Community Health Worker Programs

With you, we can address health disparities in our Providence communities to create better health outcomes for those who are most vulnerable.

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There’s increasing need to address health disparities in our communities and respond to the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on communities of color and households with lower incomes.

Smiling middle-aged couplePartnering closely with caregivers across our seven-state system to identify specific health disparities in our local communities, Providence looks to leverage existing system and regional tools, resources and programs to create positive impact for the greatest number of people.

As part of our ongoing efforts to identify and prioritize inequities, Providence is developing strategies to improve health equity and reduce disparities.

Community Health Care Workers (CHWs) create trusting relationship within their communities that enable them to serve as liaisons to health/social services. They are a crucial component of the health care system as they reduce barriers to care by helping communities navigate the complexity of health care systems.

Our Community Health Work programs have grown and expanded to include supportive Community Health Care Workers across our seven-state footprint—and our intention is to further develop and grow this vital workforce.

Providence now has 130 CHWs across seven states, leading 20 programs— but more are needed.

Nationally, data has shown that CHWs make substantial contributions to care teams and communities including cost savings and reduction in emergency department visits, improvements in mental health wellness and disease self management.

CHWs are trusted, frontline public health workers within the communities they serve and act as liaisons between community members and social and health services.

An elderly woman next to a young caregiverIn order to support continued growth of our CHW programming, we have created six funds focused on:

  • Workforce Development
  • Neighbor Support
  • Program and Workforce Expansion
  • Technology and Innovation
  • Training and Education
  • Transportation

With an increased need to address health disparities in our communities and respond to the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on communities of color and households with lower incomes, Providence’s Community Health Work Programs have grown and expanded—but there is still much unmet need. 

Generous donors like you can provide financial investment to help us reach those in our communities who are most vulnerable.

Below are the impact categories with opportunity for giving—thank you for your consideration.

    Workforce Development
    With you, we can develop a supportive infrastructure that creates opportunity for career advancement—by developing core and continuing education opportunities that align with CHW roles within the organization.

    A $150,000 investment in CHW workforce development would:
    • Develop standardized core curriculum for CHWs
    • Create continuing education pathway for career advancement
    • Develop culturally responsive content and training materials
    • Hire community educators to develop curriculum and provide live training
    • Secure community partnerships to develop a workforce pipeline in health care
    Neighbor Support
    With you, we can reduce barriers to access as a key driver in achieving better health outcomes.

    A $75,000 investment would provide essential resources to help achieve better health outcomes for our neighbors who may be experiencing difficulties accessing uncovered supplies or education.
    • Community health education or cooking classes
    • Uncovered necessary medications
    • Preventative health equipment, such as blood pressure cuffs
    • Health-related items such as air conditioners or air purifiers for support during extreme weather conditions
    Workforce Expansion
    With you, we can grow our CHW workforce to reduce health disparities and increase workforce diversity across the Providence footprint.

    A $60,000 investment to fund a pilot project to serve more Providence communities, would:
    • Increase our agility to respond as health disparities as they are identified across the system
    • Allow us to respond to a higher volume of neighbors needing support
    • Support additional communities across our footprint
    • Ensure continuity of funding and program stability
    Technology and Innovation
    With you, our CHW programs and neighbors can operate in a digital environment.

    A $50,000 investment would provide:
    • Cloud application software for real-time and community-based documentation
    • Tablets and hotspots to ensure CHWs can access resources in the field
    • Applications and other digital tools to connect neighbors to community resources and access health care coverage
    Training and Education
    With you, we can make key training and development opportunities available to our growing CHW workforce.

    A $25,000 investment in CHW training and education fund would:
    • Allow CHWs to access essential external trainings at no cost
    • Allow CHWs to receive state certification at a subsidized or no-cost rate
    • Provide training and continuing education for CHW supervisors
    • Offer continuing education classes and training to all CHWs
    Transportation
    With you, Providence CHWs can source transportation alternatives for our neighbors who live in communities where there is no available subsidized or free transportation.

    A $25,000 investment would help address barriers to receiving medical care and medication adherence by providing our neighbors with reliable and safe transportation to health care and related services.
    Map showing Community  Health Workers in Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Montana, Texas, and New Mexico

    With you, we can address health disparities in our Providence communities to create better health outcomes for those who are most vulnerable. 

    Give Now

    To explore the giving opportunity that is right for you, please contact

    Laurie Kelley, Chief Philanthropy Officer, at Laurie.Kelley@Providence.org
    Lindsey Oldridge, Director Philanthropy, at Lindsey.Oldridge@Providence.org
    Andrew Tweedie, Director Corporate Partnerships, at Andrew.Tweedie@Providence.org