Community Health Workers in Action proposes support and expansion of the role of community health workers in meeting the health needs of marginalized groups in United States cities (although their potential reach is not limited to any one group or geographical section). Given the health inequities that continue to touch the lives of millions of people of color across the country, these professionals' efforts--which translate to innovative, community-centered responses designed to reach particularly vulnerable populations--are quite timely. In order to truly understand the topic of health care, one must first explore its historical contexts, socio-cultural factors, and the ways in which values play a critical role in shaping a worldview of the right to quality care. This book offers readers a window into the dynamic field that continues to expand in highly creative and cost-effective ways, which ultimately shape one major piece of the complicated puzzle that is health care in America.

PrefaceAcknowledgmentsSection 1: ContextChapter 1: OverviewChapter 2: Culture and HealthChapter 3: Health InequityChapter 4: Challenges and Barriers to Urban Health Care DeliverySection 2: Theoretical FoundationChapter 5: Values, Guiding Principles, Conceptual Foundation, and FrameworkChapter 6: Community Health Workers/Promotores de Salud: Definition, Parameters, and ChallengesChapter 7: Recruiting, Training, and Supporting Promotores (Paid and Volunteer)Section 3: Reflections From the FieldChapter 8: Special Population Case IllustrationsChapter 9: Lessons LearnedChapter 10: Recommendations for Research and PracticeReferencesIndex