On Friday, June 23, 2023, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, in partnership with Oregon Health and Science University and Familias en Acción, presented a hybrid event on the role community health workers play in improving the health of the U.S. workforce.

As defined by the American Public Health Association, community health workers are frontline public health workers who are either trusted members of the community they serve or have an unusually close understanding of the community. The workers serve as liaisons or intermediaries between community members and other health or social services workers, with the goal of improving both community members’ access to services and quality of care.

Discussion at the event focused on the economic impact of community health worker programs, including past research on the topic and a pilot program in Oregon that seeks to show the advantages that employers gain from providing community health workers as an employee benefit. The discussion was intended for an audience of corporate leaders, insurers, policymakers, community health workers, and community-based organizations and foundations.

https://www.newyorkfed.org/newsevents/events/regional_outreach/2023/0623-2023