Integrating community health workers in a faith based community health center

The effective use of community health workers is well documented throughout the research with various patient populations. However, the ongoing sustained integration of community health workers within an interdisciplinary healthcare team is a rarity. This presentation focuses on the ongoing integration and funding of community health workers within a faith based community health center which provides medical, dental and health care services for over 18,000 uninsured,disparate and high risk individuals within our county each year. The discussion will include the role of the community health worker in working with various populations including diabetics, asthmatics, obstetric, pediatric, oral health and elderly. In addition, one of our community health workers will present their programs developed in the areas of health promotion, nutrition, and health literacy. Content and data from the development of the community health worker's role in collaboration with community emergency rooms and free clinics will also be presented with the outcomes illustrating the creation and sustainance of a medical/dental home for the uninunsured population. Initial cost benefit data will be presented comparing baseline hospital and emergency room utilization to data after community health work interventions with our diabetic population. In addition, patient and provider satisfaction with the community health worker role will be shared. Lastly, the care management model which integrates the community health worker as a sustained role in the interdisciplinary healthcare model will be discussed with implementation strategies and challenges incurred.