The American Public Health Association and the National Association of Community Health Workers describe CHWs as trusted front-line public health workers with a close understanding of the community. In this capacity, CHWs are positioned to link participants with social and community services in addition to health care.

Potential CHW activities extend beyond discussions of health services and health conditions to include social support, advocacy, assistance with forms and applications, and serving as an intermediary to community services including housing, food, and disability supports.

Organizations and institutions have varying definitions of community health workers. Of course, many definitions overlap with several common descriptors:

• Culturally competent in their work and communication
• Core coordination work
• Community advocate and educator
• Informal health behavior support
• Direct services provider

People have also used other descriptors for community health workers:

• Program promoters
• Collaboration builders
• Quality improvement and evaluation supporters

The Minnesota Community Health Worker Alliance divides the role of the CHW into five distinct categories with additional details about the scope of practice approved for CHWs in the state. This is how we define the role in Kansas and Missouri.

While these descriptions are broad and technically include both medical and social needs, most existing CHW programs target populations based on health condition, relationship to a health care entity (e.g. patient of a clinic), or race and ethnicity. Because CHWs work within different program contexts and serve different populations, clearly articulating their role is important to their success.