Community Health Worker Program

Non-medical healthcare problems need attention, too

Many community members are unable to follow their medical care plans because of non-medical barriers such as lack of access to transportation, childcare, or affordable medications. Our Community Health Worker (CHW) program was developed to promote healthy behaviors while helping patients, colleagues, and community members access essential needs.

Our Community Health Workers (CHWs) represent the communities they serve and are a bridge/liaison between health and social services, and the community. Through their lived experiences, CHWs work closely with a patient to assess their social needs, home environment, and other risk factors and ultimately connect patients to services within the community. CHWs can serve folks from Boise to Baker City and don’t have to be a Saint Alphonsus patient to access our services. All our services are free.

Community Health Workers

As a frontline public health worker, a CHW is a trusted member of and/or has an exceptional understanding of the community served. This trusting relationship enables the CHW to serve as a liaison between health/social services and the community. Community Health & Well-Being (CHWB) is guiding the development of CHW infrastructure, standards, and practices to effectively facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery.

Examples of CHW services we offer or available for referral (as available locally) include:

• Behavioral Health (peer support, substance use treatment, mental health)
• Benefit Enrollment Support (unemployment, Medicaid, and/or SNAP)
• Diabetes Prevention Program (life-style change program)
• Financial Assistance
• Food Assistance
• Primary Care for the uninsured/and or Medicaid Population
• Connection to Low/no cost medications
• Connection to Housing/Shelter (Back rent, utilities, eviction, temporary placement or longer term supported housing or permanent placement)
• Social Isolation programs
• Tobacco Cessation Programs
• Transportation Assistance

How to refer individuals to our CHW Hub (one of the following ways):

• Internal Referrals: Place referral via EPIC in the medical record
• External Referrals: Refer through our online resource directory and search “Saint Alphonsus Community Health Worker Hub"

Resources

The Trinity Health Community Resource Directory is an online portal connecting the people we serve, colleagues and community members in need to health resources and social services within the community and across all Trinity Health locations.