Bridging gaps, building health after a youth's suicidal crisis: The role of community health workers

Community Health Workers (CHWs) are recognized as trusted “frontline” workers whose relationships to the communities they serve set them apart as critical agents in addressing health disparities. Drawing on their lived experiences and cultural humility, CHWs develop trust with patients to deliver person‐centered support in ways that the traditional medical workforce often cannot. Patients may connect more easily with CHW's due to a more balanced power dynamic, greater flexibility, and a shared understanding of cultural beliefs around health. There is a growing call to better understand the full scope of CHW roles in different settings, such as outpatient mental health (MH) clinics, and how their contributions can make a difference in outcomes. This article seeks to highlight the collaboration between CHWs and clinicians in the Mi Gente Program, an outpatient MH clinic at Bradley Hospital, and to demonstrate how their approach improves patient care.