Project Partners
Grandmothers as Lay Health Outreach Workers
A unique approach taken by this project is the use of grandmothers as lay
health outreach workers. These women are health care ambassadors for the project
and for the community health center and conduct outreach to families in their
own neighborhoods. The grandmothers talk to families
about health care, health insurance, and the importance of having a medical home
for their children. The grandmothers also help identify families with uninsured
children
with special health care needs and provide support and encourage the parents to come to the
community health center for
evaluation and care.
 A pdf version of the job description used to recruit the grandmothers is
available by clicking on the link below. Grandmothers are identified who
represent the ethnic and minority groups served by the community health center, had knowledge of the
Title V system and the services provided by the community health center, were respected members of
the community, and are passionate about their desire to help the families and
the children in their neighborhoods.
Grandmother Job Description (In Adobe Acrobat)
Grandmothers hired by the project are paid up to $100 per week, depending on
how much time they work and are reimbursed for mileage traveled into the
community or for transporting families to the community health center.
Each grandmother is given a cell phone to use when calling families and working
with the Outreach Coordinator who works at the community health center. The grandmothers provide a
reality check for the project staff and administrative staff at the community
health center and
increase the credibility of the medical staff in the community. Most
importantly, the grandmothers are individuals who are trusted by the families in
the community.
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