How Federal COVID Cash Shapes the Future of Community Health Workers

Federal dollars sent to fight COVID-19 did more than just battle the virus. They also helped build up a group of workers that communities depend on: community health workers, often called CHWs. A new study looked at how money from the Community Health Workers for COVID-19 Response and Resilient Communities program, or CCR, shaped hiring, keeping staff on board, and long-term plans.

Researchers sent online surveys to leaders at 63 groups that got CCR money. The survey ran from February to March 2024 across the United States. Leaders answered questions about where their funding came from, how they paid CHWs, and how well they kept these workers on the job.

Here is what stood out. About 65 percent of the groups that got CCR money used only that funding to run their programs. The rest pulled in over $117 million more, mostly from other federal sources, to keep things going. In total, CCR money supported 1,359 CHW jobs. But leaders said they only expected to keep 749 of those positions after the funding ended.

So how do these groups plan to hold on to their workers? Many pointed to two main paths. One is using grant money when it is available. The other is getting paid through Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for the services CHWs provide. These two strategies could help keep the workforce alive after COVID-era dollars dry up.

The big takeaway is this. Federal cash can play a real role in supporting CHWs in many settings. But the study makes clear that long-term survival of this workforce is far from certain. Without steady money and strong programs in place, many of these jobs could vanish. The findings push for more lasting investment from different funding streams and stronger program structures to make sure CHWs stick around for the long haul.