On Wednesday, December 8th, Angela Eastlund, Workforce Policy Analyst, testified before the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, Health Equity and Quality Subcommittee in support of advancing the Community Health Worker (CHW) workforce through voluntary certification and Medicaid reimbursement strategies. Below is a portion of the testimony, which you can read in full here.

Community Health Workers (CHWs) are an important group of health workers helping residents—often in underserved communities—to manage chronic conditions, develop healthy lifestyles, gain access to care, and advocate for conditions that support people’s health.

Health & Medicine Policy Research Group has a longstanding commitment to the CHW model and has been an advocate in Illinois for the formation of CHW legislation at the state level, as well as supporting various CHW initiatives and collaborations.

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On the topic of defining CHW services, South Dakota has utilized the following definition which we think is the most expansive, inclusive, and appropriate. Health & Medicine encourages the Department to adopt similar language to the following:

“Services to prevent disease, disability, or other health condition, or support individuals with a documented barrier to care affecting health.”

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On the topic of CHW reimbursement structure, we support a capitation structure, not fee for service, that supports thrivable wages for the CHW workforce. We also urge that capitation include travel and transportation, as particularly in rural areas this will undoubtedly be necessary, as CHW services often take them to multiple, remote sites.