Advancing CHW Engagement in COVID-19 Response Strategies: A Playbook for Local Health Departments

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the persistent inequities in health care access, quality, and cost throughout our country. In responding to the pandemic, local health departments must advance health equity by engaging Community Health Workers (CHWs) as necessary partners in contact tracing, care coordination, community-based testing, vaccine readiness education, and the navigation of social resources.

This playbook—which was developed in collaboration with the National Community-Based Workforce Alliance, a coalition of organizations dedicated to funding, strengthening, and elevating trusted community-based workers—is intended for local health departments who wish to strengthen their engagement of CHWs in their COVID-19 response efforts. Part 1 of this playbook presents a “Framework for Engagement” across several key areas. Part 2 of this playbook includes a series of strategic recommendations for making discrete improvements across the areas of engagement outlined in Part 1.