Florida Community Health Worker Coalition
The Florida Community Health Worker Coalition is the recognized leader, and professional home of Community Health Workers. We are dedicated to promoting the profession and advocating on behalf of the Community Health Worker profession, and the underrepresented and underserved groups impacted by health disparities. We aim to accomplish this through our multisector partnerships, training, advocacy, and leadership.
Our statewide coalition began in 2010, as an initiative of a Policy, Environmental and Systems Change (PES) grant awarded to the Florida Department of Health. The grant supported the creation of a task force to explore current research, including CHW models, curriculum, and best practices in order to create a viable marketplace for Community Health Workers. At that time, the initiative aligned with the Governor-appointed Cancer Control and Research Advisory Council’s (CCRAB).
Annually, the coalition defines its priority populations and enlists the members of its four subgroups: Policy & Workforce Development, Curriculum & Practice, Networking & Communications and Research & Sustainability and its partners in meeting the objectives and goals of the organization. We are intentional in building partnerships with local, state, and federal partners as the key to improving the integration of Community Health Workers in addressing health-related social needs, access to care, and promoting culturally informed health education that improves health outcomes in highest need communities.
WHAT IS A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER?
A CHW is a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of and/or has an unusually close understanding of the community served. This trusting relationship enables the CHW to serve as a link between services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery.
American Public Health Association (APHA) CHW Section:
Also called: Promotoras de Salud, lay health worker, peer educator, health navigator, community health advocates, health educator, peer support specialist, outreach worker, community connector, among others job titles.
OUR VISION
To be the leader in support and advocacy of the Community Health Workers profession and the communities they serve.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to promote and advocate for the Community Health Worker (CHW) profession, and to address the social needs of underrepresented and underserved groups impacted by health disparities. We aim to accomplish this through our multisector partnerships, training, advocacy, and leadership.
