A house RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE AND COMMEND COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS FOR THEIR DEDICATED SERVICE TO UNDERSERVED AND HIGH-NEED COMMUNITIES AND TO DECLARE THE WEEK OF AUGUST 25 THROUGH AUGUST 31, 2024, AS "SOUTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER AWARENESS WEEK" AND WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2024, AS "SOUTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER APPRECIATION DAY."

Whereas, community health workers are frontline public health workers and trusted members of the communities they serve, often because of their lived experience, and they have unusually close relationships; and

Whereas, community health workers serve as liaisons between health and social services, connecting individuals with resources, support, and skills to live healthier lives; facilitating access to services; improving the quality and cultural competence of service delivery; building individual and community capacity; and increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities, such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support, and advocacy; and

Whereas, community health workers are a unique community-based, well trained workforce with professional certification; and

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. They work in challenged rural and urban communities, faith-based and community-based organizations, Rural and Federally Qualified Health Centers, public health and social services agencies, managed-care organizations, and large health systems; and

Whereas, community health workers are a proven workforce, with decades of research documenting their effectiveness in maternal and child health, chronic disease interventions, immunization, oral health, HIV care, primary care, and many other disciplines. They have a documented return on investment for many programs, saving health care dollars by connecting unresourced individuals with the right care at the right place at the right time, a practice that reduces emergency and hospital visits; and

Whereas, community health workers fulfill a wide range of roles, including providing cultural mediation among individuals, communities, and health and social service systems; offering culturally appropriate health education and information; offering care coordination, case management, and system navigation; providing coaching and social support; advocating for individuals and communities; building individual and community capacity; providing direct service; implementing individual and community assessments; conducting outreach; and participating in evaluation and research; and

Whereas, community health workers serve throughout the State and engage in training, workforce development, mentoring, and other initiatives to support community health worker programs. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and commend community health workers for their dedicated service to underserved and high-need communities and declare the week of August 25 through August 31, 2024, as "South Carolina Community Health Worker Awareness Week" and Wednesday, August 28, 2024, as "South Carolina Community Health Worker Appreciation Day."

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