The Community Health Worker Research & Resource Center (CHW-RRC) is housed in the Department of Population Health and supported by NYU Langone's Community Service Plan. The CHW-RRC was launched in 2018 to create an organized approach to leveraging NYU Langone's extensive community health worker (CHW)–related knowledge and expertise to strengthen and support emerging and existing CHW and patient navigator–type programs across NYU Langone and beyond to improve health, reduce health inequities, and recognize and help build community capacity and leadership.

The center team does this by cultivating a culturally competent CHW workforce, providing support and professional development opportunities to this workforce, supporting community–clinical linkage models, and stimulating cross-project learning of best practices in community and patient engagement.

Our CHW initiatives are located in various settings, from community- and faith-based organizations to primary care practices, hospitals, senior centers, barbershops and hair salons, and low-income housing. Initiatives are culturally adapted in close partnership with community organizations and community residents to address diverse populations’ needs, and they have addressed a wide array of medical and socioeconomic issues. We seek to build on successful partnerships with community-based organizations and our experience working directly with community members to advance resident health and improve health equity through effective CHW programs.

Priority Areas

The CHW-RRC has four main priority action areas:

• foster social support and provide professional development opportunities for staff across the NYU Langone system who work as CHWs and patient navigators, and in similar roles
• provide technical support related to CHW programs at any point in the lifecycle of a project
• maintain a living library of templates and resources for organizations and researchers to access as they launch or refine CHW programs and studies
• bring together staff of CHW initiatives across New York City to discuss the current landscape, develop partnerships, explore sustainability models, and advocate for resources

Contact Us

For inquiries about the Community Health Worker Research & Resource Center, please contact Dina Pimenova, MPH, senior project coordinator, at dina.pimenova@nyulangone.org.