In 2015, Community Health Workers (CHWs) in Kansas identified that they wanted to form a professional collaboration to work toward health equity through providing CHW education, empowerment, and advocacy.

CHWs are frontline public health workers who are trusted members of and/or have an unusually close understanding of the communities they serve. This trusting relationship enables them to serve as a liaison/link/intermediary between the health and social service systems and the community to facilitate access to these services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery.

CHWs utilize core competencies that aid in connecting their clients to the information and services needed for optimal, individualized health outcomes. These competencies support appropriate performance within different models of practice, as determined by their employers and volunteer agencies.

The CHW scope of practice encompasses client support, care coordination, healthcare liaison, health education, and advocacy.