HR 591

                                                  PRINTER'S NO.   3799
                THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
         HOUSE RESOLUTION
            No. 591
                                            Session of
                                              2026
INTRODUCED BY FRANKEL, MAYES, GUZMAN, D. WILLIAMS, WAXMAN, HILL-
   EVANS, DEASY, HOHENSTEIN, RIVERA, SANCHEZ, GALLAGHER,
   PASHINSKI AND MAZZOCCO, JULY 24, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, JULY 27, 2026
                             A RESOLUTION
1 Designating October 20, 2026, as "Community Health Worker
2    Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania.
3WHEREAS, Community health workers are trusted, community-
4 rooted public health workers who are members of, or have an
5 unusually close understanding of, the communities they serve;
6 and
7WHEREAS, These workers serve as liaisons, links and
8 intermediaries between communities, health care providers,
9 public health agencies, social service organizations, community-
10 based organizations and local resources; and
11WHEREAS, Community health workers help individuals and
12 families access care, navigate complex health and social service
13 systems, connect to resources, manage chronic conditions and
14 improve health and well-being; and
15WHEREAS, They provide culturally and linguistically
16 appropriate health education, outreach, advocacy, referral,
17 follow-up, care coordination, system navigation, informal
1 counseling, social support and community connection; and
2    WHEREAS, These workers are known by many titles, including
3 community health worker, promotor or promotora de salud,
4 community health representative, outreach worker, patient
5 navigator, community health advocate, care guide and other
6 community-facing roles; and
7    WHEREAS, Community health workers are a distinct workforce
8 whose value is grounded in trust, lived experience, community
9 connection, cultural understanding, language access,
10 relationship-building, advocacy and practical knowledge of local
11 systems and resources; and
12    WHEREAS, Community health workers provide services in all 67
13 counties of this Commonwealth; and
14    WHEREAS, As of June 2026, Pennsylvania has 728 Certified
15 Community Health Workers; and
16    WHEREAS, Pennsylvania workforce data estimates approximately
17 2,492 employed community health workers in this Commonwealth and
18 an annual demand for an additional approximately 288 community
19 health workers; and
20    WHEREAS, Community health workers are employed across a broad
21 range of settings, including community-based organizations,
22 federally qualified health centers, hospitals, health systems,
23 physician offices, outpatient care centers, public health
24 agencies, managed care organizations, local government, home
25 health providers, social service organizations, schools and
26 other community-serving entities; and
27    WHEREAS, Community health workers support Pennsylvanians
28 across the lifespan, including children, families, older adults,
29 pregnant and parenting individuals, people living with chronic
30 conditions, people with disabilities, individuals experiencing
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1 food or housing insecurity, people with behavioral health needs
2 and people facing barriers to care; and
3    WHEREAS, These workers help address barriers that affect
4 health and well-being, including transportation, housing, food
5 access, health literacy, language access, insurance navigation,
6 social isolation, difficulty accessing care and difficulty
7 connecting to community-based services; and
8    WHEREAS, They play an important role in prevention, chronic
9 disease management, maternal and child health, asthma care,
10 diabetes care, cardiovascular health, behavioral health, cancer
11 screening, public health outreach, resource navigation and care
12 coordination; and
13    WHEREAS, Research has demonstrated that community health
14 worker interventions can improve health outcomes, strengthen
15 chronic disease management, support primary care connection,
16 reduce avoidable health care utilization, improve care
17 coordination and generate cost savings; and
18    WHEREAS, Pennsylvania has established a Certified Community
19 Health Worker credential that recognizes the education,
20 experience, supervision and professional responsibilities of
21 community health workers; and
22    WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's Physical HealthChoices Program began
23 covering community health worker services in 2026, marking a
24 significant step toward sustainable financing and formal
25 recognition of the workforce; and
26    WHEREAS, The continued development of the community health
27 worker workforce requires investment in training, certification,
28 supervision, career pathways, fair compensation, sustainable
29 reimbursement, data infrastructure and meaningful leadership in
30 decisions affecting this workforce; therefore be it
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1    RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate October
2 20, 2026, as "Community Health Worker Awareness Day" in
3 Pennsylvania; and be it further
4    RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
5 significant contributions of community health workers to health
6 care, public health, social services and communities across this
7 Commonwealth; and be it further
8    RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives support continued
9 awareness, investment and policy development that helps
10 community health workers improve access to care, strengthen
11 prevention and chronic disease management, support communities
12 across this Commonwealth and create meaningful career pathways
13 for community-rooted professionals.
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