Building a statewide CHW coalition under CHW leadership in New York State

Many Americans face significant barriers to accessing and using health care and social services, but this is particularly true in underprivileged communities and among racial, ethnic, economic, and linguistically marginalized populations. Emerging evidence demonstrates that Community Health Workers (CHWs) have a unique ability to eliminate persistent inequities in health and health outcomes within such marginalized populations by helping remove barriers to health and social services. In general, however, the CHW practice lacks standards and stable funding, as most CHW programs are funded through time-limited, categorical, disease-specific grants and contracts. Although numerous states have implemented regulatory and/or certification regulations for the CHW practice, only one state has linked these standards to stable financing. There is a growing recognition in New York and across the country that the CHW field needs to be defined and standardized in order to establish sustainable financing. In this presentation CHWs will report on efforts in New York State to develop a statewide coalition of CHWs and CHW stakeholders under CHW leadership to 1) establish a New York definition, core competencies, and scope of practice for CHWs; 2) Implement a statewide training and certification process for CHWs; and 3) Identify and secure stable financing streams and mechanisms for CHWs. Ensuring that CHWs lead the initiative is essential, so that the final scope of practice, certification, and financing match the proven practices of the CHW field and are embraced by CHW practitioners and the communities they serve.