Accreditation organization URAC has created a program to help organizations implement and maintain community health worker programs that improve patient outcomes and drive down healthcare costs.
Community health workers are playing an increasingly important role in addressing social determinants of health. They invest time by gaining a strong understanding of a patient’s journey, conducting home visits and providing ongoing support to build trust and rapport with individuals.
CHW employment is expected to grow by 14% by 2032, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is significantly higher than average growth across all fields. But hiring community health workers is still a relatively new endeavor for most health systems, and hospitals are working through how best to deploy them. For instance, Sinai Urban Health Institute (SUHI), the community-engaged research arm of safety net hospital Sinai Chicago, is evaluating the impact of its Community Health Worker Support Program in mitigating adverse social determinants of health and addressing inequities.
By providing tools and validation for CHW programs working to improve outcomes, advance health equity and reduce costs, URAC said its new accreditation bolsters organizations' ability to meet diverse community needs.
The accreditation evaluates organizations rather than individuals and includes standards across 10 areas, including client and employee diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI); workforce development; learning and development; scope of practice and peer support and quality management. URAC added that the accreditation aligns with recent Centers for Disease Control (CDC) workforce initiatives to build accessible pathways to healthcare careers without requiring advanced degrees.
"This accreditation reflects our commitment to supporting community health workers and the organizations they serve," said Shawn Griffin, M.D., president and CEO of URAC, in a statement. "By embedding DEI and social determinants of health into the core of our standards, we are ensuring that community health worker programs can better meet the needs of both caregivers and patients."
A multi-stakeholder advisory committee informed this accreditation, with representatives from Federally Qualified Health Centers, community-based organizations, nonprofits, educational institutions and payers. Committee members collaborated to develop robust, relevant standards reflecting the various challenges that CHW programs face across the country.
