New Report Highlights Community Health Workers' Impact, Calls for Sustained Local Investment, During National CHW Awareness Week

PR Newswire

Tue, Aug 26, 2025, 11:00 AM 6 min read

, /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of National Community Health Worker (CHW) Awareness Week, a new report, Strengthening Public Health with Community Health Workers, #StrengthInCHWs, was published today that spotlights examples of sustained programs in communities across the country where the trust and expertise of CHWs  is strengthening health interventions - from outreach to community engagement, and from chronic disease prevention to care. The report was developed in collaboration between the National Association of CHWs (NACHW), Sanofi, NationSwell, and Atlas Clarity.

Community Health Workers are frontline public health professionals who bridge gaps between health and social services and the communities they serve. They are trusted experts who serve their neighbors and knowledgeable professionals who collaborate with cross-sector partners to help ensure that everyone can receive compassionate and respectful high quality and effective care.

Katherine Martinez, Interim Executive Director of NACHW, emphasized "Community Health Workers are the backbone of our health system. When CHWs are involved in program design, and when their work in community is sustainably funded, programs are more likely to succeed. This report shows where that's working."

Denise Octavia Smith, Inaugural Executive Director of NACHW (2019 – 2025) added, "This report can help individuals and organizations prioritize the leadership, innovation and priorities of Community Health Workers: a unique and trusted workforce of local leaders addressing local problems with local solutions developed in, by and for their local communities."

CHWs are especially critical in rural and underserved communities, where over 76 million Americans reside in Health Professional Shortage Areas. With uniquely earned trust, CHWs are critical in crisis response, support access to quality education, built environments, community infrastructure, and economic stability, and play a vital role in helping communities understand health risks, prevent disease and disease progression, and access support for chronic and infectious diseases like diabetes, heart disease, asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and HIV/AIDS.

Based on interviews with CHWs and CHW network leaders and with partners, employers, and funders, the report highlights examples of impact and sustainability – from programs led by CHWs independently and through community-based organizations and community health center networks, to permanent roles in hospitals, health plans, and more. It finds bright spots of sustainability and impact where CHWs are engaged early in community program design, where CHW expertise and services are compensated, and where the unique value the CHW brings is thoughtfully preserved when integrated into care teams and partner programs. For those seeking to support CHW impact, actionable recommendations include: