Utilization of Community Health Workers in Emerging Care Coordination Models in California

CHWs and Promotores de Salud are playing an increasingly important role in community-based and clinical care settings. As healthcare reform addresses healthcare spending and enhanced coordinated care delivery to manage the crippling incidence of chronic disease, there is increased opportunity and need for holistic care team approaches that integrate clinical and community-facing roles. Further, addressing social determinants of health that impact vulnerable populations who are disproportionately affected by chronic disease necessitates care delivery models that are attuned to the specific sociocultural, socioeconomic, and linguistic needs of these targeted populations. This research brief represents the culmination of the first phase of the project involving synthesis of existing research on CHWs/Promotores, key informant interviews, and a policy scan of state-level initiatives that may influence the utilization of CHWs and Promotores.