‘‘If You don’t Feel Empowered, Then How are You Going to Empower Someone else?” Perspectives of Executive Directors and Supervisors on Community Health Worker Workforce Development

Abstract

ABSTRACT Expansion of the Community Health Worker (CHW) workforce has become a national priority. It is critical to understand CHW strengths and individual challenges, associated professional development needs, and specific strategies that may meet needs from the perspectives of those who employ, manage, and supervise this growing workforce. Through a community-partnership with eight member organizations of the Association of Perinatal Networks of New York, we conducted two focus groups with 7 Executive Directors and 6 CHW Supervisors. Data were analyzed according to the six steps of thematic analysis. Analyses revealed seven salient themes across three superordinate categories of strengths, individual challenges, and mechanisms of support. CHWs are a critical component of the US health workforce. Challenges related to navigating boundaries, use of empowerment-focused approaches and effective documentation require skills-based training and trauma-informed workplace-based supports. Supervision is an effective mechanism through which CHWs receive support needed to optimize job performance.