Recommendations highlight the role of community health workers in bridging gaps in care
Washington, D.C. – The National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention and a coalition of 13 groups have issued a joint policy statement to promote health and fair access to care.
The statement provides actionable recommendations for fully integrating community health workers (CHWs) into the healthcare system. It highlights CHWs’ vital contributions to health and outlines systemic barriers they face to providing services that cost-effectively improve health.
For Alton Boulware, a CHW and former U.S. Army combat medic, the power of his work lies in forging personal connections. One such connection was with a patient whose anxiety, stress, and dangerously high blood pressure threatened her well-being.
Facing the emotional strain of a second divorce and challenges as a single mother, the patient saw her systolic blood pressure spike to a life-threatening 189 millimeters of mercury (mmHg). Boulware met with her, listened to her story, and connected her to practical health solutions and a renewed sense of hope.
“I shifted her focus back to her foundation — reminding her of her inner strength and connecting her with her healthcare provider,” Boulware shared.
After their conversation and follow-up care, the patient’s systolic blood pressure dropped to 139.
“She called me, crying with joy, saying that our conversation had changed her life,” Boulware said.
This experience underscores the unique and transformative role CHWs play in their communities. CHWs bring tangible health benefits, including reduced emergency room visits, improved chronic disease management, and increased access to preventive care.
Evidence shows that for every $1 invested in CHW programs, the return on investment can reach up to $2.47.
“Community health workers are the connective tissue in healthcare, bridging the gap between clinical care and community needs,” said John M. Clymer, executive director of the National Forum. “Investing in their success yields healthier communities.”
To ensure CHWs can continue to bridge gaps in care and promote fair access and do so for more people, the joint policy statement urges policymakers, healthcare organizations, and community leaders to:
- Expand Medicaid support: Incentivize Medicaid programs to reimburse CHW services and support stable, full-time roles.
- Increase access: Use Medicare’s community health integration codes to reimburse for essential services that address the social determinants of health.
- Build capacity and enhance impact: Invest in CHW training through federal funds, such as the American Rescue Plan Act.
- Integrate CHWs into team-based care: Encourage employers to embed CHWs into multidisciplinary teams.
- Add CHWs in policy and practice: In legislation, regulations, funding announcements, or healthcare models, include and explicitly name CHWs as essential care team members.
The full CHW Policy Statement is available for download at natforum.org/CHWPolicyStatement.
Groups signing the letter represent patients, physicians, pharmacists, physician assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, dieticians, public health practitioners, and CHWs nationwide.
- American Foundation for Women’s Health/StopAfib.org
- American Pharmacists Association
- Anticoagulation Forum
- Association of Black Cardiologists
- BallengeRx Consulting
- Family Heart Foundation
- Global Healthy Living Foundation
- Global Liver Institute
- Independent Health
- National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations
- National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
- Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association
- The Mended Hearts, Inc.
- WomenHeart
Media Contact
John Clymer
Executive Director, National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
202-903-7303
john.clymer@nationalforum.org
