Promotores Council “Consejo de Promotores”

Since its inception in 1993, Latino Health Access has been a pioneer in the Promotor de  Salud/ Community Health Worker (CHW) model in the United States. Promotores are people who live in the community and are hired to promote, connect, and link with services and improve the social determinants of health by advocating at the local county and state level to create and propose policies that will enhance living conditions. They work in collective committees and coalitions to develop awareness, knowledge, and action to invite experts (the community) to find solutions. At Latino Health Access, we create leadership opportunities for promotores to guide and actively participate in the design of program strategies and solutions.  

Through its Promotor model, LHA  trains individuals and families affected with a physical or mental health conditions to gain control of their health and lives. Promotores can sustainably assist health systems in reaching and helping these populations to make considerable health improvements in an integrated service delivery model. Promotores are an essential part of the healthcare team, as they present a direct and sustained link between the patient and the healthcare system. There is significant evidence of the effectiveness of CHWs on patient access to preventive services and in improving disease outcomes for patients with asthma, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, depression, and now COVID-19, among others. 

In addition to paid Promotores, LHA also has experience training cohorts of volunteer-based, student, or community-peer networks who assist those in their schools, neighborhoods, or organizations to navigate systems and make health improvements. Our work focuses on building relationships with communities, helping individuals and families to address immediate health concerns, and most importantly, engaging those same individuals and families to address the underlying causes of health disparities.