New York University Grossman School of Medicine – Community Health Worker Research and Resource Center

A core strategy of NYHealth’s Primary Care priority area is to elevate the non-clinical workforce—specifically, Medical Assistants (MAs) and Community Health Workers (CHWs)—and integrate them into primary care teams to improve patient health outcomes, reduce clinician strain, and support equitable career advancement.

As frontline public health workers, CHWs serve as a critical bridge between patients from marginalized communities and the health care system. In 2024, NYHealth awarded New York University (NYU) a grant to conduct focus groups with primary care providers and CHWs regarding CHW integration into care teams across New York State. That work identified immediately actionable steps, such as redesigning workflows, as well as broader themes needing further exploration. In 2025, NYHealth awarded NYU a grant to provide a comprehensive picture of CHWs’ and employers’ experiences with primary care service delivery, Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, and more. 

Under this grant, NYU will develop and field two complementary statewide surveys to engage CHWs and their employers. NYU will convene a stakeholder advisory committee to refine survey questions, identify survey respondents, and field the survey with CHW employers in various primary care settings. NYU will distribute a report of survey findings through its networks and conduct interviews with approximately 20 CHWs who complete the survey to inform stakeholders on CHW-driven advocacy and facilitating consensus-building.