PROGRAM AT A GLANCE. KEY FEATURE. In New Mexico, community health workers (CHWs) are deployed in a variety of settings--including primary care clinics, federally qualified health centers, and county agencies--to help people find resources for meeting social needs like better jobs, stable housing, and nutritious food. TARGET POPULATION. Low-income residents, including immigrants and those in rural or frontier communities. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT. The state may offer insights on how CHWs affect health care and social service use in diverse settings and how to finance their services. To improve the health of the community, services are not limited to those with significant medical needs. BENEFITS. Using CHWs shifts the burden of addressing social challenges from primary care providers to nonclinical workers who have more knowledge of community needs and resources and can provide culturally appropriate care. CHALLENGES. To succeed, CHW programs must have sustainable funding and access to medical claims data to gauge the impact of their interventions.
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