III 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 381 

Supporting the designation of the week of August 28 through September 

1, 2023, as ‘‘National Community Health Worker Awareness Week’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 28 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 22), 2023 

Mr. CASEY (for himself, Mr. PADILLA, Ms. HIRONO, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, and 

Mr. BLUMENTHAL) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the designation of the week of August 28 through 

September 1, 2023, as ‘‘National Community Health 

Worker Awareness Week’’. 

Whereas a community health worker is a frontline public 

health worker who is a trusted member of the community 

in which the worker serves and has an unusually close 

understanding of that community that enables the worker 

to build trusted relationships, serve as a liaison between 

health and social services and the community, facilitate 

access to services, improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery, build individual and community capacity, and increase health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, 

community education, informal counseling, social support, 

and advocacy; 


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•SRES 381 IS 

Whereas community health workers are a unique workforce, 

recognized in 36 States with a professional certification; 

Whereas community health workers are a community-based 

workforce that builds relationships with those around 

them and helps build treatment capacity in underserved 

areas; 

Whereas community health workers are a historic and diverse 

workforce that goes back hundreds of years in the United 

States and reflects the diversity of the country; 

Whereas community health workers have been known by 

many different titles, including community health representatives, promotoras de salud, aunties, peers, and 

outreach workers; 

Whereas community health workers are a cross-sector workforce that connects community members to health care 

and other social services, reducing barriers to health and 

well-being; 

Whereas community health workers are a proven workforce 

with decades of research documenting effectiveness in 

maternal and child health, chronic disease interventions, 

immunization, oral health, HIV, primary care, and many 

other disciplines and have a documented return on investment for many programs; 

Whereas sustainable funding of community health workers 

supports fair market wages and enhanced recruitment 

and retention of the workforce; 

Whereas community health workers fulfill a wide range of 

roles, including— 

(1) providing cultural mediation among individuals, 

communities, and health and social service systems; 


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•SRES 381 IS 

(2) offering culturally appropriate health education 

and information; 

(3) offering care coordination, case management, 

and system navigation; 

(4) providing coaching and social support; 

(5) advocating for individuals and communities; 

(6) building individual and community capacity; 

(7) providing direct service; 

(8) implementing individual and community assessments; 

(9) conducting outreach; and 

(10) participating in evaluation and research; and 

Whereas community health worker networks are statewide, 

regional, or local associations or coalitions with leadership and membership that are composed of at least 50 

percent community health workers, promotoras, or community health representatives and whose activities include training, workforce development, mentoring, and 

other initiatives to support community health worker, 

promotora, and community health representative programs: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of National 

3 Community Health Worker Awareness Week; 

4 (2) recognizes the significant contributions of 

5 community health workers to the health care system 

6 and communities across the United States; 

7 (3) encourages collaboration at the local, State, 

8 and Federal levels to raise awareness of the impor9 tant role of community health workers; and 


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•SRES 381 IS 

1 (4) supports the work of community health 

2 workers to improve health outcomes in underserved 

3 and high-need communities. 

Æ 


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