Dissemination Audiences for Community Health Worker Programs
Sharing or disseminating information about community health worker (CHW) programs provides many benefits to a variety of audiences. These audiences can be broadly categorized into those served or affected by the program, as well as those involved in program operations.
Audiences who are served or affected by the CHW program can include:
- Patients who have participated in the CHW programs and services
- Potential future patients within the surrounding community
Audiences who are involved in CHW program operations can include:
- Current and future program partners
- Health systems, including hospitals and primary care providers
- Funders who support the program
- Community health workers, both current and future
- Local, regional, or state health departments
- Policymakers at local or state levels
It is also important to consider other key audiences who may not be directly involved in the program but are interested in learning more about the program's successes, challenges, and lessons learned. Other key audiences for information regarding CHW programs, services, benefits, and outcomes can include:
- Other Rural CHW Programs
- New CHW programs and initiatives
- Existing CHW programs seeking to refine or expand their CHW activities
- Healthcare Entities
- Healthcare providers interested in hiring or working with CHWs
- Health insurers and foundations
- Home health agencies
- Public Health Professionals
- Other public health practitioners
- Academic Institutions
- Researchers and scholars
- Universities, colleges, and local community colleges
- Governmental Agencies
- Federal, state, and local departments/agencies
- Social services providers
- Community Organizations and Members
- Foundations
- Faith-based organizations
- Advocacy groups focused on CHWs, health promotion, and disease prevention
- Schools, businesses, or employers in the community
For a general list of key audiences for dissemination, see Methods of Dissemination in the Rural Community Health Toolkit.
Federal Government
State and Local Government
- State Offices of Rural Health
- State CHW training/certification programs
- State CHW associations
- Local policymakers, including legislatures or city council members
- Local health departments