New Report Highlights Community Health Workers' Impact, Calls for Sustained Local Investment, During National CHW Awareness Week

BOSTON, Aug. 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of National Community Health Worker (CHW) Awareness Week, a new report, Strengthening Public Health with Community Health Workers, #StrengthInCHWs, was published today that spotlights examples of sustained programs in communities across the country where the trust and expertise of CHWs  is strengthening health interventions - from outreach to community engagement, and from chronic disease prevention to care. The report was developed in collaboration between the National Association of CHWs (NACHW), Sanofi, NationSwell, and Atlas Clarity.

Community Health Workers are frontline public health professionals who bridge gaps between health and social services and the communities they serve. They are trusted experts who serve their neighbors and knowledgeable professionals who collaborate with cross-sector partners to help ensure that everyone can receive compassionate and respectful high quality and effective care.

Katherine Martinez, Interim Executive Director of NACHW, emphasized "Community Health Workers are the backbone of our health system. When CHWs are involved in program design, and when their work in community is sustainably funded, programs are more likely to succeed. This report shows where that's working." 

Denise Octavia Smith, Inaugural Executive Director of NACHW (2019 – 2025) added, "This report can help individuals and organizations prioritize the leadership, innovation and priorities of Community Health Workers: a unique and trusted workforce of local leaders addressing local problems with local solutions developed in, by and for their local communities."

CHWs are especially critical in rural and underserved communities, where over 76 million Americans reside in Health Professional Shortage Areas. With uniquely earned trust, CHWs are critical in crisis response, support access to quality education, built environments, community infrastructure, and economic stability, and play a vital role in helping communities understand health risks, prevent disease and disease progression, and access support for chronic and infectious diseases like diabetes, heart disease, asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and HIV/AIDS.

Based on interviews with CHWs and CHW network leaders and with partners, employers, and funders, the report highlights examples of impact and sustainability – from programs led by CHWs independently and through community-based organizations and community health center networks, to permanent roles in hospitals, health plans, and more. It finds bright spots of sustainability and impact where CHWs are engaged early in community program design, where CHW expertise and services are compensated, and where the unique value the CHW brings is thoughtfully preserved when integrated into care teams and partner programs. For those seeking to support CHW impact, actionable recommendations include:

1. Partner with state and local CHW Networks and Associations on policy priorities while also increasing direct investments in sustainable CHW programs and partnerships focused on local community needs and health priorities.
   
   
   
   
2. Design full-time, permanent care team roles for CHWs that are informed by CHW expertise, ensuring that the unique value of the CHW is preserved for optimal program impact.
   
   
   
   
3. Bring in CHWs early as paid consultants and service providers when assessing community needs and developing and implementing local programs.
   
   
   
   
4. Support NACHW's unification of the workforce, their training and professional development of CHWs, their support of state and local CHW networks, and their policy and advocacy work.
   
   
   
   
5. When implementing programs that include CHW value, invest in quantifying disease-specific CHW impact and the return on investment of CHW programs, to further support funding.

Kristi Mitchell, CEO of Atlas Clarity added, "There is a strong business case for integrating CHWs, but Medicaid reimbursement and sustainable financing is not enough. This report underscores the need for committed action from partners across the healthcare ecosystem, particularly partners in states and local communities, to make it happen."

"Sanofi has a long history of supporting the CHW workforce," said Barb Short, Senior Director of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, Sanofi. "The extensive listening that informs this report reinforces that a unified, supported U.S. CHW workforce is critical to public health. It also sharpens the point that where true, local investment in and partnership with CHWs is sustained, some of the brightest examples of community health are seen."

"This report intends to help any funder, no matter the industry, understand better where and how to support the work of CHWs in ways that are proven and most helpful," shared Amy Lee, Chief Strategy Officer, NationSwell. "And to appreciate how very important that support is."

The full "Strengthening Public Health with Community Health Workers" report is available for download at www.nachw.org/projects/strengthening-ph-chws/. Designed as a discussion starter, the report intends to support conversation during #NCHWAW and beyond. It also invites more examples where CHW work is effectively supported: [email protected].

About the National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW):

The National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW) was founded in April 2019 after several years of planning and organizing by Community Health Workers (CHWs) and allies across the United States. NACHW is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership-driven organization with a mission to unify CHWs across geography, ethnicity, sector and experience to support communities to achieve health, equity and social justice. www.NACHW.org

About Atlas Clarity:

Atlas Clarity, LLC is a San Francisco based advisory services firm dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of populations, with a keen focus on closing health disparities. We are dedicated to collecting and translating meaningful real-world information from and about the patients, engaging them in their health–while delivering value to their experience, enhancing their health outcomes, and improving their quality of life. Our team is also focused on bringing multi-stakeholder partners together to tackle complex questions plaguing underserved populations that require innovative approaches to data generation and dissemination. We seek to transform healthcare from the inside out. www.atlasclarity.com   

About NationSwell:

NationSwell is an award-winning community and advisory for impact leaders. We help philanthropists, companies, nonprofits and other purpose-driven leaders take impact to the next level with confidence and credibility. We offer our partners an experienced, mission-driven team of strategists, storytellers, and community-builders, and unique access to cutting edge insights, events, thought leadership and professional support. To learn more about the NationSwell Health in Action funders' collaborative, email [email protected].

About Sanofi:

Sanofi is an R&D driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to improving people's lives and delivering compelling growth. We apply our deep understanding of the immune system to invent medicines and vaccines that treat and protect millions of people around the world, with an innovative pipeline that could benefit millions more. Our team is guided by one purpose: we chase the miracles of science to improve people's lives; this inspires us to drive progress and deliver positive impact for our people and the communities we serve, by addressing the most urgent healthcare, environmental, and societal challenges of our time.

Sanofi is listed on EURONEXT: SAN and NASDAQ: SNY

CONTACT: Bernadine Jeranyama, NACHW, [email protected]

SOURCE National Association of Community Health Workers