New Study Aims to Mainstream CHWs

A health innovation is showing tremendous gains in improving health, especially among vulnerable populations. It has produced a return on investment of 4:1 when applied to children with asthma and a return on investment of 3:1 for Medicaid enrollees with unmet long-term care needs. Among participating patients with HIV, 60 percent achieve undetectable viral loads.

Yet it isn't widely replicated, and it isn't supported by most health care financing mechanisms. In fact, some organizations that successfully deploy the innovation—and show better health outcomes—actually lose money.


The innovation is community health workers (CHWs), and this week the Public Health Institute (PHI) releases a report, discussion paper and short video that make the case for how and why we should bring CHWs into the mainstream of health care delivery in California and beyond.

Read entire study at PHI.