Some of our patients are lucky enough to have an extra member on their team to address racial and economic disparities: a Community Health Worker. Community Health Workers are non-medical, lay members of the community who help break down barriers that prevent families from being able to adequately care for their child’s diabetes. They link families to community resources and act as a liaison between families and their health care teams. Community Health Workers live in the same communities as their patients and often have faced similar challenges to the families they serve. During this period of economic and social instability, a Community Health Worker’s personal connection with families, and on-the-ground experience of dealing with social assistance programs, have proven invaluable. They are helping families to connect with their health care teams through technology, applying for economic relief, finding local food pantries, strategizing childcare, and providing a virtual shoulder to lean on during these difficult times.
