Alliance members have developed the following definition:
"Community Health Workers (CHWs) come from the communities they serve, building trust and vital relationships. This trusting relationship enables the CHWs to be effective links between their own communities and systems of care. This crucial relationship significantly lowers health disparities in Minnesota because CHWs: provide access to services, improve the quality and cultural competence of care, create an effective system of chronic disease management, and increase the health knowledge and self sufficiency of underserved populations."
The Minnesota CHW workforce reflects the many faces of our state. CHWs represent immigrant and refugee groups from Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia as well as African-American, American Indian, Caucasian, and deaf communities.
American Public Health Association (APHA) Definition:
"A Community Health Worker (CHW) is a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of and/or has an unusually close understanding of the community served. This trusting relationship enables the CHW to serve 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 CHW 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."
For more information, visit the APHA CHW Section website.
Outreach worker, educator, connector, navigator, care coordinator, counselor, organizer, advocate. These are among the key roles that CHWs play, depending on the purpose of their organization, the setting for their work, and the population that they serve. Minnesota CHWs carry out the following roles within their scope of practice:
Role 1: Bridge the gap between communities and the health and social service systems
- Enhance care quality by aiding communication between provider and patient to clarify cultural practices
- Educate community members about how to use the health care and social service systems
- Educate the health and social service systems about community needs and perspectives
- Establish better communication processes.
Role 2: Navigate the health and human services system
- Increase access to primary care through culturally competent outreach and enrollment strategies
- Make referrals and coordinate services
- Teach people the knowledge and skills needed to obtain care
- Facilitate continuity of care by providing follow-up
- Enroll clients into programs such as health insurance and public assistance
- Link clients to and inform them of available community resources
Role 3: Advocate for individual and community needs
- Articulate and advocate needs of community and individuals to others
- Be a spokesperson for clients when they are unable to speak for themselves
- Involve participants in self and community advocacy
- Map communities to help locate and support needed services
Role 4: Provide Direct Services
- Promote wellness by providing culturally appropriate health information to clients and providers
- Educate clients on disease prevention
- Assist clients in self-management of chronic illnesses and medication adherence
- Provide individual social and health care support
- Organize and/or facilitate support groups
- Refer and link to preventive services through health screenings and healthcare information
- Conduct health related screenings
Role 5: Build Individual and Community Capacity
- Build individual capacity to achieve wellness
- Build community capacity by addressing social determinants of health
- Identify individual and community needs
- Mentor other CHWs – capacity building
- Seek professional development (continuing education)
Minnesota CHWs typically have a high school diploma or GED, though some have completed college courses or a four year degree.
Over 500 Minnesota CHWs have earned a certificate of completion through the statewide standardized, competency-based CHW curriculum currently offered at five different schools. While the certificate is not currently required for CHW employment in the state, it is increasingly recognized by employers as evidence of foundational training for the role, and is required for billing for CHW services covered under Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP).
CHW employers consider a range of factors in their hiring decisions including educational background, prior employment, life experience, and personal attributes.
Learn more
Community Health Workers in the Midwest: Understanding and developing the workforce. Findings from a study of Community Health Workers’ role, professional development, and cancer information needs conducted for the American Cancer Society. Wilder Research, June 2012.
Definition
The Minnesota Department of Human Services definition of a Community Health Worker is:
A health worker who is a trusted member or has an unusually close understanding of the community served, which enables the person to provide information about health issues that affect the community and link individuals with the health and social services they need to achieve wellness.
Scope
The Minnesota Department of Human Services overview of the CHW role is:
A community health worker (CHW) is a trained health educator who works with Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) members who may have difficulty understanding providers due to cultural or language barriers. CHWs extend the reach of providers into underserved communities, reduce health disparities, enhance provider communication, and improve health outcomes and overall quality measures. Working in conjunction with primary care providers, CHWs can bridge gaps in communication and instill lasting health knowledge.
CHW services are a diagnosis-related medical intervention, not a social service.
CHWs providing diagnosis-related patient education services to enrollees of managed care organizations (MCOs) must contact the MCOs for enrollment requirements and coverage policies.
CHW services that provide patient education for health promotion and disease management are covered if provided under the supervision of a physician, dentist, advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), certified public health nurse (PHN), mental health (MH) professional, or registered nurse.
Education
In Minnesota, CHW education includes:
- Standardized, competency-based education based in higher education
- On-the-job training
- Continuing education
Together these components provide a strong educational framework for the CHW profession.
Reimbursement
CHW positions and programs are supported through a variety of avenues, including:
- Medical Assistance (MA) and MinnesotaCare coverage
- Government grants and contracts
- Foundation grants
- General operating dollars from employing organizations.
Locations of CHWs Across Minnesota
This map shows Community Health Workers (CHWs) who are Registry members and their geographic locations.