Building the CHW Workforce in Behavioral Health

SUHI is dedicated to building CHW models focused on working with patients who have behavioral health needs. Efforts include behavioral health-focused CHWs serving behavioral health inpatient units, addressing unmet social needs, connecting to outpatient services, and coordinating directly with clinical teams. SUHI is exploring employing CHWs in outpatient behavioral health settings and possible interventionist roles for the future. To prepare them for working in such settings, SUHI provides specialized CHW training and workforce development supports.