Engaging Community Health Workers in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 Public Health Response to Address Health Disparities and Build Community Resilience

By: De Jesus S, Rohan EA, DeGroff A, et al. Health Promotion Practice. 2024;0(0). doi:10.1177/15248399241267969

In 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) funded community health workers (CHWs) for COVID Response and Resilient Communities (CCR). CCR is a 3-year, $350 million initiative to implement CHW strategies aimed at reducing COVID-19 impacts, building resilience, and improving health equity by addressing health-related social needs. This paper describes the CCR initiative and experiences to date, underscoring CHWs’ critical role in CDC’s pandemic response. CCR funds 67 recipients to reach communities who are disproportionately affected by long-standing health disparities (hereafter, priority populations). CCR aims to decrease the impact of COVID-19 and increase community resilience to respond to COVID-19 and future public health emergencies. Recipients implement three strategies: train CHWs to support the COVID-19 response, increase the workforce of CHWs to manage the spread of the disease, and improve utilization of community and clinical resources to engage CHWs to help strengthen communities’ resilience to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. We funded three additional organizations to provide technical assistance to CCR recipients and collaborate with us on a national evaluation of the program. CCR recipients hired about 950 CHWs and integrated these CHWs into over 1,000 organizations and care teams. At the end of the second program year, CHWs made over 250,000 referrals to social services and over 150,000 referrals to address specific health conditions. CCR demonstrates that CHWs can be quickly mobilized to participate in a public health emergency and reach those most affected by COVID-19.

During the last three years, I have had the pleasure to learn from community health workers (CHWs) through site visits and virtual webinars. CHWs have shared their innovative “nudging” of clients towards healthy choices. Nudges are brief interventions that encourage recommended activities while respecting clients’ ultimate decisions. Nudges are part of behavioral economics (BE), a scientific field featuring strategies designed to help people make choices consistent with their long-term goals. Here are four of my favorite nudges from CHWs:

1. Plastic pill boxes. These containers have multiple small compartments which are labeled for specific times and/or days. Clients can transfer pills from prescription bottles to these boxes to organize medications for the upcoming week. Each small compartment serves as a reminder and helps prevent clients from accidentally taking a double dose of a medication. 

Tickets Still Available: Community Health Worker Statewide Conference

Join Health Impact Ohio, The Ohio State University, Ohio University, and the Ohio Community Health Worker Association for the annual Community Health Worker Statewide Conference on October 24th and 25th, 2024, at the Quest Conference Center in Columbus Ohio!

Tickets for the full-day conference on October 25th and the CHW gala on October 24th are still available.

Health Impact Ohio Celebrates National CHW Awareness Week 2024

August 26th-30th is National CHW Awareness Week (NCHWAW)! This week of collaboration and action unites CHWs and allies across race, ethnicity, gender, geography, experience, and identities. Health Impact Ohio would like to thank all CHWs for their service as trusted messengers working to promote connection, health, and wellbeing within and across individuals, communities, and beyond. We are proud to be able to support and share the work all CHWs provide.

The Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio is Conducting a Survey

Too many Ohioans are struggling to keep up with rising prices, especially when finding an affordable place to live. The difficulty of buying a home or keeping pace with housing costs can be overwhelming. Ensuring our voices are heard is more important than ever. That’s why the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio is conducting a survey to get your input!

Your feedback is more than just data—it’s a step towards ensuring that Central Ohio remains a place where families and individuals can thrive. Take a few minutes now to share your thoughts: https://www.research.net/r/AHAMissingMiddleHousing.

Your anonymous responses provide valuable insights into real challenges and opportunities in our region. And the lessons we learn can help policymakers, community leaders, and nonprofit organizations like ours make informed decisions and advocate for solutions that truly serve our community.