Historically, CHWs are most recognized for their role in bridging community and clinical services, an early version of the increasingly popular community-clinical linkage (CCL) model. While the CHW approach was fostered in community settings, CCLs are a health systems approach to address disparities that extends the continuum of care from clinical settings to the community. CCLs were designed to improve patient access to community and public health services. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as others have noted the importance of developing CCLs to improve population health and implementation strategies to foster relationships among stakeholders. As individuals who serve as a bridge between health care and communities, CHWs provide an ideal connection point for CCLs. Further, there is evidence that the social support provided by CHWs can help improve resilience, a key component of emotional well-being, among Latinos with chronic disease. This establishes strong promise for testing CHW-led CCL interventions to improve access to health services and emotional well-being.
Community-clinical linkage models are a health systems approach to address SDH that extend the continuum of care from clinical settings to the community. Designed to improve patient access to community and public health services, the CDC and others have noted the importance of developing CCLs to improve population health and implementation strategies to foster relationships among stakeholders. Evidence supports the utilization of CHWs in CCLs, given the positive effects of CHWs in clinical care delivery and connecting to community resources across disease areas. CHWs also identify cultural issues that impact under-served communities and organize community engagement to address the social conditions that affect their health. CHWs can also bolster community social networks, a health protective factor across many contexts. As individuals who serve as a bridge between health care and communities, CHWs provide an ideal connection point for CCLs. There is strong promise for testing CCL interventions utilizing CHWs to promote Latino health and mitigate SDH needs within existing public health and primary care systems.
Read a full article regarding CCL Models here:
Community-Clinical Linkages With Community Health Workers in the United States: A Scoping Review