COVID Information

PEACH hired 8 FTE CHWs in July 2020 to work on the project Support for Patients with COVID-19 Related Needs through Community Health Workers, in partnership with Curamericas Global and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Office of Rural Health. This project sought to meet the immediate needs of our state’s most marginalized community members, while also connecting them with long-term resources to lead safe and healthy lives. The program aimed to build the capacity of community-based organizations across the state and to develop a team of well-trained CHWs who could hit the ground running. CHWs completed intensive training on various relevant topics, including client communication, cultural competence, proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), online referral systems, and client confidentiality.

CHWs reached more than 80,000 clients with vital services, information, COVID-19 supplies, and community-based resources. CHWs worked in areas with some of the highest rates of COVID-19 in the state, and many provided bilingual services in English and Spanish. With tablets, cell phones, and mobile hotspots, CHWs used an online platform, NCCARE360, to find resources for clients, make referrals, and track follow-up. Using several tools, CHWs made over 35,000 referrals to services and, in the majority of these cases, clients received the support they needed.

In an effort to follow best practices related to COVID-19 prevention, many CHWs took advantage of digital methods, such as phone, text, and video calls, to connect virtually with clients. Those CHWs who met with clients or coworkers in person consistently followed COVID-19 safety guidelines, such as the 3 Ws (Wait 6 feet apart, Wash hands, and Wear a mask) and modeled these healthy behaviors for others. While performing this critical work, CHWs also managed the impact of COVID-19 in their own lives, including balancing families, additional jobs, education, and other responsibilities.

CHWs’ work made an immeasurable difference. They helped prevent eviction and place families in secure housing; connected patients with COVID-19 testing, health insurance, and primary care providers; supported COVID-19 positive clients isolating at home; kept families’ utilities turned on; and distributed thousands of boxes of healthy food and millions of hygiene and PPE items, among many other accomplishments. Above all, CHWs showed their communities that someone was looking out for them. At a time when people were feeling more isolated than ever before, the power of a CHW’s listening ear and comforting words cannot be understated.

This particular story exemplifies the efficacy and impact of CHWs in advocating for clients, collaborating with community partners, and helping clients navigate community resources in real-time:

A man who tested positive for COVID-19 appealed for food, COVID-19 supplies, and financial assistance. His truck had been repossessed, he just came out of 30 days in jail, his water was cut off, and his electricity was about to be cut off as well. The CHW got him food and COVID supplies immediately and sent a referral for an emergency relief payment. We got the water turned back on the next day. When I called to tell him this news, he said tearfully, “You saved my life!”

PEACH partnered with United Providers of Health (UPOH) https://upoh.org/covid-testing during the COVID-19 funding period and still provides testing at the PEACH office site on Monday and Tuesday 10-5 and Wednesday 10-4.