I recently met with Nancy Kennedy, Executive Director, Northwest Georgia Healthcare Partnership in Dalton, GA to learn more about the work of her organization in the community. Nancy introduced me to a very successful program they have implemented - Promotores de Salud (community health workers). This is a health outreach program created to solve the problems of the area’s diverse population plagued by limited access to health services, lack of education on health issues, and language barriers. The Promotores are trained to work directly with Latinos through the hospital, the hospital’s HealthMobile unit, the health department, physicians, employers and the school systems to insure that health care and health education is accessible.
The program is modeled after a successful Promotores program in El Paso, TX. Promotores de Salud are community members who work almost exclusively in community settings. They serve as connectors between health care consumers and providers to promote health among groups that have traditionally lacked access to adequate health care. An emerging body of literature appears to support the unique role of these community workers and advocates in strengthening existing community networks for care, providing community members with social support, education, and facilitating access to care and communities with a stimulus for action. This innovative approach is having a positive impact on the Hispanic residents in northwest Georgia. For more information on this program click here.
The lay health worker is an important resource to explore and develop as we look for new strategies to improve the health of the community.
