Why CHW/Ps Matter

Community Health Workers/Promotores (CHW/P) are at the heart of community-centered care. Their roles are diverse, but always rooted in
building trust and improving health outcomes.

  • Reduce health disparities
  • Connect families to services and coverage
  • Educate communities on chronic disease prevention and management
  • Provide culturally appropriate outreach and support
  • Strengthen community voice in healthcare and policy systems
Group photo of smiling community health workers and coordinators gathered outdoors on a sunny day, standing and kneeling together in front of a building.

Roles & Impact

Community Health Workers take on many roles depending on the community’s needs and their organization’s focus. These may include:

Health education

Outreach on preventative care, wellness, and chronic disease

Resource navigation

Connecting people to food, housing and health services

Peer support

Offering guidance and mentorship from shared lived experience

Advocacy

Uplifting community voice to drive system change

Care coordination

Helping clients navigate appointments and follow up

Enrollment assistance

Helping clients apply for Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and more.

Whether they are working in clinics, schools, community centers, or neighborhoods, CHW/Ps embody frontline public health.

Sustaining the CHW/P Workforce

Our Collaborative is working across the Central Coast to remove barriers and create opportunities that strengthen the CHW/P workforce.

Expand access to culturally responsive training so CHW/Ps can build skills and advance.

  • Barrier: Unclear certification pathways
  • Opportunity: Standardized tools & checklists

Help organizations create longterm, stable CHW/P positions that reflect their value.

  • Barrier: Limited Medi-Cal reimbursement
  • Opportunity: Blended funding streams for stability

Foster peer networks, mentorship, and shared learning across the tri-county

  • Barrier: Organizations often feel isolated
  • Opportunity: Peer learning
    and technical assistance

Advocate for compensation, career ladders, and visibility for CHW/Ps.

  • Barrier: Low wages and lack
    of recognition
  • Opportunity: Policy
    advocacy and visibility

Centering Culture & Language

Many CHW/Ps come from immigrant, Indigenous, or multilingual communities. Their ability to serve in languages like Spanish and Mixteco, and their understanding of cultural context, makes them vital to building trust with historically underserved populations.

Our Collaborative is committed to ensuring all content, training, and resources are culturally and linguistically responsive.

Explore Resources