General Information About CSHO

Families at the greatest health risk are often those who are least likely to be appropriately served by the health care system. Because of language barriers, financial barriers, cultural beliefs, or mistrust of
the system, many people do not receive health care and preventive services.

The Center for Sustainable Health Outreach (CSHO) believes community health workers are an important answer to this problem. As members of the communities they serve, community health workers provide culturally, linguistically, and otherwise appropriate outreach, prevention, intervention, and treatment services, which are based in, and reflect, the value systems of the community.

In a number of communities across the United States, the community health worker (CHW) is reemerging as a vital link between communities and health care providers. CHWs educate individuals and communities and facilitate access to needed services. They provide formal and informal community-based case management and case coordination services. They also educate providers and health care systems and help craft services that are more responsive to the communities being served. They support community empowerment by providing information, leadership, and advocacy
on issues impacting community health and well-being.

CSHO knows CHWs are an effective and efficient means of improving community health by linking communities and health care systems.

CSHO provides support and technical assistance to community health workers and CHW programs in the following areas:

CSHO also assists CHWs and CHW programs by facilitating partnerships with funders, policy makers, health systems, and community organizations. The Center serves as a national point of contact for CHWs and CHW programs and provides them with reliable, up-to-date information on emerging trends in the field. The Center for Sustainable Health Outreach operated between 1999 and June 2005 as a joint venture between The University of Southern Mississippi and the Harrison Institute for Public Law of Georgetown University Law Center. The University of Southern Mississippi took lead on issues related to education, training and evaluation. The Georgetown University staff took lead on policy and sustainability issues. After June 2005, the institutions' budgets were separated, although joint ventures are conducted when appropriate.

The Center for Sustainable Health Outreach was originally funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration, Office of Rural Health Policy.

Highlights of the Center for Sustainable Health Outreach (CSHO) Activities

Community health workers (CHWs) are community members who educate and assist individuals and groups in gaining control over their health and their lives.  They promote healthy living by providing education about preventing disease and injury and by helping community residents understand and access formal health and human service systems.

CHWs work within and as a complement to health care delivery systems.  Paid and volunteer CHWs are found in community clinics, not-for-profit and for-profit organizations and public health departments, among others.

As community members, CHWs are able to integrate health information about prevention and the health system into the community’s culture, language, and value systems.  As a result, they reduce cultural, linguistic, social, and financial barriers to health care.

The roles, responsibilities, and activities of CHWs vary greatly, even within programs, depending on client and community needs.  CHWs’ roles include

CHWs are an effective and efficient means of improving community health because they serve as a vital link between communities and health care systems.  They not only identify and link people needing health or support services, they also coordinate clients’ relationships with multiple service systems.

CHWs can be a valuable and cost effective way to

Examples of what CHWs can do:

For more information, see the sources listed on our Toolkits and Resources page.