Health care is often a difficult system to navigate, with concerns of costs, access or finding the right fit to address your intimate needs. The challenges are amplified for uninsured patients or those who don’t speak English as a primary language, but a new Kansas certification will establish the widespread practice of community health workers, which advocates say will help patients navigate these complicated health systems a little bit easier.

These health workers make the system work better for patients and providers by offering culturally competent care and reducing reliance on emergency systems. David Jordan, president of the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, Treva Smith, a prenatal care coordinator at KC Care Health Center, and Ton Miras Neira, COPE community health worker project manager at KU Medical Center, join the Kansas Reflector Podcast to discuss how the certification benefits the state.

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Certification for community health workers opens doors for culturally competent care in Kansas