Community Health Networks
Community Health Networks
Community health networks bring together health-care providers, public-health agencies, community organizations, social-service providers, residents, and other local institutions to address health needs collectively. Rather than treating health as something produced only in hospitals and doctors' offices, these networks recognize that health is shaped by relationships among medical care, housing, food, transportation, education, employment, behavioral health, social support, and the communities in which people live.
The material collected on community health networks demonstrates that this approach can take many forms. Networks may involve community health centers cooperating through shared infrastructure, rural hospitals pooling resources, community health workers connecting residents with services, hospitals partnering with nonprofit organizations, or public-health departments coordinating community-wide health initiatives. Despite their differences, these approaches share a central principle: complex health problems usually require cooperation among multiple institutions rather than action by a single provider.
Community Health Centers as Local Anchors
Community health centers are among the most important institutions within community health networks. They provide primary and preventive care to millions of people, particularly in medically underserved urban and rural communities.
Because their patients often face medical and socioeconomic challenges simultaneously, health centers increasingly work beyond conventional clinical boundaries. They may screen patients for food insecurity, housing problems, transportation difficulties, behavioral-health needs, and other conditions that affect health.
Partnerships allow health centers to connect patients with organizations capable of addressing these needs. Health Center Controlled Networks, accountable-care organizations, clinically integrated networks, and other collaborative structures can also allow independent health centers to share technology, data, administrative resources, clinical expertise, and contracting capabilities.
This network model can be particularly valuable for smaller organizations that would struggle to maintain sophisticated infrastructure independently.
Community Health Workers as Network Connectors
Community health workers are a recurring element throughout successful community health systems. Their effectiveness frequently comes from occupying a position between formal institutions and everyday community life.
Community health workers may provide health education, conduct outreach, make home visits, help people schedule appointments, assist with transportation, identify social needs, support chronic-disease management, and connect residents with medical and social services.
They can also serve as trusted intermediaries between institutions and populations that have historically experienced barriers to health care. Their knowledge of local communities can improve communication, strengthen trust, and help health systems understand problems that may not be visible from within clinical institutions.
Research and policy guidance increasingly emphasize integrating community health workers into health systems while preserving the community relationships that make their role distinctive. Successful integration requires appropriate financing, training, supervision, clearly defined responsibilities, communication with clinicians, and recognition of community-based expertise.
Connecting Clinical Care and Community Services
A major purpose of community health networks is to reduce fragmentation between medical treatment and the wider range of services affecting people's health.
Patients may simultaneously need primary care, specialty treatment, behavioral-health services, housing assistance, nutrition support, transportation, financial assistance, or caregiving resources. When these systems operate independently, individuals must navigate a complicated collection of organizations on their own.
Community-clinical linkages attempt to create organized pathways between these services.
Community care hubs, referral networks, care coordinators, community navigators, health workers, and integrated-care programs can help identify needs and connect people with appropriate organizations. Effective networks also establish relationships between providers before individual patients require assistance, making referrals more reliable and coordinated.
Rural and Regional Health Networks
Networks can be especially important in rural communities, where hospitals and clinics often operate with limited staff, financing, technology, and specialty services.
Regional partnerships allow smaller rural hospitals and health organizations to pool expertise and resources. Organizations may share technology, clinical services, workforce programs, administrative capabilities, care-coordination systems, and specialized medical expertise.
Community health workers, telehealth, transportation programs, rural clinics, community paramedicine, and regional hospital partnerships can further extend the reach of health services.
Rural health networks demonstrate an important principle of community health: cooperation can allow small institutions to provide services that would be difficult or impossible for each organization to sustain independently.
Hospitals and Community Partnerships
Hospitals increasingly participate in partnerships extending beyond traditional medical care.
Hospital-community collaborations may involve public-health departments, housing organizations, schools, food programs, behavioral-health providers, nonprofit organizations, local governments, faith communities, and resident organizations.
These partnerships can address conditions such as housing instability, food insecurity, transportation barriers, behavioral-health needs, chronic disease, maternal health, and unequal access to preventive services.
Successful collaborations generally require more than informal cooperation. Shared goals, clearly defined responsibilities, governance structures, trust, communication, sustainable financing, and mechanisms for evaluating results help transform temporary partnerships into durable community networks.
Public Health and Community Engagement
Public health is inherently networked. Federal, state, tribal, territorial, and local agencies operate alongside hospitals, schools, nonprofits, health systems, community organizations, and residents.
Community health assessments and improvement-planning processes can bring these participants together to identify local priorities and coordinate responses.
Increasingly, community engagement is understood as more than asking residents for feedback after programs have already been designed. Stronger models involve residents and community organizations in identifying problems, setting priorities, designing interventions, implementing programs, evaluating results, and sharing decision-making authority.
Trust is especially important. Long-term relationships with trusted community organizations can improve communication during public-health emergencies and strengthen participation in preventive health programs.
Health Equity and Social Determinants of Health
Community health networks reflect growing recognition that medical treatment alone cannot explain or address many differences in health outcomes.
Housing, income, education, employment, transportation, neighborhood conditions, food access, environmental hazards, discrimination, and social relationships can all influence health.
Consequently, health organizations increasingly collaborate with institutions outside the medical sector. Partnerships involving housing agencies, food organizations, schools, transportation providers, social services, local government, and community organizations can address problems that clinicians cannot solve through medical treatment alone.
This multisector approach is particularly important for health equity because disadvantaged communities frequently experience overlapping barriers involving both health care and social conditions.
Behavioral Health Networks
Behavioral health illustrates the importance of coordinated community systems.
Effective behavioral-health networks may involve mental-health providers, primary-care clinics, hospitals, crisis teams, substance-use treatment programs, schools, housing organizations, social services, emergency responders, and community organizations.
Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics and other integrated-care approaches attempt to provide more continuous systems of prevention, crisis intervention, treatment, and recovery support.
Community crisis systems similarly depend upon coordination among crisis lines, mobile response teams, stabilization services, hospitals, first responders, behavioral-health professionals, and community organizations.
Rather than expecting individuals experiencing crises to navigate disconnected services, network approaches seek to create organized pathways through the system.
Maternal, Child, and Family Health Networks
Maternal and child health programs frequently rely upon community networks because family health needs cross institutional boundaries.
Home-visiting programs, maternal-health initiatives, pediatric systems, schools, social workers, community health workers, early-childhood organizations, and medical providers can collaborate to support mothers, infants, children, and families.
These networks may address prenatal care, infant mortality, developmental needs, nutrition, family social needs, preventive services, and care for children with special health-care needs.
Community partnerships are especially useful when families require both medical services and assistance with broader social or economic challenges.
Chronic Disease Prevention and Management
Community networks play an important role in preventing and managing chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
Community health workers can provide culturally appropriate education, support medication adherence, conduct home visits, help patients navigate services, and connect families with community resources.
Community-clinical partnerships can also increase participation in cancer screening and preventive programs.
Chronic-disease prevention increasingly extends beyond clinical treatment to community environments. Partnerships involving schools, employers, public agencies, food organizations, health systems, and community groups can promote physical activity, improve access to healthy foods, reduce tobacco use, and address environmental factors affecting disease.
Technology, Data, and Community Health Networks
Modern community health networks increasingly depend upon shared information and communication systems.
Digital tools can support communication among community health workers, clinicians, social-service providers, and patients. Shared data can help communities identify disparities, coordinate referrals, monitor population health, and evaluate whether interventions are improving outcomes.
Artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies may create additional opportunities, but the material also emphasizes the importance of community participation when technologies are introduced into health systems.
Technology can strengthen networks, but it does not eliminate the need for trust, relationships, local knowledge, and human intermediaries.
Community Power and Shared Decision-Making
An important development in community health is the movement from treating communities simply as recipients of services toward treating them as partners.
Community-led research, participatory public health, resident leadership, and community power-building approaches give people affected by health policies a greater role in defining problems and developing solutions.
This can change the relationship between institutions and communities. Instead of health organizations deciding what communities need and subsequently delivering programs, residents can participate in setting priorities and determining how resources should be used.
Such participation can improve local relevance while strengthening trust, accountability, and community ownership.
Building Sustainable Community Health Networks
Successful community health networks require durable relationships rather than temporary projects.
Important elements include:
- shared goals among participating organizations;
- clearly defined roles and responsibilities;
- sustainable financing;
- strong communication;
- community participation;
- trusted local leadership;
- appropriate data sharing;
- coordination between clinical and social services;
- workforce support for community health workers and navigators;
- mechanisms for measuring outcomes;
- organizational flexibility; and
- long-term commitments among participating institutions.
Networks are most effective when collaboration becomes part of the normal structure of the health system rather than depending entirely on short-term grants or individual leaders.
From Health Care to Community Health
The broader lesson of community health networks is that health care and community health are related but not identical.
Health-care institutions primarily diagnose and treat individuals. Community health systems must also consider the environments, institutions, relationships, and social conditions affecting entire populations.
This requires a wider network of participants.
Doctors, nurses, hospitals, and clinics remain essential, but so can community health workers, schools, housing organizations, behavioral-health providers, social workers, local governments, nonprofit organizations, transportation programs, food organizations, families, and residents themselves.
Primary health care therefore becomes not simply a point of medical treatment but part of a larger community infrastructure.
Conclusion
Community health networks represent a shift from fragmented services toward connected systems of care and community support. They recognize that many health challenges cannot be solved by individual hospitals, clinics, public agencies, or nonprofit organizations acting alone.
Community health centers can anchor local systems. Community health workers can connect institutions with residents. Hospitals can collaborate with community organizations. Rural providers can share scarce resources. Public-health departments can coordinate collective action. Social-service organizations can address conditions that medical treatment cannot resolve.
The strongest networks also recognize communities themselves as participants rather than passive recipients of health services.
Across rural health, behavioral health, maternal and child health, chronic-disease prevention, health equity, and primary care, the same principle repeatedly emerges: healthier communities depend not only on the quality of individual institutions, but also on the strength of the relationships connecting them.
Community Health Networks
Rural and Regional Health Networks
’‘’Small Rural Hospital Networks Level the Playing Field’’’ [https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/2026/jul/how-small-rural-hospital-networks-are-leveling-playing-field-larger-health | Commonwealth Fund | The Commonwealth Fund | July 22, 2026] Small rural hospitals in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Ohio are forming regional networks to pool expertise, expand access to services, strengthen bargaining power, and develop payment arrangements better suited to rural health care.
’‘’HRSA Announces Nearly $140 Million in New Funding to Improve Health in Rural Communities’’’ [https://www.hrsa.gov/about/news/press-releases/new-funding-rural-health-communities | Health Resources and Services Administration | HRSA | June 29, 2026] Federal rural-health investments support networks addressing substance-use disorders, workforce shortages, care coordination, and access to medical services in underserved communities.
’‘’Community Health Center Patients, Financing, and Services’’’ [https://www.kff.org/medicaid/community-health-center-patients-financing-and-services/ | KFF | KFF | February 4, 2026] Community health centers form a nationwide safety-net network providing primary, behavioral, dental, and supportive care to millions of people in medically underserved urban and rural communities.
’‘’Primary Health Care’’’ [https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/primary-health-care | World Health Organization | WHO | December 5, 2025] Primary health care is presented as a community-centered system extending from health promotion and disease prevention through treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care as close as possible to people’s everyday lives.
’‘’For Community Health Centers, A Winding Path to Value-Based Care’’’ [https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2025.01405 | Health Affairs | Health Affairs | December 2, 2025] Community health centers increasingly participate in clinically integrated networks that allow independent safety-net providers to collaborate on Medicaid and Medicare value-based care arrangements.
’‘’What’s In a Name? Challenges Facing Community Health Centers’’’ [https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/s-name-community-health-centers-and-post-hr-1-challenges | Health Affairs | Health Affairs Forefront | November 6, 2025] Many community health centers participate in health-center-controlled networks that provide shared technology, data, administrative infrastructure, and other capabilities difficult for individual centers to maintain independently.
’‘’U.S. Public Health’’’ [https://www.kff.org/other-health/health-policy-101-u-s-public-health/ | KFF | KFF | October 8, 2025] The American public-health system includes federal, state, and local agencies together with hospitals, schools, voluntary groups, health systems, and community-based organizations, making public health inherently networked.
’‘’Integrating Community Health Workers into Health Systems’’’ [https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240110298 | World Health Organization | WHO | 2025] WHO provides a policy framework for integrating community health workers into national and subnational health systems rather than operating community programs as isolated projects.
Community Health Workers and Local Networks
’‘’How Community Health Centers Can Partner with Organizations to Adopt Value-Based Care’’’ [https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2025/how-community-health-centers-can-partner-organizations-adopt-value-based-care | The Commonwealth Fund | The Commonwealth Fund | May 30, 2025] Networks can help community health centers participate in value-based contracts, develop common clinical protocols, share infrastructure, and coordinate care across otherwise independent organizations.
’‘’Health and AI: Advancing Responsible and Ethical AI for All Communities’’’ [https://www.brookings.edu/articles/health-and-ai-advancing-responsible-and-ethical-ai-for-all-communities/ | Brookings Institution | Brookings Institution | March 3, 2025] Community partnerships and stakeholder involvement are important when health systems introduce technologies such as artificial intelligence, particularly when seeking equitable outcomes across different populations.
’‘’Public Understanding of and Engagement With Community Health Workers’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2025/24_0441.htm | Rohan et al. | CDC Preventing Chronic Disease | 2025] Community health workers can connect residents with preventive services, chronic-disease care, health information, and community resources while serving as trusted intermediaries between institutions and populations.
’‘’A Social Network Lens to Community Health Worker Influence’’’ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11724407/ | Nooraie et al. | National Library of Medicine | 2025] Researchers use social-network analysis to examine how community health workers influence relationships, information flows, and connections between patients, communities, and health-care organizations.
’‘’Resources for Community Health Workers’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-disease/php/community-health-worker-resources/index.html | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | December 3, 2024] CDC resources describe how community health workers reduce barriers to care, assist people managing chronic illness, and help organizations build stronger connections between patients and health services.
’‘’The Value of Community Paramedicine’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/ems-community-paramedicine/php/data-research/community-paramedicine/index.html | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | October 16, 2024] Community paramedicine expands traditional emergency medical services by providing home-based, mobile, preventive, and follow-up care intended to fill gaps in local health systems.
’‘’Community Health Work and Social Work Collaboration’’’ [https://journals.lww.com/ambulatorycaremanagement/fulltext/2024/07000/community_health_work_and_social_work.8.aspx | Petruzzi et al. | Journal of Ambulatory Care Management | 2024] Community health workers and social workers can collaborate to address fragmented medical and social-service systems, creating stronger links between clinical treatment and community needs.
’‘’The Community as a Full Partner: A New Model for Public Health’’’ [https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2024.00033 | Chen et al. | Health Affairs | 2024] The article argues for moving beyond simply consulting communities and toward treating residents and community organizations as genuine partners in designing and implementing public-health initiatives.
Integrating Community and Clinical Care
’‘’How Regional Partnerships Bolster Rural Hospitals’’’ [https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/2023/may/how-regional-partnerships-bolster-rural-hospitals | The Commonwealth Fund | The Commonwealth Fund | May 15, 2023] Regional partnerships allow small rural hospitals to share services and technology, improve care coordination, experiment with new delivery models, and maintain health services that could otherwise disappear.
’‘’A Review of Community Health Worker Integration in Health Departments’’’ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10924716/ | Ignoffo et al. | National Library of Medicine | 2023] A review of community health worker programs examines how local health departments integrate CHWs into public-health operations and finds benefits involving preventive care, health risks, costs, and community outreach.
’‘’Community Health Worker Programmes’ Integration into National Health Systems’’’ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10091149/ | Mupara et al. | National Library of Medicine | 2023] Community health worker programs are more sustainable when they are formally integrated into health systems with clear roles, financing, supervision, training, and relationships with other health professionals.
’‘’Community Health Worker Team Integration in Medicaid Managed Care’’’ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9880210/ | Wennerstrom et al. | National Library of Medicine | 2023] Medicaid managed-care organizations are incorporating community health workers into health teams to help address housing, food, transportation, health literacy, and other social determinants affecting patient health.
’‘’Improving Health and Well-Being Through Community Care Hubs’’’ [https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/improving-health-and-well-being-through-community-care-hubs | Health Affairs | Health Affairs Forefront | November 29, 2022] Community care hubs organize networks of community-based organizations so health systems and insurers can more easily connect people with nutrition, housing, transportation, caregiving, and other social services.
’‘’Risks and Benefits to Community Health Worker Certification’’’ [https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/risks-and-benefits-community-health-worker-certification | Health Affairs | Health Affairs Forefront | July 7, 2022] Certification can professionalize the community health worker workforce and facilitate reimbursement, but overly rigid requirements may exclude people whose community relationships and lived experience are central to their effectiveness.
’‘’How Community Health Centers Are Serving Low-Income Communities’’’ [https://www.kff.org/medicaid/how-community-health-centers-are-serving-low-income-communities-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-amid-new-and-continuing-challenges/ | KFF | KFF | June 3, 2022] Community health centers function as a national safety-net network and played important roles in testing, vaccination, primary care, and support services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
’‘’Building Connective Tissue for Effective Housing-Health Initiatives’’’ [https://www.brookings.edu/articles/building-connective-tissue-for-effective-housing-health-initiatives/ | Brookings Institution | Brookings Institution | May 3, 2022] Effective collaborations between housing and health organizations depend on sustained local relationships, trust, shared knowledge, and structures that allow organizations from different sectors to work together.
’‘’Five Building Blocks to Help Achieve Greater Health Equity’’’ [https://www.brookings.edu/articles/5-building-blocks-to-help-achieve-greater-health-equity/ | Stuart M. Butler and Nehath Sheriff | Brookings Institution | February 22, 2022] Community partnerships, telehealth, local institutions, social services, and neighborhood-based strategies can complement conventional medical care in efforts to reduce health disparities.
Community–Clinical Linkages
’‘’How Poor Communication Exacerbates Health Inequities—and What to Do About It’’’ [https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-poor-communication-exacerbates-health-inequities-and-what-to-do-about-it/ | Stuart M. Butler and Nehath Sheriff | Brookings Institution | February 22, 2021] Hospitals and health plans can improve communication and trust by partnering with local clinics and community organizations that already have relationships with underserved populations.
’‘’A Community Health Worker-Led Community-Clinical Linkage Intervention’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2021/21_0080.htm | Lohr et al. | CDC Preventing Chronic Disease | 2021] A community-health-worker-led initiative connected Latino communities near the U.S.–Mexico border with clinical and community resources while addressing social determinants affecting emotional well-being.
’‘’The Community Health Worker Common Indicators Project’’’ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8258143/ | Rodela et al. | National Library of Medicine | 2021] Researchers developed shared indicators for evaluating community health worker programs, helping networks measure CHW contributions to community health, equity, social support, and health-system change.
’‘’Rural Health Care Coordination Network Partnership Program Evaluation’’’ [https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/rural-health/care-coordination-norc.pdf | NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis | HRSA | January 14, 2020] The federal Rural Health Care Coordination Network Partnership Program examines how rural organizations can form networks to improve coordination across health providers and community services.
’‘’Evidence-Based Community Health Worker Program Addresses Unmet Social Needs’’’ [https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00981 | Shreya Kangovi et al. | Health Affairs | 2020] Evidence from the IMPaCT community health worker model demonstrates how trained community-based workers can be closely integrated with primary-care practices while helping patients address social and behavioral barriers.
’‘’Beyond Health Care: The Role of Social Determinants in Promoting Health and Health Equity’’’ [https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/beyond-health-care-the-role-of-social-determinants-in-promoting-health-and-health-equity/ | Samantha Artiga and Elizabeth Hinton | KFF | May 10, 2018] Health plans increasingly work with community organizations, community health workers, interdisciplinary teams, and social-service databases to address housing, food, transportation, and other factors affecting health.
’‘’WHO Guideline on Health Policy and System Support to Optimize Community Health Worker Programmes’’’ [https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241550369 | World Health Organization | WHO | 2018] WHO recommends designing community health worker programs around population needs while integrating CHWs with professional health workers, health-system structures, and existing community organizations.
Networks Addressing Chronic Disease and Health Equity
’‘’Community Health Workers as Allies in Hypertension Self-Management and Medication Adherence’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2016/16_0236.htm | Allen et al. | CDC Preventing Chronic Disease | 2016] Community health workers can strengthen hypertension care by providing culturally appropriate education, helping patients navigate health services, and operating as trusted members of community-based care teams.
’‘’Development of the Community Health Improvement Navigator Database’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/su/su6502a1.htm | Roy et al. | CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report | 2016] Sustainable community-health improvement often requires multisector collaboration between health organizations and institutions addressing social, economic, and environmental determinants of health.
’‘’Integrating Community Health Workers into Care Teams’’’ [https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/2015/dec/focus-integrating-community-health-workers-care-teams | The Commonwealth Fund | The Commonwealth Fund | December 17, 2015] Community health workers can improve care for people with conditions including diabetes, hypertension, asthma, depression, tuberculosis, cancer, and HIV while helping clinical teams connect with patients outside medical facilities.
’‘’How Community Health Workers Can Reinvent Health Care Delivery in the United States’’’ [https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/community-health-workers-can-reinvent-health-care-delivery-us | Health Affairs | Health Affairs Forefront | January 16, 2015] Community health workers offer a means of extending health care beyond hospitals and doctors’ offices by providing preventive services and connecting medical institutions with community residents.
’‘’Strategies to Improve the Integration of Community Health Workers into Health Care Teams’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2015/15_0199.htm | Allen et al. | CDC Preventing Chronic Disease | 2015] Successful integration of community health workers requires clear roles, supportive organizational cultures, effective supervision, communication with clinicians, and recognition of CHWs’ distinctive community-based expertise.
’‘’Integrating Community Health Workers Within Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Implementation’’’ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4416641/ | Islam et al. | National Library of Medicine | 2015] Community health workers can participate in patient-centered medical homes, health-information initiatives, enrollment assistance, care coordination, and other efforts linking vulnerable populations to the formal health system.
Community-Centered Health Systems
’‘’Achieving Community-Oriented Integrated Care Through Health Networks’’’ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4235353/ | Thomas et al. | National Library of Medicine | 2014] Community-oriented integrated care organizes primary-care practices and other local participants into geographic health networks where professionals and residents can collaborate on community health priorities.
’‘’A Profile of Community Health Center Patients: Implications for Policy’’’ [https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/a-profile-of-community-health-center-patients-implications-for-policy/ | KFF | KFF | December 23, 2013] Community health centers serve populations with substantial medical and socioeconomic needs and remain important institutions for delivering preventive and chronic-disease care in low-income communities.
’‘’Community Health Workers: Part of the Solution’’’ [https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2010.0081 | Health Affairs | Health Affairs | 2010] Community health workers have become increasingly recognized as members of the health workforce capable of connecting underserved residents with clinical care, preventive services, and community resources.
’‘’Community Care of North Carolina’’’ [https://www.commonwealthfund.org/sites/default/files/documents/___media_files_publications_case_study_2009_jun_1219_mccarthy_ccnc_case_study_624_update.pdf | Douglas McCarthy et al. | The Commonwealth Fund | 2009] Community Care of North Carolina demonstrates a regional-network approach in which primary-care practices, hospitals, health departments, social-service agencies, and other local organizations collaborate to coordinate care.
Broader Lessons for Community Health Networks
’‘’Community-Based Care’’’ [https://www.who.int/teams/integrated-health-services/clinical-services-and-systems/emergency-and-critical-care/community-based-care | World Health Organization | WHO | Undated] Strong community-based health systems place appropriately trained community health workers within primary-care teams and use their local knowledge to identify needs, deliver services, and connect residents with higher levels of care.
’‘’Community-Based Health Workers’’’ [https://www.who.int/teams/health-workforce/community | World Health Organization | WHO | Undated] WHO resources examine the role of community-based health workers in extending essential services to underserved populations and strengthening links between formal health systems and communities.
’‘’Rural Health’’’ [https://www.hrsa.gov/rural-health | Health Resources and Services Administration | HRSA | Undated] HRSA supports rural health networks, hospitals, community organizations, workforce programs, and locally designed initiatives intended to maintain access to health care in geographically isolated communities.
’‘’Evidence of Impact for Community Health Workers’’’ [https://hdsbpc.cdc.gov/s/article/Evidence-of-Impact-for-Community-Health-Workers | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | Undated] Evidence reviews support including community health workers in team-based care, particularly for chronic-disease prevention and management and for reaching populations experiencing barriers to conventional health services.
Community Partnerships and Health Equity
’‘’RWJF Selects 2024 Culture of Health Prize Winners’’’ [https://www.rwjf.org/en/about-rwjf/newsroom/2025/05/robert-wood-johnson-foundation-selects-2024-culture-of-health-prize-winners.html | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | RWJF | May 13, 2025] Nine communities were recognized for building cross-sector networks involving health organizations, residents, local government, food systems, youth groups, and other community institutions to improve health and well-being.
’‘’Harnessing the Power of Community Engagement for Chronic Disease Prevention’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2025/25_0189.htm | Akintobi et al. | CDC Preventing Chronic Disease | 2025] Meaningful community engagement allows residents to help design, implement, evaluate, and sustain health initiatives, making local networks more responsive to community priorities.
’‘’Improving Maternal and Infant Health Through Multisector Community Partnerships’’’ [https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2024/dec/improving-maternal-infant-health-community-partnerships | The Commonwealth Fund | The Commonwealth Fund | December 3, 2024] Community-driven partnerships in Baltimore and Cincinnati demonstrate how health systems, public-health agencies, housing organizations, and residents can collaborate to improve maternal and infant health.
’‘’Nonprofit Hospitals and Community Investment: New Approaches’’’ [https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2024.01319 | Health Affairs | Health Affairs | December 3, 2024] Hospitals increasingly invest beyond clinical services in community programs addressing housing, food, transportation, economic conditions, and other factors influencing population health.
’‘’Community Health Centers Are Serving More Patients Than Ever’’’ [https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2024/community-health-centers-are-serving-more-patients-ever-financial-challenges-loom-large | The Commonwealth Fund | The Commonwealth Fund | November 13, 2024] Community health centers remain key anchors of local health networks despite growing patient demand, workforce shortages, financial pressure, and uncertainty surrounding federal funding.
’‘’Paying Providers to Address Health-Related Social Needs’’’ [https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/2024/oct/paying-providers-address-health-related-social-needs | The Commonwealth Fund | The Commonwealth Fund | October 2, 2024] Medicaid programs and health systems are experimenting with payment structures that enable providers to work with community organizations on food, housing, environmental hazards, and other health-related social needs.
’‘’Why Diversifying the Health Professions Matters for Everyone’’’ [https://www.rwjf.org/en/insights/blog/2024/09/why-diversifying-the-health-professions-matters-for-everyone.html | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | RWJF | September 19, 2024] Building a diverse health workforce can strengthen trust and communication between health institutions and the communities they serve while expanding career opportunities within local health networks.
’‘’Programs to Equitably Address Social Determinants of Health’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/health-equity-chronic-disease/nccdphps-programs-to-address-social-determinants-of-health/index.html | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | August 14, 2024] CDC-supported programs use partnerships and community outreach to address social and economic conditions that contribute to chronic disease and unequal health outcomes.
Community Health Centers as Network Anchors
’‘’Community Health Centers’ Progress and Challenges Meeting Patients’ Primary Care Needs’’’ [https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2024/aug/community-health-centers-meeting-primary-care-needs-2024-FQHC-survey | The Commonwealth Fund | The Commonwealth Fund | August 8, 2024] Community health centers increasingly screen patients for housing, food, transportation, and other social needs and connect patients with organizations capable of addressing those needs.
’‘’AHA Releases Report on Hospital Community Collaborative’s Impact’’’ [https://www.aha.org/news/headline/2024-07-12-aha-releases-report-hospital-community-collaboratives-impact-community-health | American Hospital Association | AHA | July 12, 2024] A five-year hospital-community collaboration initiative demonstrates how formal partnerships can help health systems address needs that extend beyond traditional medical care.
’‘’Hospitals Working as Valued Partners in Advancing Healthy Communities’’’ [https://www.aha.org/news/chairpersons-file/2024-07-08-hospitals-working-valued-partners-advancing-healthy-communities | American Hospital Association | AHA | July 8, 2024] Hospitals increasingly collaborate with community organizations to address local health priorities and improve preventive services, behavioral health, food access, and other community conditions.
’‘’Hospital Community Collaborative: Healthier Together’’’ [https://www.aha.org/center/hcc/report-2024-healthier-together | American Hospital Association | AHA | July 2024] The Hospital Community Collaborative connected hospitals with community organizations across numerous states to address housing, behavioral health, food insecurity, digital access, preventive care, and social-service coordination.
’‘’Ohio Presents Opportunities for Understanding Hospital and Public Health Collaboration’’’ [https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2024.00017 | Health Affairs | Health Affairs | June 3, 2024] Ohio policies encouraging hospitals and local health departments to coordinate community health assessments illustrate how shared planning can strengthen regional health networks.
’‘’Community Power-Building Groups and Public Health NGOs’’’ [https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2024.00035 | Health Affairs | Health Affairs | June 3, 2024] Community organizations that develop resident leadership and collective decision-making can become important partners in public-health networks and help ensure that underserved communities influence health policy.
’‘’How U.S. Health Care Providers Address Social Drivers of Health’’’ [https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2024/may/how-us-health-care-providers-are-addressing-drivers-health | The Commonwealth Fund | The Commonwealth Fund | May 21, 2024] Many community health center clinicians screen patients for social needs and coordinate with community organizations, illustrating the growing integration of health and social-service networks.
’‘’About Community Health Workers for COVID Response and Resilient Communities’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/covid-community-health-workers/php/ccr-recipients/index.html | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | May 15, 2024] CDC funded dozens of organizations to develop community health worker networks that improved health access, strengthened resilience, and reached populations disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
Community Health Workers as Network Connectors
’‘’Community Health Workers Can Bridge the Gap’’’ [https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2024.00485 | Health Affairs | Health Affairs | June 2024] Community health workers can bridge cultural, informational, and institutional gaps between communities and formal health services, particularly among underserved populations.
’‘’Social Determinants of Health’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/about/priorities/why-is-addressing-sdoh-important.html | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | January 17, 2024] Health is strongly influenced by economic, social, environmental, and community conditions, making collaboration between health institutions and nonmedical organizations essential.
’‘’Advancing Social Care Integration in Health Systems With Community Health Workers’’’ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11055265/ | Fiori et al. | National Library of Medicine | 2024] Community health workers serve as links among health systems, social-service organizations, and residents, helping patients address health-related social needs alongside medical treatment.
’‘’Primary Healthcare Providers’ Activities in Linking Patients to Community Organizations’’’ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11437569/ | Grgurevic et al. | National Library of Medicine | 2024] Primary-care providers play an important role in identifying community resources and linking patients with organizations that address social, behavioral, and practical needs outside medical clinics.
’‘’Community-Centered and Community-Engaged Care’’’ [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK607581/ | National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine | NCBI Bookshelf | 2024] Community-centered care requires residents and community organizations to participate as partners with health systems and policymakers rather than functioning only as recipients of services.
’‘’Role of Community–Clinical Partnerships to Promote Cancer Prevention’’’ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12183313/ | Subramanian et al. | National Library of Medicine | 2024] Community–clinical partnerships connect primary care, public health agencies, and community organizations to improve cancer prevention and screening among populations facing barriers to care.
’‘’Projected Cost Savings of a Community Health Worker Asthma Home-Visiting Program’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2024/24_0028.htm | Mahin et al. | CDC Preventing Chronic Disease | 2024] Community health worker home-visiting programs can improve asthma management by connecting families with education, environmental resources, health services, and culturally responsive support.
Strengthening Public Health Through Community Networks
’‘’Advancing Community Health Worker Models Through Health System Reforms’’’ [https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/advancing-community-health-worker-models-health-system-reforms-policy-recommendations | RADx-UP Initiative | Health Affairs Forefront | December 15, 2023] Lessons from community health worker initiatives identify financing, workforce support, organizational integration, and community partnerships as critical to sustaining CHW programs.
’‘’Restoring Trust in Public Health’’’ [https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/2023/feb/restoring-trust-public-health | The Commonwealth Fund | The Commonwealth Fund | February 14, 2023] Local initiatives suggest that rebuilding public trust requires listening to residents, working through trusted organizations, responding to community priorities, and maintaining long-term relationships.
’‘’Working With ACOs to Address Social Determinants of Health’’’ [https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/working-acos-address-social-determinants-health | Health Affairs | Health Affairs Forefront | January 10, 2023] Accountable care organizations are developing partnerships with social-service providers and community groups to integrate medical treatment with assistance involving food, housing, transportation, and other needs.
’‘’Promoting Health Equity Through the Power of Place, Perspective, and Partnership’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2023/23_0160.htm | Griffith et al. | CDC Preventing Chronic Disease | 2023] Effective health-equity efforts account for local context and engage communities as partners through participatory research and community-driven public-health interventions.
’‘’COVID-19 and the Latinx Community: Promotoras’’’ [https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/128745/cdc_128745_DS1.pdf | Marquez et al. | CDC Stacks | 2023] Promotoras played a vital role in connecting low-income Latino immigrant communities with health information, testing, vaccination, social support, and trusted local resources during the pandemic.
’‘’Community Health Workers to Increase Cancer Screening’’’ [https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/126179 | Okasako-Schmucker et al. | CDC Stacks | 2023] Community health worker interventions can increase breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening, especially in underserved communities where conventional health services may be difficult to access.
’‘’Training Medical Students to Recognize and Understand Community Health’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2023/22_0367.htm | Walker et al. | CDC Preventing Chronic Disease | 2023] A community-health course teaches medical students to assess neighborhood health conditions, work with residents, identify priorities, and collaboratively develop local health interventions.
Hospital–Community Networks
’‘’Bridging the Sectors: A Compendium of Resources’’’ [https://www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2022/10/bridging-sectors-compendium.pdf | American Hospital Association | AHA | 2022] Resources developed from successful hospital-community collaborations provide practical strategies for creating partnerships, defining common goals, sustaining relationships, and measuring community impact.
’‘’Behavioral Health: Community Partnerships’’’ [https://www.aha.org/behavioral-health-community-partnerships | American Hospital Association | AHA | 2021] Hospitals and community organizations can create regional behavioral-health networks that provide more continuous access to prevention, crisis intervention, treatment, and long-term support.
’‘’Hospital-Community Partnerships to Build a Culture of Health’’’ [https://www.aha.org/ahahret-guides/2017-08-29-hospital-community-partnerships-build-culture-health-compendium-case | Health Research & Educational Trust | American Hospital Association | August 29, 2017] Case studies from communities across the United States show how hospitals can combine their resources with local organizations to address complex health issues that no single institution can solve alone.
’‘’Creating Effective Hospital-Community Partnerships to Build a Culture of Health’’’ [https://www.aha.org/ahahret-guides/2016-08-04-creating-effective-hospital-community-partnerships-build-culture-health | Health Research & Educational Trust | American Hospital Association | August 4, 2016] Interviews with hospital and community leaders identify shared priorities, strong governance, clear responsibilities, trust, and sustainable structures as key characteristics of successful health partnerships.
Social Networks and Community Well-Being
’‘’Launching Lifelong Health by Improving Health Care for Children and Families’’’ [https://nap.nationalacademies.org/resource/27835/interactive/ | National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine | National Academies | 2024] Strengthening children’s health requires investments in community prevention, school-based health, partnerships with families, and locally designed systems that integrate clinical and community services.
’‘’Ending Unequal Treatment: Strategies to Achieve Equitable Health Care’’’ [https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27820/ending-unequal-treatment-strategies-to-achieve-equitable-health-care | National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine | National Academies | 2024] Health-care organizations exist within communities and must address the reciprocal relationships between clinical systems, social conditions, public policy, and community institutions in efforts to eliminate health inequities.
’‘’Toward Equitable Innovation in Health and Medicine’’’ [https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27184/toward-equitable-innovation-in-health-and-medicine-a-framework | National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine | National Academies | 2023] Health innovations are more likely to be equitable when communities affected by new technologies and policies are included in governance, design, implementation, and evaluation.
Community Networks Addressing Specific Health Needs
’‘’Community Health Workers for COVID Response and Resilient Communities’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/covid-community-health-workers/php/about/ | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2024] The CDC initiative expanded community health worker capacity so trusted local workers could connect residents with health care, public-health information, vaccination, and social services.
’‘’The Role of Community Health Workers in Addressing Food and Nutrition Security’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/professional-info/pdfs/role-chw-food-security-508.pdf | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2023] Community health workers can identify food insecurity, connect households with nutrition programs, support diabetes care, and strengthen relationships between medical providers and community food resources.
’‘’Implementation Considerations for Community Health Workers’’’ [https://hdsbpc.cdc.gov/s/article/Implementation-Considerations-for-Community-Health-Workers | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | Undated] Community health workers have successfully partnered with hospitals, clinics, public-health agencies, nonprofits, faith organizations, and other community institutions when their roles are clearly defined and adequately supported.
’‘’Hospital-Community Partnership Resources’’’ [https://www.aha.org/center/hcc/resources | American Hospital Association | AHA | Undated] AHA provides tools, case studies, assessment resources, and training materials designed to help hospitals and local organizations establish sustainable community-health partnerships.
’‘’Achieving Health Equity’’’ [https://www.rwjf.org/en/our-vision/focus-areas/Features/achieving-health-equity.html | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | RWJF | Undated] Health equity initiatives increasingly emphasize collaboration across health care, housing, education, economic development, public policy, and resident-led organizations because health outcomes are shaped by conditions throughout communities.
’‘’Global Ideas: Lessons on Community Power’’’ [https://www.rwjf.org/en/about-rwjf/how-we-work/learning-and-evaluation/learning-across-global-borders/global-ideas-lessons-on-community-power.html | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | RWJF | Undated] International examples of community engagement demonstrate how resident leadership and locally controlled organizations can strengthen public-health responses and create more durable health improvements.
’‘’Telling the Hospital Story: Benefiting Communities’’’ [https://www.aha.org/telling-the-hospital-story/benefiting-communities-podcasts | American Hospital Association | AHA | Undated] Hospital-community initiatives across the United States address housing, healthy food, education, transportation, screenings, clinics, and other social conditions by building partnerships beyond hospital walls.
Building Strong Community Health Networks
’‘’Community Vitality and Rural Healthcare’’’ [https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/topics/community-vitality-and-rural-healthcare | Rural Health Information Hub | Rural Health Information Hub | July 7, 2026] Rural health and community development are closely connected, and cross-sector partnerships can combine health care, economic development, public health, and local organizations to strengthen communities.
’‘’Community Health Workers Model’’’ [https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits/services-integration/2/care-coordination/community-health-workers | Rural Health Information Hub | Rural Health Information Hub | April 13, 2026] Community health workers improve care coordination by helping residents arrange transportation, schedule appointments, understand health information, and navigate health and social-service systems.
’‘’Community Health Workers Toolkit’’’ [https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits/community-health-workers | Rural Health Information Hub | Rural Health Information Hub | March 12, 2026] This comprehensive toolkit explains how rural communities can establish, implement, evaluate, fund, and sustain community health worker programs linking residents with health and social services.
’‘’Community Organizer and Capacity Builder Model’’’ [https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits/community-health-workers/2/organizer | Rural Health Information Hub | Rural Health Information Hub | March 12, 2026] Community health workers can serve as community organizers who strengthen local leadership, mobilize residents, build organizational capacity, and support collective action around health priorities.
’‘’Practical Guide to Supporting Innovation in Rural Health’’’ [https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits/supporting-innovation-in-rural-health.pdf | Rural Health Information Hub | Rural Health Information Hub | 2026] Successful rural health innovation often depends on partnerships spanning health care, public health, education, social services, economic development, government, and community organizations.
’‘’Healthcare Access in Rural Communities’’’ [https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/topics/healthcare-access | Rural Health Information Hub | Rural Health Information Hub | November 8, 2024] Community health workers, transportation programs, telehealth, rural clinics, and regional partnerships can help overcome the geographic and economic barriers limiting rural health-care access.
’‘’Strategic Collaboration: The Key to Moving Rural Healthcare Forward’’’ [https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/rural-monitor/strategic-collaboration | Rural Health Information Hub | Rural Health Information Hub | March 27, 2024] Rural organizations can move beyond informal cooperation toward sustained partnerships that combine resources, expertise, leadership, and decision-making to improve health services and community well-being.
’‘’Community Health Worker-Based Chronic Care Management’’’ [https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/project-examples/1084 | Rural Health Information Hub | Rural Health Information Hub | May 18, 2020] A community health worker-centered model provides home-based support, social-needs assistance, and coordinated chronic-disease management through regular collaboration with clinical teams.
’‘’Rural Community Health Toolkit’’’ [https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits/rural-toolkit | Rural Health Information Hub | Rural Health Information Hub | Undated] Rural communities can build sustainable health programs by assessing local needs, selecting appropriate interventions, developing partnerships, evaluating results, and creating long-term financing strategies.
’‘’Rural Care Coordination Toolkit’’’ [https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits/care-coordination | Rural Health Information Hub | Rural Health Information Hub | Undated] Care-coordination networks connect patients with primary care, specialty medicine, hospitals, behavioral health, social services, and community organizations across fragmented rural health systems.
Public Health and Community Partnerships
’‘’Key Strategies to Strengthen Multisector SDOH Partnerships’’’ [https://virtualcommunities.naccho.org/blogs/eileen-kazura/2024/06/14/key-strategies-to-strengthen-multisector-sdoh-part | National Association of County and City Health Officials | NACCHO | June 14, 2024] Successful multisector partnerships addressing social determinants of health depend on mutual benefit, shared goals, trust, joint decision-making, and meaningful power sharing.
’‘’Health Equity in Action Playbook’’’ [https://www.naccho.org/uploads/downloadable-resources/Programs/Public-Health-Infrastructure/Health-Equity-in-Action-Playbook.pdf | National Association of County and City Health Officials | NACCHO | 2024] Local health departments can advance health equity through community partnerships, resident participation, resource sharing, trust building, and attention to the structural causes of health disparities.
’‘’Establishing and Maintaining Partnerships and Community Engagement’’’ [https://www.naccho.org/uploads/downloadable-resources/2024-NACCHO-RIM-Partnerships-TOOLKIT-2.pdf | National Association of County and City Health Officials | NACCHO | 2024] This toolkit offers practical approaches for building lasting relationships between health departments and refugee, immigrant, migrant, and other community organizations.
’‘’Strengthening Partnership and Community Engagement Within Public Health’’’ [https://www.naccho.org/uploads/downloadable-resources/Strengthening-Partnership-and-Community-Engagement-within-the-Public-Health-Continuum-to-Collectively-Mitigate-Communicable-Diseases-in-Refugee-Immigrant-and-Migrant-Communities-Presentation.pdf | National Association of County and City Health Officials | NACCHO | June 23, 2022] Community-led engagement models can improve relationships between local health departments and refugee, immigrant, and migrant communities by shifting more influence toward trusted community organizations.
’‘’Mobilizing Community Partnerships in Rural Communities’’’ [https://www.naccho.org/uploads/downloadable-resources/SE-mobilizing-community-partnerships-rural-toolkit77.pdf | National Association of County and City Health Officials | NACCHO | 2013] Rural public-health partnerships can pool expertise, funding, personnel, and community knowledge to address health challenges that individual organizations cannot solve independently.
’‘’Mobilizing for Action Through Planning and Partnerships’’’ [https://www.naccho.org/programs/public-health-infrastructure/performance-improvement/community-health-assessment/mapp | National Association of County and City Health Officials | NACCHO | Undated] MAPP provides a community-driven process through which health departments, residents, hospitals, nonprofits, and other local institutions identify health priorities and coordinate action.
’‘’MAPP Evolution’’’ [https://virtualcommunities.naccho.org/mappnetwork/mapp-evolution | National Association of County and City Health Officials | NACCHO | Undated] The updated MAPP framework helps communities assess population health, identify inequities, mobilize partners, and align resources around shared health-improvement strategies.
’‘’Public Engagement Toolkit’’’ [https://www.naccho.org/resource-hub/toolbox?secondary-toolkit=public-engagement-toolkit | National Association of County and City Health Officials | NACCHO | Undated] Public-engagement resources help local health agencies establish stronger relationships with residents and community organizations and incorporate community perspectives into public-health decisions.
’‘’Trust, Belonging and Engagement’’’ [https://www.naccho.org/uploads/downloadable-resources/Make-the-Case.pdf | National Association of County and City Health Officials | NACCHO | Undated] Trust, transparency, belonging, shared power, and mutual accountability are central to sustainable community engagement and effective public-health networks.
’‘’Community Health Assessment and Improvement Planning’’’ [https://www.naccho.org/programs/public-health-infrastructure/performance-improvement/community-health-assessment | National Association of County and City Health Officials | NACCHO | Undated] Community health assessments bring public-health departments together with residents and local organizations to identify health needs and develop coordinated improvement strategies.
Community Health Centers and Primary Care Networks
’‘’About the Health Center Program’’’ [https://bphc.hrsa.gov/about-health-center-program | Health Resources and Services Administration | HRSA | July 28, 2026] The federal Health Center Program supports a nationwide network of community-based organizations providing primary and preventive care in urban, rural, territorial, and underserved communities.
’‘’Health Center Program Uniform Data System’’’ [https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/data-reporting/program-data | Health Resources and Services Administration | HRSA | 2026] National health-center data document patient populations, staffing, services, finances, utilization, clinical quality, and the role community health centers play in America’s health-care safety net.
’‘’United States Health System Profile’’’ [https://www.commonwealthfund.org/international-health-policy-center/countries/united-states | The Commonwealth Fund | The Commonwealth Fund | 2026] Federally qualified health centers and community-based programs play important roles in coordinating primary, preventive, behavioral, and long-term care for underserved Americans.
’‘’NACHC Partner Conference’’’ [https://www.nachc.org/conference-page/nachc-partner-conference/ | National Association of Community Health Centers | NACHC | 2026] Primary Care Associations, Health Center Controlled Networks, and technical-assistance organizations form a national support network for community health centers.
’‘’Advancing Accountable Care in Community Health Centers’’’ [https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2025/aug/advancing-accountable-care-community-health-centers | The Commonwealth Fund | The Commonwealth Fund | August 4, 2025] Growing numbers of community health centers participate in accountable-care organizations, creating networks that coordinate primary care and other services for underserved populations.
’‘’Advancing Health Equity and Primary Care for All’’’ [https://www.nachc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/NACHC-2023-Annual-Report.pdf | National Association of Community Health Centers | NACHC | 2024] Community health centers provide patient-governed primary care while collaborating with affiliates and community organizations to expand access and reduce health disparities.
’‘’Community Health Centers Research’’’ [https://www.nachc.org/resource-collection/community-health-centers-research/ | National Association of Community Health Centers | NACHC | Undated] NACHC research examines community health center patients, services, workforce, financing, quality, access, and health-center contributions to underserved communities.
’‘’Partnerships’’’ [https://www.nachc.org/topic/partnerships/ | National Association of Community Health Centers | NACHC | Undated] Partnerships among health centers, hospitals, public agencies, nonprofits, technology organizations, and community institutions strengthen local primary-care networks.
’‘’Non-Clinical Factors of Health’’’ [https://www.nachc.org/topic/non-clinical-factors-of-health/ | National Association of Community Health Centers | NACHC | Undated] Community health centers increasingly address food, housing, transportation, employment, and other conditions that affect health by connecting clinical services with community resources.
Community Health Workers and Navigation
’‘’Community Health Workers and Social Media’’’ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41693812/ | Ocasio et al. | PubMed | 2026] Digital communication can expand the ways community health workers share information and maintain community relationships while introducing new challenges involving boundaries and misinformation.
’‘’The Role of Community Health Workers in Noncommunicable Disease Care’’’ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38773378/ | Doresha et al. | PubMed | 2024] Community health workers can support prevention and management of noncommunicable diseases by extending primary-care services into communities.
’‘’Community Health Worker Integration With Health Care and Public Health’’’ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37010928/ | Knowles et al. | PubMed | 2023] Community health workers can address social needs, strengthen community connections, improve health-system navigation, and contribute to policy and systems changes that advance health equity.
’‘’Digital Solutions for Community and Primary Health Workers’’’ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35754461/ | Owoyemi et al. | PubMed | 2022] Mobile and digital technologies can support community and primary-health workers with communication, information exchange, patient management, and connections to broader health systems.
’‘’Methodist Healthcare Ministries Community Collaboration’’’ [https://www.ahrq.gov/sites/default/files/publications/files/case_example_8_0.pdf | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality | AHRQ | 2016] Methodist Healthcare Ministries works with community agencies from multiple sectors to develop shared goals and coordinated solutions to local health and social problems.
’‘’Community Health Workers and Promotores de Salud’’’ [https://www.ahrq.gov/topics/community-health-workers-and-promotores-de-salud.html | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality | AHRQ | Undated] Community health workers and promotores connect patients, communities, health-care providers, and social-service systems while helping address barriers created by social determinants of health.
’‘’Primary Care Workforce and Community Navigators’’’ [https://www.ahrq.gov/ncepcr/tools/workforce-financing/exec-summary.html | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality | AHRQ | Undated] Community navigators conduct outreach, home visits, health education, and referrals and connect patients with neighborhood resources and health services.
’‘’Pathways Community HUB Manual’’’ [https://www.ahrq.gov/innovations/hub/index.html | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality | AHRQ | Undated] The Pathways Community HUB model creates a centralized community network for identifying health and social risks and coordinating services for people with complex needs.
’‘’Foresight Family Physicians: Community Health Worker Model’’’ [https://www.ahrq.gov/ncepcr/tools/workforce-financing/case-example-4.html | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality | AHRQ | Undated] A community health worker integrated into a primary-care team coordinates behavioral-health referrals, social support, substance-use assistance, and outreach for high-risk patients.
’‘’Cherokee Health Systems’’’ [https://www.ahrq.gov/ncepcr/tools/workforce-financing/case-example-7.html | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality | AHRQ | Undated] Cherokee Health Systems uses centralized care coordinators, behavioral-health professionals, primary-care teams, and community connections to manage complex patient needs and care transitions.
Care Coordination and Social Care Networks
’‘’Implementing Social Determinants of Health Screening in U.S. Emergency Departments’’’ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40048167/ | Loo et al. | PubMed | 2025] Emergency departments increasingly screen for social determinants of health and develop referral pathways connecting underserved patients with community resources.
’‘’Healthcare, Social and Community Service Provider Collaboration’’’ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41338624/ | Forte et al. | PubMed | 2025] Cross-sector collaboration among health, social-service, and community providers can improve organizations’ ability to respond to complex health and social needs.
’‘’Complexity of Patient Encounters Within Community Pharmacy’’’ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39396753/ | Carroll et al. | PubMed | 2025] Community pharmacists frequently encounter patients with interconnected clinical, behavioral, and social challenges requiring care coordination across multiple organizations.
’‘’How Community Engagement Can Support Whole-Person Care’’’ [https://integrationacademy.ahrq.gov/products/topic-briefs/community-engagement-for-whole-person-care | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality | AHRQ | September 3, 2024] Primary-care practices can collaborate with residents and community organizations to address social needs and provide more comprehensive whole-person care.
’‘’Social Needs Clinical Pathways for Families’’’ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39002958/ | Ostojic et al. | PubMed | 2024] Co-designed referral pathways can help pediatric health systems identify family social needs and connect parents and caregivers with appropriate community services.
’‘’In Conversation With Freya Spielberg’’’ [https://psnet.ahrq.gov/perspective/conversation-freya-spielberg-md-mph | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality | AHRQ Patient Safety Network | September 28, 2022] Community health workers can collaborate with medical providers to create care plans that combine clinical treatment, healthy behaviors, and social-service referrals.
’‘’Care Coordination’’’ [https://www.ahrq.gov/ncepcr/care/coordination.html | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality | AHRQ | Undated] Effective care coordination deliberately organizes health services and information among everyone involved in a patient’s care, reducing fragmentation across complex provider networks.
’‘’Enhancing Support for Patients’ Social Needs’’’ [https://psnet.ahrq.gov/innovation/enhancing-support-patients-social-needs-reduce-hospital-readmissions-and-improve-health | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality | AHRQ | Undated] Hospitals can screen patients for food, housing, financial, and social-support needs and coordinate with local organizations to reduce gaps during transitions from hospital to community.
’‘’Integrating Health and Social Care’’’ [https://integrationacademy.ahrq.gov/ | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality | AHRQ | Undated] Integrated-care resources support collaboration among primary care, behavioral health, community services, and social-support organizations.
’‘’Care Management’’’ [https://www.ahrq.gov/ncepcr/care/coordination/mgmt.html | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality | AHRQ | Undated] Care-management programs help organize services for people with complex conditions by connecting clinicians, patients, families, specialists, and community resources.
Behavioral Health Community Networks
’‘’Behavioral Health and Community Safety Partnerships’’’ [https://www.samhsa.gov/grants/grant-announcements/sm-26-023 | Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration | SAMHSA | July 14, 2026] Community behavioral-health organizations and public-safety partners can work together to reduce the health consequences of crime and connect vulnerable people with treatment and support.
’‘’CCBHC and Criminal Justice System Collaboration’’’ [https://library.samhsa.gov/product/ccbhc-criminal-justice-system-collaboration/pep26-01-019 | Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration | SAMHSA | July 6, 2026] Behavioral-health clinics can collaborate with justice agencies, housing organizations, treatment providers, and local services to improve continuity of care for justice-involved populations.
’‘’Cross-System Collaboration to Support Children and Youth’’’ [https://library.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/cross-system-collaboration-pep26-01-006.pdf | Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration | SAMHSA | 2026] Children’s behavioral-health networks work best when schools, families, health providers, social services, and community organizations coordinate services across systems.
’‘’SAMHSA Communities’’’ [https://www.samhsa.gov/communities | Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration | SAMHSA | August 28, 2025] Community partnerships support prevention, treatment, intervention, mental-health services, recovery, and substance-use programs tailored to different populations.
’‘’Expanding Care in Rural Communities Through CCBHCs’’’ [https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/expanding-care-in-rural-communities-through-ccbhc-stac.pdf | Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration | SAMHSA | April 22, 2025] Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics can expand coordinated mental-health and substance-use services in rural regions where providers and specialty services are scarce.
’‘’Promoting Integration of Primary and Behavioral Health Care’’’ [https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/grants/pdf/other/fy-2023-pipbhc-pre-application-webinar-presentation.pdf | Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration | SAMHSA | May 5, 2023] Integrated-care programs connect community mental-health organizations with primary-care providers and health centers to address physical and behavioral health together.
’‘’Community Mental Health Services Block Grant’’’ [https://www.samhsa.gov/grants/block-grants/mhbg | Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration | SAMHSA | April 24, 2023] Federal block-grant funding supports state and community systems providing mental-health treatment and community-based services for adults and children.
’‘’Community Crisis Response Partnerships’’’ [https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/grants/pdf/fy-22-community-crisis-response-partnerships.pdf | Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration | SAMHSA | July 25, 2022] Community crisis-response programs bring behavioral-health providers, crisis teams, emergency services, law enforcement, and local organizations together to improve responses to behavioral-health emergencies.
’‘’Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics’’’ [https://www.samhsa.gov/communities/certified-community-behavioral-health-clinics | Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration | SAMHSA | Undated] Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics provide coordinated mental-health, substance-use, crisis, and recovery services directly or through formal partnerships with other community providers.
’‘’National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care’’’ [https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/implementing-behavioral-health-crisis-care | Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration | SAMHSA | Undated] Comprehensive crisis systems rely on coordinated networks of crisis lines, mobile response teams, stabilization programs, health providers, first responders, and community organizations.
Community Engagement and Health Equity
’‘’Community-Led Research Is No Longer a Nice-to-Have’’’ [https://www.rwjf.org/en/insights/blog/2026/05/community-led-research-is-no-longer-a-nice-to-have.html | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | RWJF | May 5, 2026] Community-led research gives residents and community organizations greater authority to identify health problems, establish research priorities, and design practical solutions.
’‘’Transforming Public Health Data Systems’’’ [https://www.rwjf.org/en/insights/our-research/2021/09/transforming-public-health-data-systems.html | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | RWJF | September 2021] Modern public-health data networks can help communities identify health disparities, allocate resources, measure outcomes, and make inequities more visible.
’‘’Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity’’’ [https://www.rwjf.org/en/insights/our-research/2017/01/communities-in-action–pathways-to-health-equity.html | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | RWJF | January 11, 2017] Communities can address health inequities by building coalitions across education, housing, employment, transportation, health care, public policy, and civic institutions.
’‘’Strengthening Our Public and Community Health’’’ [https://www.rwjf.org/en/our-vision/focus-areas/health-systems-public-and-community-health.html | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | RWJF | Undated] Strong community health systems link hospitals, schools, public-health departments, community organizations, planners, businesses, and other institutions affecting health.
’‘’Building Community Power to Advance Health Equity’’’ [https://www.rwjf.org/en/our-vision/focus-areas/Features/building-community-power-to-advance-health-equity.html | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | RWJF | Undated] Community power enables residents to organize collectively, influence institutions and policies, hold decision-makers accountable, and shape conditions affecting community health.
’‘’Powering Leadership to Transform Health’’’ [https://www.rwjf.org/en/our-vision/focus-areas/powering-leadership-to-transform-health.html | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | RWJF | Undated] Community-based leaders and organizations can help identify health-system barriers and develop culturally grounded solutions reflecting local priorities.
’‘’Six Global Trends in Health Equity’’’ [https://www.rwjf.org/en/about-rwjf/how-we-work/learning-and-evaluation/learning-across-global-borders/six-global-trends-in-health-equity.html | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | RWJF | Undated] International health-equity initiatives demonstrate how communities can redesign systems, expand participation, and address social conditions affecting health.
’‘’Culture of Health’’’ [https://www.rwjf.org/en/about-rwjf/how-we-work/building-a-culture-of-health.html | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | RWJF | Undated] A culture-of-health approach emphasizes collaboration across sectors so health becomes a shared responsibility of communities rather than solely a function of medical institutions.
’‘’Community Solutions for Health Equity’’’ [https://www.rwjf.org/en/grants/grantee-stories/2022/community-solutions-for-health-equity.html | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | RWJF | Undated] Community-based organizations can identify barriers within health systems and develop locally grounded approaches for improving access, trust, equity, and quality.
Primary Health Care and Community Participation
’‘’Regional Strategy for Community Engagement’’’ [https://www.afro.who.int/sites/default/files/2025-09/AFR-RC75-INF-DOC-13%20Progress%20report%20Regional%20strategy%20for%20community%20engagement.pdf | WHO Regional Office for Africa | World Health Organization | August 27, 2025] African health systems are strengthening community engagement as a foundation for primary health care, universal health coverage, health security, and stronger relationships between institutions and communities.
’‘’Community Engagement in Health Guidelines’’’ [https://iris.who.int/bitstreams/a9ec80bb-4790-4014-8fa6-a88f09d58366/download | World Health Organization | WHO | 2025] Patients, caregivers, community organizations, health professionals, policymakers, and other stakeholders can participate in developing health guidelines and health-system recommendations.
’‘’Community Health Systems in Eswatini’’’ [https://www.afro.who.int/sites/default/files/2025-02/NHSSP%20ESWATINI%20.pdf | Government of Eswatini / WHO | WHO Regional Office for Africa | 2025] Eswatini’s national strategy calls for thousands of community health workers to become integrated into primary health care and referral networks.
’‘’Mongolia: Community Engagement and Primary Health Care’’’ [https://www.who.int/about/accountability/results/who-results-report-2024-2025/region-WPRO/2024/mongolia | World Health Organization | WHO | 2025] Mongolia’s experience demonstrates the importance of community engagement, local leadership, and multisector collaboration when integrating public-health interventions into primary care.
’‘’Meaningful Engagement of Civil Society and Communities Affected by Tuberculosis’’’ [https://www.who.int/teams/global-programme-on-tuberculosis-and-lung-health/tb-reports/global-tuberculosis-report-2024/featured-topics/ensuring-meaningful-engagement-of-civil-society-and-communities-affected-by-tb | World Health Organization | WHO | 2024] Tuberculosis programs are more responsive when people affected by TB and community organizations participate in policy, planning, service delivery, monitoring, and accountability.
’‘’Primary Health Care’’’ [https://www.who.int/health-topics/primary-health-care | World Health Organization | WHO | Undated] WHO defines primary health care as a whole-of-society approach that brings prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and health promotion closer to communities.
’‘’Community Engagement in the Western Pacific’’’ [https://www.who.int/westernpacific/initiatives/community-engagement | World Health Organization | WHO | Undated] Community engagement builds trust between residents and health institutions and enables communities to participate directly in developing health policies, programs, and services.
’‘’Health Workers’’’ [https://www.who.int/teams/health-workforce/health-workers | World Health Organization | WHO | Undated] Community health workers are part of the broader health workforce required to deliver primary health care and move health services closer to underserved populations.
’‘’Health Promotion’’’ [https://www.who.int/health-topics/health-promotion | World Health Organization | WHO | Undated] Health promotion emphasizes enabling people and communities to gain greater control over the social, environmental, and behavioral factors influencing their health.
’‘’Community Health and Universal Health Coverage’’’ [https://www.who.int/activities/integrating-community-health-workers-into-health-systems | World Health Organization | WHO | Undated] Integrating community health workers into formal health systems can expand access while preserving their distinctive role as trusted links between communities and health institutions.
Disease Prevention Through Community Networks
’‘’Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/divisions-offices/about-the-division-for-heart-disease-and-stroke-prevention.html | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026] Team-based cardiovascular care can include physicians, nurses, pharmacists, community health workers, and organizations operating outside traditional medical settings.
’‘’Engaging Communities in Health Promotion Through Primary Care’’’ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39893754/ | Leyns et al. | PubMed | 2025] Organized communities working with primary-care teams, epidemiologists, social scientists, and health educators can develop locally appropriate health-promotion and disease-response strategies.
’‘’Community-Based Participatory Research and Health’’’ [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK425859/ | National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine | NCBI Bookshelf | 2017] Community-based participatory approaches involve residents and researchers as partners in identifying health problems, generating evidence, and developing interventions.
’‘’Community Engagement in Public Health Emergency Preparedness’’’ [https://emergency.cdc.gov/cerc/ | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | Undated] Effective emergency preparedness depends on communication and collaboration between health agencies, community leaders, local organizations, health providers, and residents.
’‘’Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/reach/php/about/index.html | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | Undated] REACH supports community coalitions working to reduce chronic-disease disparities through culturally appropriate interventions addressing nutrition, physical activity, tobacco use, and health-care access.
’‘’State and Local Public Health Partnerships’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/public-health-gateway/php/about/index.html | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | Undated] Federal, state, tribal, territorial, and local public-health organizations form interconnected networks for surveillance, prevention, preparedness, workforce development, and community health improvement.
’‘’National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-disease/about/index.html | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | Undated] Chronic-disease prevention programs work through health departments, health systems, schools, community groups, and other organizations to improve health at the population level.
’‘’Community Approaches to Chronic Disease Prevention’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/health-equity-chronic-disease/php/index.html | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | Undated] Community-level programs seek to reduce chronic-disease disparities by improving access to preventive services and addressing conditions shaping health outcomes.
’‘’National Diabetes Prevention Program’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes-prevention/php/about/index.html | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | Undated] The National Diabetes Prevention Program forms partnerships among public agencies, community organizations, employers, insurers, health providers, and lifestyle-change programs.
’‘’Healthy Communities and Chronic Disease Prevention’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/state-local-programs/index.html | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | Undated] State and local partnerships can improve community environments supporting physical activity, healthy food access, obesity prevention, and chronic-disease reduction.
Maternal, Child, and Family Health Networks
’‘’Maternal and Child Health Bureau’’’ [https://mchb.hrsa.gov/ | Health Resources and Services Administration | HRSA | Undated] The Maternal and Child Health Bureau supports state and community networks working to improve health services for mothers, infants, children, adolescents, and families.
’‘’Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program’’’ [https://mchb.hrsa.gov/programs-impact/programs/home-visiting | Health Resources and Services Administration | HRSA | Undated] Home-visiting programs connect pregnant women and families with nurses, social workers, early-childhood services, medical providers, and community support systems.
’‘’Healthy Start’’’ [https://mchb.hrsa.gov/programs-impact/healthy-start | Health Resources and Services Administration | HRSA | Undated] Healthy Start projects organize local networks of medical, social, and community services to reduce infant mortality and improve maternal and family health.
’‘’Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant’’’ [https://mchb.hrsa.gov/programs-impact/title-v-maternal-child-health-mch-services-block-grant | Health Resources and Services Administration | HRSA | Undated] Title V supports coordinated state and community systems addressing preventive care, maternal health, children with special health-care needs, and family support.
’‘’Children and Youth With Special Health Care Needs’’’ [https://mchb.hrsa.gov/programs-impact/focus-areas/children-youth-special-health-care-needs-cyshcn | Health Resources and Services Administration | HRSA | Undated] Families of children with special health-care needs often depend on coordinated networks involving pediatricians, specialists, schools, therapists, insurers, and community organizations.
’‘’Family-to-Family Health Information Centers’’’ [https://mchb.hrsa.gov/programs-impact/programs/f2f-hic | Health Resources and Services Administration | HRSA | Undated] Family-led information centers help families navigate complex health systems and connect with medical care, insurance programs, disability services, schools, and community resources.
’‘’Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center’’’ [https://maternalhealthlearning.org/ | Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center | HRSA-supported | Undated] Maternal-health improvement networks facilitate collaboration among clinicians, researchers, public-health agencies, community organizations, families, and advocates.
’‘’Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health’’’ [https://saferbirth.org/ | Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health | AIM | Undated] State maternal-health teams use shared standards, quality-improvement networks, hospitals, clinicians, and community partnerships to reduce preventable maternal deaths and complications.
’‘’Rural Maternal Health’’’ [https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/topics/maternal-health | Rural Health Information Hub | Rural Health Information Hub | Undated] Rural maternal-health networks help communities overcome maternity-care shortages by coordinating hospitals, primary care, telehealth, emergency services, transportation, and community programs.
’‘’Rural Maternal Health Networks’’’ [https://www.hrsa.gov/rural-health/grants/rural-community/maternal-obstetrics-management-strategies | Health Resources and Services Administration | HRSA | Undated] Rural maternity networks connect hospitals, obstetric providers, primary-care clinics, emergency departments, community organizations, and social services to improve maternal care.
Global and Cross-Border Community Health Networks
’‘’CDC in Côte d’Ivoire’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/global-health/countries/cote-d-ivoire.html | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | March 19, 2026] Community health workers participate in community-based disease surveillance and help extend epidemic detection into local communities.
’‘’CDC in Tanzania’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/global-health/countries/tanzania.html | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | 2026] Tanzania uses community health workers and electronic reporting systems as part of broader networks for disease surveillance, public-health response, and cross-border health security.
’‘’CDC HIV and TB Programs in Sierra Leone’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/global-hiv-tb/php/where-we-work/sierraleone.html | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | June 30, 2025] Sierra Leone’s HIV and tuberculosis programs combine health facilities, district clinical mentors, laboratories, government agencies, and remote learning networks.
’‘’Primary Health Care Measurement Framework’’’ [https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240044210 | World Health Organization / UNICEF | WHO | 2022] Strong primary-health systems depend on community participation, coordinated service networks, accessible first-contact care, and effective referral pathways.
’‘’Operational Framework for Primary Health Care’’’ [https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240017832 | World Health Organization / UNICEF | WHO | 2020] The operational framework describes primary care as an integrated system involving communities, health workers, facilities, referral systems, public-health functions, and multisector action.
’‘’Global Health Security’’’ [https://www.cdc.gov/global-health-security/php/about/index.html | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC | Undated] Global health-security networks connect local communities, laboratories, health departments, governments, and international organizations to detect and respond to disease outbreaks.
’‘’Community-Based Surveillance’’’ [https://www.who.int/emergencies/surveillance | World Health Organization | WHO | Undated] Community participation in disease surveillance can enable health systems to identify unusual health events earlier and connect local information with regional and national response systems.
’‘’Community Health Roadmap’’’ [https://www.communityhealthroadmap.org/ | Community Health Roadmap | Community Health Roadmap | Undated] Governments, donors, health organizations, and civil-society groups collaborate through the Community Health Roadmap to strengthen community health systems and professionalize community health workers.
’‘’Community Health Impact Coalition’’’ [https://joinchic.org/ | Community Health Impact Coalition | CHIC | Undated] The coalition brings together organizations supporting professional community health workers and advocates for fair pay, appropriate training, supervision, supplies, and integration into national health systems.
’‘’Frontline Health Workers Coalition’’’ [https://www.frontlinehealthworkers.org/ | Frontline Health Workers Coalition | IntraHealth International | Undated] Global organizations collaborate to strengthen the health workforce and expand community access to trained frontline health workers, particularly in underserved regions.
