The Palm Beach County Community Services Department (CSD) announces launch of the Community Health Worker (CHW) Program, which is aimed at helping to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. CSD partnered with Caridad Center, Community Partners, FoundCare, Inc., Genesis Community Health, and Health Council of Southeast Florida to hire local residents who reflect similar racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds of the communities served.

Some of the strategies implemented in this program include, but are not limited to:

• building trust with residents and encouraging them to get tested for COVID-19;
• being present at testing sites to encourage individuals who are tested to cooperate with the Department of Health’s contact tracers;
• collecting information from individuals tested to assist contact tracers;
• providing education and awareness to residents on ways to prevent and reduce the spread of COVID-19;
• training residents on how to isolate and wear personal protective equipment properly;
• connecting residents to community resources that are available to assist with isolation and connecting them to emergency supports; and
• checking in with residents to ensure their needs are being met during isolation.

For more information about the program, contact Sonja Holbrook at (561) 355-4700 or SHolbroo@pbcgov.org