MPHA Issue Priority
Community Health Workers
Community health workers (CHWs) are on the front lines of public health – improving access to health care, connecting people to essential services, and reducing health disparities based on race, ethnicity, gender, and class. Working for community health centers, hospitals and numerous other health and human services agencies, CHWs are a vital connection to vulnerable populations, the underserved, immigrants, and many others.
Yet, the invaluable work of community health workers
is under-recognized, under-appreciated, and, perhaps most significantly,
under-funded. MPHA works closely with the Massachusetts Association
of Community Health Workers (MACHW) to
strengthen the profession and support its important role in public health.
MPHA and MACHW will be collaborating on policy and
advocacy in a new project
to promote workforce development for CHWs.
The initiative, led by Action for Boston Community Development, is the
latest component of SkillWorks, a program managed by
the Boston Foundation with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Learn about other priority issues of MPHA.