Community Health Workers (CHWs) are key to amplifying the voice of the community. CHWs are frontline public health workers who are trusted members of the community they serve. They understand firsthand the challenges that residents may face in adopting healthy behaviors. This trusting relationship enables CHWs to serve as liaisons between health as well as social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery. This is important because the work of CHWs helps advance one of the most common challenges around community engagement: sustainability. This model is helping build capacity for continued community engagement across the county. The tride and true CHW model has been part of our community’s infrastructure and collaborative efforts to better meet the needs of our communities. A key partner to this collaboration continues to be The San Diego County Promotores Coalition, who will join the HHSA- Department of Homeless Solutions and Equitable Communities (HSEC) in this conversation. In this session, attendees are invited to learn about the CHW model, county and community partner efforts supporting and advancing CHW work.

Learning Objectives    

1. Increase knowledge about the CHW Model Best Practices- Through different CHW models CHW model as a pathway to equity: Past, Present, and Future
2. Best Practices- Through different CHW models: Community based organizations, County, and Federally Qualified Health Centers
3. CHW model as a pathway to equity: How the County builds capacity to train, engage and deploy the CHW Model