Community health workers: part of the solution.
Community health workers are recognized in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as important members of the health care workforce. The evidence shows that they can help improve health care access and outcomes; strengthen health care teams; and enhance quality of life for people in poor, underserved, and diverse communities. We trace how two states, Massachusetts and Minnesota, initiated comprehensive policies to foster far more utilization of community health workers and, in the case of Minnesota, to make their services reimbursable under Medicaid. We recommend that other states follow the lead of these states, further developing the workforce of community health workers, devising appropriate regulations and credentialing, and allowing the services of these workers to be reimbursed.
Rosenthal
E Lee
EL
Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Texas, El Paso, USA.
Brownstein
J Nell
JN
Rush
Carl H
CH
Hirsch
Gail R
GR
Willaert
Anne M
AM
Scott
Jacqueline R
JR
Holderby
Lisa R
LR
Fox
Durrell J
DJ
D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D003150:Community Health Workers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006801:Humans; D008404:Massachusetts; D008484:Medicaid / Q000191:economics; D008910:Minnesota; D058991:Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act / Q000458:organization & administration; D011050:Policy Making; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce