Bringing Care Closer: Access to Essential Care Broadens
The Community Health Worker team at MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital and MaineHealth Waldo Hospital grew from 1 to 6 CHWs this year. Together the team helped 103 clients meet 149 goals, ranging from acquiring transportation to appointments and applying for SNAP benefits, to finding a new happy home for a pet upon moving to long term care, and increasing physical activity by going for weekly walks.
Pen Bay and Waldo CHWs pictured from left: Frances Butler, Melissa Crowley, Adi Govinda Dasa, Breanne Bucka, Dick Morin and Quinn Pickett.
Bringing Care Closer: Access to Essential Care Broadens
The Community Health Worker team at MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital and MaineHealth Waldo Hospital grew from 1 to 5 CHWs this year. Together the team helped 103 clients meet 149 goals, ranging from acquiring transportation to appointments and applying for SNAP benefits, to finding a new happy home for a pet upon moving to long term care, and increasing physical activity by going for weekly walks.
Pen Bay and Waldo CHWs pictured from left: Frances Butler, Melissa Crowley, Adi Govinda Dasa, Breanne Bucka, Dick Morin and Quinn Pickett.
As part of MaineHealth’s ongoing commitment to increasing access to care and addressing social determinants of health, such as access to food, housing or a steady source of income, Community Health Worker programs have continued to expand throughout the system this year.
“Social drivers of health have a significant impact on the health of patients and families,” said Barbara Ginley, director of Community Health of Greater Portland, a program of MaineHealth’s Center for Health Improvement. “We know that so much of a person’s health status is driven by their ability to maintain their own health, and our Community Health Workers help patients do that.”
Community Health Workers (or CHWs) are individuals whose lived experience—whether that be shared language or culture, personally facing housing insecurity or difficulty navigating the health care system—enables them to build connections in the community. CHWs help patients set goals and overcome challenges, from identifying transportation options to assisting with a SNAP application or educating about a pharmacy’s refill process.
Because the work CHWs do is tailored to the specific needs of the patients and communities they serve, the day-to-day activities of MaineHealth’s CHWs vary widely. Across the system, CHWs are serving asylum seekers, individuals with substance use disorder, older adults and families navigating dementia diagnoses. Their focus is on building capacity within their respective communities—and being responsive to patient identified needs.
“The addition of CHWs to our care teams has been incredibly beneficial,” said Ginley. “They’re helping patients maintain and improve their health, which helps reduce expensive emergency department visits and preventable hospitalizations.”
According to preliminary data pulled for patients enrolled in the CHW programs in MaineHealth’s Western Region, that reduction has been significant. At MaineHealth Franklin Hospital, between May and November of 2023, ED visits dropped by 83%, while unplanned hospital admissions dropped from 72 to 5 among CHW program patients after they enrolled. For the same period, MaineHealth Memorial Hospital saw a 47% decrease in ED visits, while unplanned hospitalizations among their CHW program patients dropped from 18 to 10.
“This translates to better health outcomes, cost savings and a better patient experience overall,” Ginley said.
Looking ahead, Ginley sees CHWs continuing to expand their contributions in community-facing roles and be embedded as part of primary care teams.
“MaineHealth is well positioned to grow and sustain this vital workforce and CHWs will continue to help MaineHealth fulfill its vision,” said Ginley. “The future is bright for CHWs.”
Alison Prior Named CHW of the Year
At its annual meeting, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention named MaineHealth Healthy Community Coalition Farmington care team member Alison Prior as its Community Health Worker of the year.
Prior was recognized for her work helping patients address gaps in care, including her partnership with Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) providers and community partners. She has taken on the role of working with substance use disorder (SUD) navigation, assisting with emergency department-initiated medication for opioid use disorder and expectant mothers with SUD.
As a community connector, Prior plays a pivotal role in bridging the gap between patients and health care resources. She recognizes the importance of collaboration and works tirelessly to forge connections between patients, health care providers, and community partners. For example, Prior ensures that individuals with SUD have access to vital resources and support systems, paving the way for improved health outcomes and individualized recovery. She epitomizes the MaineHealth vision of working together so our communities are the healthiest in America.
Expanding our Reach
We currently have CHWs working within the Community Health departments at MaineHealth Franklin Hospital, MaineHealth Memorial Hospital, MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital and MaineHealth Waldo Hospital, as well as through MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Portland’s Preventive Medicine Enhancement for Maine (PrevMe) program. Between 2022 and 2024, MaineHealth’s CHW program expanded from 1.5 to 12.5 workers systemwide.