Building Power for Health: CARE’s Community Health Leaders Program

Abstract

Individuals who face the daily impact of health inequities and their social drivers have knowledge and invaluable insights about solutions that are feasible at the local level. Community organizing is a dynamic and proven approach for building power among residents to identify community priorities, advocate for change, and co-create solutions to community issues, which has been applied to advance community priorities in the public health field. To build on evidence and further cultivate a pathway to strengthen community power and capacity within a public health framework, the Community Alliance for Research and Engagement (CARE), a health equity-focused partnership among Southern Connecticut State University, Yale School of Public Health, and the New Haven community, developed and implemented a new initiative, the Community Health Leaders (CHL) Program. The CHL program provides a model for community-centered leadership development as a strategy for advancing health equity. By equipping residents with the skills and support needed to advocate for change, CHL contributes to strengthening community power. Ultimately, continued investment in programs like CHL has the potential to create responsive public health programs and policies, reduce health inequities, and improve health outcomes.