Title
Community Health Worker Services
Action
Action:
A. Approve a contract in an amount up to $657,259 with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority dba Atrium Health to provide Community Health Worker services for a term of one year, and
B. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to negotiate, amend, extend, and renew the contract for up to one, one-year term, consistent with the purpose for which the contract was approved.
Body
Staff Resource(s):
Rebecca Hefner, Housing and Neighborhood Services
Warren Wooten, Housing and Neighborhood Services
Explanation
§ The Community Health Worker partnership (Partnership) was originally launched as part of the city’s Staying in Place pilot program during the COVID-19 pandemic to respond to increased resident needs related to housing instability, access to health services, and economic disruption.
§ The Partnership supports household stability, addresses social determinants of health, and promotes economic mobility through collaborative partnerships with Life Project, OurBridge, West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition, United Way of Central Carolinas, and Atrium Health.
§ Community Health Workers (CHWs) are employed by Atrium Health and work in the community, embedded in community-based organizations and serving as a trusted link between residents, health systems, and social services.
§ CHW activities include:
- Conducting outreach and engaging residents to understand their social, health, and housing needs;
- Providing navigation and care coordination support based on resident needs; and
- Connecting residents to resources that support housing stability, healthcare access, and overall well-being based on their unique needs such as health, transportation, childcare, and workforce training.
§ This holistic approach to community health aligns with the city’s broader goals to provide or otherwise facilitate services that lead to meaningful outcomes for residents. It also reflects the Neighborhood Engagement and Stabilization Commission’s recommendation to help residents stay in place by expanding access to services that promote stability and economic mobility through resources, referral services, and community partnerships.
§ With the proposed contract, Atrium will provide five CHWs, an increase from the four CHWs currently providing services. These five positions will continue to provide direct, community-based support to residents in the Corridors of Opportunity included in the pilot program (West Sugar Creek, Beatties Ford Road/Rozzelles Ferry, and Albemarle/Central) and will expand CHW services to households in the West Boulevard Corridor in response to needs identified there.
Charlotte Business Inclusion
Contract goals were not established for this contract because the scope of work or goods required does not present viable subcontracting opportunities. Atrium Health will be responsible for 100% of the work or goods, and there are no opportunities to include subcontractors. This assessment was confirmed by CBI and the respective departments after reviewing the project’s scope and potential for division into subcontracting opportunities.
Fiscal Note
Funding: Pay-As-You-Go Funds (PAYGO)