Community Health Worker Program Set to Receive $1.27M in Federal Funding
May 16, 2024Categories: Organizational Updates
Trinity Health Of New England announced this week it’s expected to receive $1.27M in federal funding based on requests made by Connecticut’s congressional delegation. The earmark funding is intended to expand the health system’s existing Community Health Worker program in Connecticut, which currently provides social care wraparound services for patients in the Emergency Departments at its three Connecticut-based hospitals—Saint Francis Hospital, Saint Mary’s Hospital, and Johnson Memorial Hospital. An expansion would allow Community Health Workers to be added to the care team at the system’s safety net health clinics, inpatient units, and more.
Members of the Community Health and Well-Being team at the Connecticut Legislative Office Building
“We are incredibly grateful for the steadfast support of Senator Blumenthal, Senator Murphy, Congressman Larson, Congressman Hayes, and Congressmen Courtney for their work to help make this funding possible,” said Syed Hussain, M.D., Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer, Trinity Health Of New England. “At each of our Trinity Health Of New England ministries, our Mission is to serve as a healing and transforming presence to our local communities and this funding is one more resource to allow us to achieve that goal.”
Patients who experience poverty often face challenging health care needs and barriers that limit access to care and their ability to improve their health and well-being. Trinity Health Of New England’s Community Health Worker program uses a care model which incorporates social care directly into the clinical care process. This holistic model includes a comprehensive social care screening and integrates the Community Health Workers as a valuable part of the clinical care team by addressing non-medical needs. The Community Health Workers adhere to medical guidance and support as eyes and ears for the providers by identifying the barriers the patients face within the community and at home. This approach to caring for the whole person has proven to be a high-value service and instrumental in impacting the patient’s experience and preventing future hospitalization.
“This funding will play a vital role in expanding our ability to serve the most vulnerable, high-risk patients’ well beyond our hospital walls by growing our Community Health Worker workforce,” said Carolyn Alessi, Regional Director of Community Health and Well-Being, Saint Francis Hospital. “The funding is intended to be a bridge towards sustainability as we wait for the Medicaid billing code for Community Health Worker services to be designed, approved, and funded by legislation.”
Trinity Health Of New England’s Community Health and Well-Being team will take the appropriate steps to apply for and secure the promised funding, before expanding the program, which they anticipate will take place over the next several months.