From: Community Health Workers working throughout Rhode Island

March 4th, 2021

Dear Ms. Garneau:

On behalf of Community Health Workers working throughout Rhode Island please accept this letter of support for the Rhode Island Department of Health’s (RIDOH) Division of Community, Health and Equity (CHE) application to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: CDC-RFA-DP21-2109, “Community Health Workers for COVID Response and Resilient Communities.”

As CHWs in Rhode Island, our roles vary, from helping residents navigate the complex social service systems to supporting them to manage their chronic conditions as part of their care team. Since the start of the pandemic, the need for our services has expanded significantly. As CHWs, it is in our nature to give 110% to our job, but even still these days we are stretched thin. We know the additional support from this grant will benefit all of us and in turn the health of Rhode Islanders.

As Community Health Workers, we look forward to continuing our close relationship with CHE and other state stakeholders to build stronger and healthier communities for all Rhode Islanders, particularly when our most vulnerable citizens have suffered in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Our mission, vision, and existing body of work closely aligns with CHE’s vision that all Rhode Islanders will have the opportunity to achieve optimal health.

We are committed to working with RIDOH, CHE and its partners to achieve the common goals of improving health equity and the health outcomes for all Rhode Islanders. We strongly support CHE’s program application.

Sincerely