Community Health Workers (CHWs)

Community Health Workers expand the reach of Howard County Health Department beyond the walls of the buildings where we provide services. They live in the communities where they work and are trusted sources of health information. They partner with residents and leaders to work on projects to improve the local broader health environment and make it easier for people to get services they need.

A group of diverse people in a circle making a stack of hands

What Do Community Health Workers (CHWs) Do?

They are:

Community Advocates – Community Health Workers work with residents and leaders to identify concerns and to promote local resources. They find areas within the communities that need improvements, hold community conversations, and bring problems to the attention of those who can facilitate change.
Bridge to Resources – Community Health Workers link individuals and families to services that are convenient and affordable, such as housing, food, and transportation. They use a tool called CAREAPP to identify needed resources and provide information.

Where Do CHWs Work?

They are in selected communities of Howard County identified by using the Social Vulnerability Index.

How Were Communities Identified?

Howard County is, overall, very healthy. However, a closer look shows that certain communities have higher rates of illness than others. The CDC Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) provides a way to identify communities which are less resilient to disease outbreaks, natural disasters and other disruptors. These communities take longer to respond/rebound after such changes. The SVI is a composite of several measures, giving us a broader perspective and underscoring how social factors can impact health.

With limited funding, the Health Department focused on seven of the Census Tracts with the higher SVI scores. Community Health Workers concentrate their efforts in these communities.

Engaging Communities & Making Local Connections

Community Health Workers use two proven methods to learn about communities and engage residents and leaders.

Community Asset Mapping: The purpose of this technique is to identify assets (such as schools, businesses, and parks) in a community. CHWs go into the community, meet with business owners, faith leaders and others and document the assets they find there. Working with our data analysis team, they create a map for each community. The goal is to identify assets as well as gaps in services available locally.

PhotoVoice: This technique is used to spark conversations about sources of pride in the community as well as areas that need support or improvement. CHWs take photos and write stories or short narratives about what they see in the community. Community members and leaders are invited to PhotoVoice Exhibitions to view the photos and read the stories. They are asked to comment on and share what each means to them. From these Exhibitions, come many ideas to make changes or highlight assets in the community.

Community Stories & Photos

Connecting the Community to Resources

Community Health Workers (CHWs) encourage health and wellness by helping people in their communities engage in healthy behaviors. They support those who may have difficulty connecting to health and social services resources.

CHWs at the Health Department may be available to help:

Support learning amongst community members with chronic disease and other health needs
Encourage healthy lifestyle choices with families, pregnant and post-partum people, and older adults
Make referrals to community resources and social services

To learn more or connect with the Community Health Worker Program, contact us at:

chw@howardcountymd.gov

Community Health Workers (CHWs)