These frontline public health workers have a deep understanding of the communities they serve, researchers say.
Caitlin Schmidt A new Tucson-based ASU program provides training and support for frontline public health workers who work outside a traditional medical setting but have a deep understanding of the communities they serve.
People are also reading… Research shows the Southwest has high rates of concentrated poverty, a prevalence of adverse childhood experiences, and documented gaps in family resilience during difficult times, says Bianca Levario, the ASU program's coordinator. That 85705 ZIP code area includes neighborhoods considered among Tucson’s most distressed due to poverty, high unemployment and scant resources.
Stemple said community health workers save government and taxpayer dollars. They also supplement the state's health-care system, which she called underfunded. Their involvement often results in improved primary care for the patient — who is often uninsured or underinsured — and fewer trips to urgent care or the emergency room, Stemple said.
Community health worker intervention has been shown to improve health among individuals from minority groups and in communities with limited resources, reducing disparities in health outcomes and enhancing health equity, the study finds. The workers don't just assist in medical and social service issues, but also can help with problems involving education or legal issues, she said."I have experience in a lot of areas as a community health worker," Stemple said."But a lot of clinics, they don't hire these types of professionals and they're lacking of this valuable resource they can have in their organization for people who are struggling with all this.
The goal is to create a workforce of community health workers who realize the widespread impact of trauma, recognize its signs and symptoms, understand paths for recovery and integrate that knowledge into care while actively avoiding re-traumatization, said OCHER curriculum design and training specialist Taylor Dominguez.
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