Health Equity

Building a more connected, equitable, and community-rooted health system across the Central Coast through the Community Health Worker/Promotores (CHW/P) Capacity Building Collaborative

Why Health Equity Matters

 

Pictured: Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo County partners at the CHW/P county-based convening in March of 2025.

Health is not just about medical care — it’s about opportunity, belonging, and the systems in place that make wellbeing possible. Across the Central Coast, far too many residents face barriers that keep them from living their healthiest lives: language and cultural divides, lack of access to preventative care, and underinvestment in the people and organizations that sustain community health.

Pictured: Ventura County partners at the CHW/P county-based convening in March of 2025.

 

That’s where the Community Health Worker/Promotores (CHW/Ps) come in. These trusted messengers are deeply rooted in their neighborhoods, bridging gaps between formal health systems and the communities they serve — helping families navigate care, connect to resources, and advocate for their needs with dignity and respect.

Our Collaborative Approach

The CHW/P Central Coast Collaborative is the first of its kind in the region — uniting community-based organizations, government agencies, managed care plans, philanthropic partners, and academic institutions across Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo counties to build a shared infrastructure for health equity. 

At the heart of this effort is one guiding principle: the people doing the work must help shape the systems that sustain it. 

While Community Health Workers and Promotores (CHW/Ps) carry out vital work every day— connecting families to care, providing culturally responsive support, and building trust— the Collaborative operates at the systems level. We are building the infrastructure, funding pathways, training standards, and policy supports that allow this workforce to be recognized, sustained, and fully integrated into care delivery across the region. 

We catalyze this change through a multi-pronged strategy that connects systems, resources, and people. Our core strategies include: 

 

  • Grantmaking & Funding — Seeding community-led solutions to address gaps in access, preventive care, mental health, and chronic disease support.
  • Partnerships & Collaborative Leadership — Convening providers, government, academics, nonprofits, and community representatives to build shared strategies and accountability.
  • Community Education & Policy Change — Engaging with the community to share the importance of trusted messenger networks and elevating policy reforms in alignment with the local CHW/P objectives.
  • Data, Measurement & Learning — Tracking progress through equity-focused metrics, learning from community insights, and adapting based on evidence.
  • Capacity Building & Support — Strengthening organizations, especially grassroots ones, through organizational technical assistance, workforce training, and networks of peer learning.

 

What Makes This Collaborative Unique

  • Cross-Sector Leadership— We convene partners from every part of the health ecosystem to co-create strategies — breaking down silos between public agencies, health plans, and community organizations.
  • Centering Workforce Voice — CHW/Ps guide priorities, inform training design, and help define what equitable workforce integration looks like. 
  • Regional Coordination — By aligning efforts across three counties, we reduce duplication, strengthen capacity, and ensure resources reach the communities that need them most. 
  • Systems Change in Action: The Collaborative serves as a backbone organization — aligning funding streams, supporting billing readiness for Medi-Cal reimbursement, and advocating for sustainable policy change at the state and regional levels.
Photo Credit: Shelter Care Resources

Our Impact

The Collaborative’s work is already transforming the landscape of community health on the Central Coast:

 

  • Workforce Development — Over 100 CHW/Ps have participated in specialized training and peer learning opportunities, creating a foundation for future certification and regional scaling.
  • Health System Integration — Partnerships with CenCal Health and Gold Coast Health Plan are paving the way for long-term funding through managed care and Medi-Cal billing models.
  • Community-Led Solutions — Grassroots organizations are receiving grants and technical assistance to expand culturally and linguistically appropriate care.
  • Cross-County Alignment — Regional partners are now operating with shared frameworks for data, capacity building, and evaluation — accelerating collective impact.

Show your Support for Health Equity & Community Health Workers/Promotores: Get Involved!

Photo Credit: Corazon Latino

Support Health Equity — Your philanthropic investment fuels local leadership, builds workforce capacity, and strengthens the infrastructure for community-rooted health.

Partner With Us — Join our network of public and private partners advancing equity across the Central Coast.

Stay Connected — Sign up for updates as we continue to grow this movement and launch our dedicated collaborative website.

 

 

When communities lead, health systems listen. Together, we’re building a healthier, more just Central Coast — one grounded in trust, belonging, and shared purpose.

 

Make a Gift

Questions?

Contact our team to help you with your specific needs.