In partnership with the National Association of Community Health Workers, the Arnold School’s Center for Community Health Alignment (CCHA) is working to help eradicate racial and social injustice as a public health threat. The new collaboration, supported by the Johnson & Johnson “Our Race to Health Equity” initiative, aims to eliminate health inequities for people of color by leveraging the CCHA’s community health worker program.
“Community health workers are trained professionals who are vetted within their own communities and have trusted relationships with the individuals they serve,” says CCHA executive director Julie Smithwick. “They serve as bridges between health and social service systems within their communities and can address population health gaps, help individuals implement lifestyle changes, improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery, and be voices for their communities to lift up local needs and local solutions.”