispanic/Latino populations at risk for type 2 diabetes. Resources include the toolkit and all its components, a training guide and video, and an evaluation guide. Training and technical assistance resources are also available.
Type of Resource: Training
Language: English
Audiences: Certified educators, CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: National Diabetes Education Program
Kit El camino hacia la buena salud (Road to Health Toolkit in Spanish)
Kit El camino hacia la buena salud resources were developed for CHWs and educators working with African-American or Hispanic/Latino populations at risk for type 2 diabetes. Resources include the toolkit and all its components, a training guide and video, and an evaluation guide. Training and technical assistance resources are also available.
Type of Resource: Training
Language: Spanish
Audiences: Certified educators, CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: National Diabetes Education Program
National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) Toolkits
This web page contains an NDEP collection of toolkits related to diabetes prevention and control.
Type of Resource: Training
Language: English, Spanish
Audiences: Certified educators, CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: National Diabetes Education Program
The In-Between People—Community Health Workers in the Circle of Care
Community Health Representatives (CHRs), described by one CHR as “in-between people,” serve as bridges between the healthcare system and their communities. This 21-minute podcast, developed by the Native Diabetes Wellness Program, documents the critical role of CHWs.
Type of Resource: Training
Language: English, Spanish
Audiences: CHWs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Native Diabetes Wellness Program, Division of Diabetes Translation
The “In-Between People”: Participation of Community Health Representatives in Diabetes Prevention and Care in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities [PDF-367KB]
Respected members of American Indian and Alaska Native communities are a critical resource in helping communities mobilize efforts in diabetes prevention and care. Possessing cultural and historical knowledge and training in health promotion and social support, community health representatives are uniquely equipped to broker the needed relationship between a world shaped by culture and history and the world of conventional scientific knowledge. CHRs are bridges distinctly positioned to connect these two worlds.
Type of Resource: Journal article
Language: English
Audiences: Community health workers, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Native Diabetes Wellness Program, Division of Diabetes Translation
Community Health Workers/Promotores de Salud: Critical Connections in Communities [PDF-229KB]
This report is the CDC Division of Diabetes Translation’s position statement supporting CHWs.
Type of Resource: Report
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Division of Diabetes Translation
Do It for them! But for You, Too. (¡Hazlo por ellos! Pero por ti también) [PDF-3.87MB]
This diabetes fotonovela describes simple ways to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes, especially if a person has a family history of the condition.
Type of Resource: Educational materials
Language: English, Spanish
Audiences: Certified educators, CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, general public, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: National Diabetes Education Program
Stories to Reach, Teach, and Heal [PDF-2.88MB]
Over the ages and across the cultures and continents, stories have served to reach, teach, and speak for people in times of hardship and illness. CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation developed a guide: Stories to Reach, Teach, and Heal: A Guide for Diabetes Health Educators. The stories illustrate how health educators can use storytelling to share wisdom and inspiration.
Type of Resource: Educational materials
Language: English
Audiences: CHWs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Native Diabetes Wellness Program, National Diabetes Education Program, Division of Diabetes Translation
Health Is Life in Balance: The Diabetes Education in Tribal Schools K-12 Curriculum
This curriculum offers culturally relevant and scientifically based teachings for grades K–4, 5–8, and 9–12. The National Institutes of Health developed the curriculum in collaboration with eight tribal colleges and universities, the CDC Native Diabetes Wellness Program, and the Indian Health Service’s Division of Diabetes Treatment and Prevention.
Type of Resource: Educational materials
Language: English
Audiences: CHWs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Native Diabetes Wellness Program, Division of Diabetes Translation
Diabetes Publications and Resources
These diabetes educational resources support the work of CHWs and other educators. Resources include audio and video recordings, curricula, and publications.
Type of Resource: Educational materials
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Native Diabetes Wellness Program, Division of Diabetes Translation
Eagle Books for Early Readers
The four-volume Eagle Book series was written by Georgia Perez, a veteran community health representative for the Nambe Pueblo. The books convey to Native children healthy ways of living that are rooted in traditional Native values. Additional resources that coordinate with the books are also available on this web page.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: CHWs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Native Diabetes Wellness Program, Division of Diabetes Translation
Eagle Books: Through The Eyes of The Eagle [PDF-22.3MB]
Through The Eyes of The Eagle introduces Rain That Dances, a young boy who discovers an unhappy eagle. Mr. Eagle is tearful because many of the people in the community are developing type 2 diabetes. The wise eagle reminds the boy of his ancestors’ healthy ways.
Type of Resource: Educational materials
Language: English
Audiences: CHWs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Native Diabetes Wellness Program, Division of Diabetes Translation
Eagle Books: Knees Lifted High [PDF-7.53MB]
In Knees Lifted High, the second volume in the Eagle Books for Early Readers series, Rain That Dances introduces his best friend, Thunder Cloud, to Mr. Eagle, who encourages the boys to be physically active every day. Mr. Eagle shows how fun physical activity can be.
Type of Resource: Educational materials
Language: English
Audiences: CHWs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Native Diabetes Wellness Program, Division of Diabetes Translation
Eagle Books: Plate Full of Color [PDF-21.9MB]
Plate Full of Color, the third volume in the Eagle Books for Early Readers series, introduces Miss Rabbit and the boys’ friends, Little Hummingbird and Simon. Miss Rabbit teaches the children the value of eating a variety of colorful and healthy foods.
Type of Resource: Educational materials
Language: English
Audiences: CHWs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Native Diabetes Wellness Program, Division of Diabetes Translation
Eagle Books: Tricky Treats [PDF-7.70MB]
Tricky Treats, the fourth volume in the Eagle Books for Early Readers series, introduces Coyote, a trickster who attempts to trick the children into eating unhealthy foods. The children ultimately learn the importance of avoiding tricky treats when choosing foods to eat.
Type of Resource: Educational materials
Language: English
Audiences: CHWs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Native Diabetes Wellness Program, Division of Diabetes Translation
Eagle Books for Youth
Books and materials on this web page are follow-ups to the original Eagle Book stories, a series of books for Native American children, youth and others interested in healthy living. The youth materials continue to promote type 2 diabetes prevention and encourage a respect for traditional ways, including physical activity and healthy eating.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: CHWs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Native Diabetes Wellness Program, Division of Diabetes Translation
Coyote and the Turtle’s Dream [PDF-4.30MB]
Coyote and Turtle’s Dream is a follow-up to the original Eagle Book stories, a series of books for Native American children, youth and others interested in healthy living. The books promote type 2 diabetes prevention and encourage a respect for traditional ways, including physical activity and healthy eating. Coyote and the Turtle’s Dream includes a character who is a community health representative.
Type of Resource: Educational materials
Language: English
Audiences: CHWs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Native Diabetes Wellness Program, Division of Diabetes Translation
Hummingbird’s Squash [PDF-11 MB]
Hummingbird’s Squash is a follow-up to the original Eagle Book stories, a series of books for Native American children, youth and others interested in healthy living. The books promote type 2 diabetes prevention and encourage a respect for traditional ways, including physical activity and healthy eating. Hummingbird’s Squash includes a character who is a community health representative.
Type of Resource: Educational materials
Language: English
Audiences: CHWs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Native Diabetes Wellness Program, Division of Diabetes Translation
The Trickster of Two Rabbit Mountain [PDF-31.1MB]
The Trickster of Two Rabbit Mountain is a follow-up to the original Eagle Book stories, a series of books for Native American children, youth and others interested in healthy living. The books promote type 2 diabetes prevention and encourage a respect for traditional ways, including physical activity and healthy eating. The Trickster of Two Rabbit Mountain includes a character who is a community health representative.
Type of Resource: Educational materials
Language: English
Audiences: CHWs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Native Diabetes Wellness Program, Division of Diabetes Translation
The Youth Novels: Educators and Community Guide
The Youth Novels: Educators and Community Guide has been designed to assist teachers and communities by providing an array of activities that support the goals of the Eagle Books project and promote the health and educational messages in the youth novels. Most of the activities in the guide for Coyote and the Turtle’s Dream can be applied to the graphic novel. The guide also contains additional lessons for the Health is Life in Balance, a Diabetes Education in Tribal Schools curriculum for grades 5–8.
Type of Resource: Educational materials
Language: English
Audiences: CHWs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Native Diabetes Wellness Program, Division of Diabetes Translation
Resources for Hispanic and Latino Americans
This web page includes diabetes prevention and management resources designed specifically for people of Hispanic and Latino ancestry. These resources can be used by CHWs and include a music video called “Movimiento Por Su Vida” (Movement for Your Life).
Type of Resource: Multimedia
Language: English, Spanish
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: National Diabetes Education Program
Resources for African Americans and People of African Ancestry
This web page includes diabetes prevention and management resources designed specifically for African Americans and people of African ancestry. These resources can be used by CHWs and include a music video called “Step by Step,” with three original songs to help people move more.
Type of Resource: Multimedia
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: National Diabetes Education Program
Traditional Foods
American Indian and Alaska Native communities across the country are reclaiming traditional foods as part of the global Indigenous food sovereignty movement, which embraces identity, history, and traditional ways and practices to address health. This web page lists resources that community health representatives can use to educate their communities about traditional foods.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: Certified educators, CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Native Diabetes Wellness Program, Division of Diabetes Translation
Diabetes Prevention: Interventions Engaging Community Health Workers
This web page provides information and supporting materials for the Community Preventive Services Task Force recommendation about interventions engaging CHWs to prevent diabetes. It includes the Task Force finding, rationale statement, and summary of the evidence that serves as the basis for this recommendation.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Division of Diabetes Translation
Diabetes Management: Interventions Engaging Community Health Workers
This web page provides information and supporting materials for the Community Preventive Services Task Force recommendation about interventions engaging CHWs to manage diabetes. It includes the Task Force finding , rationale statement, and summary of the evidence that serves as the basis for this recommendation.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Division of Diabetes Translation
Standing Tall for 50 Years: Honoring Community Health Representatives, 1968-2018
The Standing Tall for 50 Years image celebrates the extraordinary contributions of Community Health Representatives (CHRs) serving tribal communities. The Indian Health Service’s CHR Program was established in 1968 to bridge cultural, language, and system gaps between people and health resources. Decades later, CHRs continue to “stand” for their people, providing social, spiritual, and physical support ; teaching about healthy traditional foods and the importance of being physically active ; and helping people to live well with diabetes and prevent type 2 diabetes in their communities.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Native Diabetes Wellness Program, Division of Diabetes Translation
General Resources
Community Health Workers Can Be a Public Health Force for Change in the United States: Three Actions for a New Paradigm
This CDC staff-authored paper discusses how to strengthen the roles of CHWs, enabling them to become collaborative leaders in a healthcare environment dramatically changing from “sickness care” systems to systems that provide comprehensive care for individuals and families and supports community and tribal wellness.
Type of Resource: Journal article
Language: English
Audiences: Health insurers, purchasers, and payers, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Promoting Policy and Systems Change to Expand Employment of Community Health Workers (CHWs)
This resource is a six-session online course designed to provide state programs and other stakeholders with basic knowledge about CHWs, such as official definitions of CHWs, workforce development, and other topic areas. In addition, the course covers how states can become engaged in policy and systems change efforts to establish sustainability for the work of CHWs, and includes examples of states that have proven success in this arena.
Type of Resource: Training
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Community Health Workers: Part of the Solution
This CDC staff-authored paper describes how two states, Massachusetts and Minnesota, initiated comprehensive policies to foster far more use of CHWs and, in the case of Minnesota, to make CHW services reimbursable under Medicaid.
Type of Resource: Journal article
Language: English
Audiences: Community-based organizations, NGOs, health insurers, purchasers, and payers, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Promotores de Salud/Community Health Workers
CDC’s Office of Minority Health and Health Equity showcases several CDC community health worker programs directed at those who work in diabetes, HIV/AIDs, cervical cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, and other areas. CHWs are an asset in educating people about health protection and disease prevention in a culturally appropriate way, and in building trust to link people with needed health and medical services.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Minority Health
A Summary of State Community Health Worker Laws [PDF-680KB]
This fact sheet summarizes the extent to which states enact laws addressing CHW infrastructure, professional identity, workforce development, and financing.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: Community-based organizations, NGOs, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
How the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Supports Community Health Workers in Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion [PDF-273KB]
This resource provides: 1) basic information on who CHWs are, 2) how CHWs support the priority domains of CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP), 3) a list of grantees engaged in CHW strategies, and 4) NCCDPHP products about and for CHWs.
Type of Resource: Report
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Policy Evidence Assessment Report: Community Health Worker Policy Components [PDF-1.07MB]
This report summarizes evidence bases for components of CHW policy interventions relating to chronic disease policy.
Type of Resource: Report
Language: English
Audiences: Community-based organizations, NGOs, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Policy Evidence Assessment Report: Community Health Worker Policy [PDF-230MB]
This resource summarizes the assessment of evidence supporting policy components that comprise a CHW policy intervention.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: Community-based organizations, NGOs, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Making the Business Case for Prevention Video Series: Community Health Workers Bridge Health Care Gap
Improved quality of care, increased compliance, and reduced costs—these are just a few of the many benefits of including CHWs as part of a comprehensive health care team. This video shows how CHWs help patients , especially those with language or other barriers , navigate complex health care systems.
Type of Resource: Multimedia
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity
Community-Clinical Linkages for the Prevention and Control of Chronic Diseases: A Practitioner’s Guide [PDF-1.7MB]
This guide is a resource for public health practitioners to define and facilitate community-clinical linkages.
Type of Resource: Report
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
What Evidence Supports State Laws to Establish Community Health Worker Scope of Practice and Certification? [PDF-485KB]
This report provides an update to the previous CHW Policy Evidence Assessment Report and assesses evidence for two types of CHW policy interventions addressed in existing state laws to inform state decision makers and public health organizations.
Type of Resource: Report
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
A Summary of State Community Health Worker Laws—2016[PDF-1.14MB]
This state law document builds on the CDC’s 2013 state law fact sheet, A Summary of State Community Health Worker Laws , which describes the landscape of state laws addressing four attributes of a sustainable CHW program: infrastructure, professional identity, workforce development, and financing.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Policy Brief: Facilitating the Use of Community Health Workers in Health Delivery Systems[PDF-622KB]
This resource discusses state-level policy options and their possible effects on the services provided by CHWs. This policy brief is a companion to the policy evidence assessment report, “What Evidence Supports State Laws to Establish Community Health Worker Scope of Practice and Certification.”
Type of Resource: Report
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Infectious Disease
Overview of Cholera Prevention Training Materials for Community Health Workers, Haiti, 2010–2011
This manuscript describes CDC’s efforts to create materials for CHWs to prevent and treat cholera in Haiti. CDC collaborated with the Haitian Ministry of Public Health and Population to develop CHW educational materials, train more than 1,100 CHWs, and evaluate training efforts.
Type of Resource: Journal article
Language: English
Audiences: Certified educators, CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Cholera—Vibrio cholerae Infection: Training and Education, Global Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene (WASH)
Cholera—Vibrio cholerae Infection: Training & Education Materials
This web page includes training materials and other resources to help CHWs address cholera prevention and control, including outbreaks. It contains information about handwashing, drinking water treatment, oral rehydration, sanitation, and community engagement that may also be useful for prevention and control of diarrheal disease in general and in other contexts. Two versions of the training materials are available—a generic version applicable to any country with cholera and a version specific to cholera in Haiti.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English, French, Haitian Creole
Audiences: Certified educators, CHWs, community-based organizations, NGOs, general public, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: Global Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene (WASH), Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch
Using Community Health Workers to Prevent Infectious Diseases in Women
This is a conference summary from the International Conference on Women and Infectious Disease. It discusses the use of CHWs to deliver infectious disease prevention services in the United States.
Type of Resource: Journal article
Language: English
Audiences: Health insurers, purchasers, and payers, healthcare providers, public health professionals
Related CDC programs: National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Vaccination Programs: Home Visits to Increase Vaccination Rates
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends home visits to increase vaccination rates in children and adults. Home visits may be conducted by vaccination providers (e.g., nurses) or others (e.g., social workers, CHWs). This finding is based on a systematic review of evidence.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Vaccines & Immunizations
Injury Prevention
Use of Child Safety Seats: Distribution and Education Programs
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends interventions that use distribution and education programs to increase child safety seat use. Programs may be implemented in hospitals, clinics, or homes and often use community volunteers. This finding is based on a systematic review of evidence.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Motor Vehicle Safety Program
Early Childhood Home Visitation to Prevent Child Maltreatment
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends early childhood home visitation programs to reduce child maltreatment among high-risk families. Programs may be implemented by nurses, social workers, paraprofessionals, or community peers. This finding is based on a systematic review of evidence.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Child Abuse and Neglect, Division of Violence Prevention
Obesity
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends multicomponent coaching or counseling interventions that use technology to help clients lose weight. Interventions are delivered by health professionals, including coaches and counselors. This finding is based on a systematic review of evidence.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Overweight and Obesity
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends multicomponent coaching or counseling interventions that use technology to help clients maintain weight loss. Interventions are delivered by health professionals, including coaches and counselors. This finding is based on a systematic review of evidence.
Type of Resource: Web page
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Overweight and Obesity
Physical Activity
Familias Sanas y Activas: Improving Health among Latinos in San Diego
Based on recommendations from the Community Preventive Services Task Force, the San Diego Prevention Research Center is improving the health of Latinos in the city with a free physical activity program that includes training promotores de salud to lead group exercise classes.
Type of Resource: Fact sheet
Language: English
Audiences: All
Related CDC programs: The Community Guide, Physical Activity
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- Page last updated: June 6, 2018
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