Community Health Workers

Community health workers typically have deep roots or shared life experiences in the communities they serve. They share similar values, ethnic background and socio-economic status and usually the same language as the people they serve.

The community health worker serves as a bridge between the community and the health care, government and social service systems. Mansfield UMADAOP employs Community Health Workers to assist our clients in their Recovery.

The community health worker’s responsibilities may include:

• Helping individuals, families, groups and communities develop their capacity and access to resources, including health insurance, food, housing, quality care and health information
• Facilitating communication and client empowerment in interactions with health care/social service systems
• Helping health care and social service systems become culturally relevant and responsive to their service population
• Helping people understand their health condition(s) and develop strategies to improve their health and well being
• Helping to build understanding and social capital to support healthier behaviors and lifestyle choices
• Delivering health information using culturally appropriate terms and concepts
• Linking people to health care/social service resources
• Providing informal counseling, support and follow-up
• Advocating for local health needs
• Providing health services, such as monitoring blood pressure and providing first aid
• Making home visits to chronically ill patients, pregnant women and nursing mothers, individuals at high risk of health problems and the elderly
• Translating and interpreting for clients and health care/social service pro