Program ResultsBuilding Effective Organizations
"Can you imagine what it's like to see in a week and a half what you haven't been able to do in three years? Our health promoters have come up with 22 new families, with an average of five or six people each, in just a week and a half. I believe that the health promoter strategy is the only one that's going to allow us to really serve people."
-Cindy Treaster, Program Manager, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Topeka, KS
Promotores and Promotoras help Migrant and Community Health Centers, health and human service agencies and other organizations better serve their communities. Collaboration with farmworkers and other community members improves organizational effectiveness. Some of the organizational benefits of working with Promotores(as) are discussed below.
National Study Reveals Promotores(as) Improve Health Services
Results from the National Community Health Advisor Study demonstrate the effectiveness of the Promotor(a) model.
"Clinics Where the Camp Health Aide Program is in Place Report Improvements in Usage"
This excerpt from the Journal for Minority Medical Students illustrates one benefit of Promotor(a) programs to health organizations.
Improved access to hard-to-reach communities
Promotores(as) reach people in their own communities who might not seek the organization's services, and they also track and locate clients for follow-up care.
Greater cultural competency
Promotores(as) act as cultural interpreters and provide information about community strengths and challenges. They explain local issues and relevant beliefs informally, and they lead formal staff trainings on cultural competency and related issues. This allows staff members to work more effectively and with a better understanding of the community.
Understanding and utilizing services
Promotores(as) inform people of the availability and importance of services and keep community members informed about the organization's business hours, schedules and policies. They arrange appointments, encourage necessary office visits, offer support, follow up and make appropriate arrangements when people are unable to pay fees or find transportation. Thus, community members understand the organization's services and use them more frequently and more confidently.
Appropriate use of services
Promotores(as) help people access care when needed and are available to listen, provide support or teach about self-care. They promote increased use of preventive care and screening services and help families utilize medical services at the most appropriate times. As a result, community members use the organization's services appropriately, maximizing limited resources.
Greater trust between clients and providers
As community members, Promotores(as) share culture and values with the organization's target populations. They establish trust in the community more easily than outsiders and improve communication, service delivery and outcomes in the process.
Clients are informed and follow through with treatment
Overburdened providers cannot always take the time to provide comprehensive health education. Promotores(as) can teach their peers about health issues, treatment options and how to manage chronic illness. This leads to better compliance with treatment instructions and reduced frustration for clients and staff. When community members are informed and prepared, the organization is able to provide the best care possible given available time and resources.
Staffing resources are used efficiently
By recruiting Promotores(as), organizations can extend the reach and scope of their services without additional professional staff.
Migrant Health Promotion helps organizations nationwide start and strengthen their own Promotor(a) programs, please visit Build a Program.
