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A message from Meqdes, a CCA community health worker
CCA community health workers live and work in your community. They understand the conditions that impact the health and wellness of the people in your neighborhood. That’s why they work to bridge gaps and help you access important services to improve your well-being.
Before you visit your healthcare providers to address a specific need, you spend time in your home and places of work, worship, or recreation. What happens in those settings very much impacts your health. For example, someone who can’t afford enough food, or can’t afford to travel to a grocery store, could face the medical consequences of a poor diet. Yet, people hardly ever discuss these issues with their providers.
Community Health Workers are part of a multidisciplinary team at CCA focused on these concerns. A medical intervention may be effective short-term. But things often go back to how they were if other issues are not addressed. Community Health Workers help address these cultural and social factors that impact your health. Your Community Health Worker’s job is to help you overcome barriers to meeting basic human needs, like food and shelter. They assist by connecting you to helpful community programs and health plan benefits.
Community Health Workers use a variety of tools to help CCA members meet their needs. For example, with the price of food rising, sometimes SNAP or WIC benefits are not enough. Community Health Workers can teach you about your SNAP/HIP or WIC benefits so you can maximize them. They can also locate other resources in your neighborhood that may help you access food. Community Health Workers help you stretch every dollar by supporting your access to benefits. For example, you may be eligible for fuel assistance, leaving more of your budget to spend on food.
If you are a CCA member experiencing issues accessing food and housing, we can help. Reach out to Member Services to get connected to a Community Health Worker.
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