Minnesota Statutes Health (Ch. 144-159) § 144.1462. Community health workers; grants authorized

Subdivision 1. Establishment. The commissioner of health shall support collaboration and coordination between state and community partners to develop, refine, and expand the community health workers profession in Minnesota; equip community health workers to address health needs; and to improve health outcomes. This work must address the social conditions that impact community health and well-being in public safety, social services, youth and family services, schools, and neighborhood associations.

Subd. 2. Grants and contracts authorized; eligibility. The commissioner of health shall award grants or enter into contracts to expand and strengthen the community health worker workforce across Minnesota. The grant recipients or contractor shall include at least one not-for-profit community organization serving, convening, and supporting community health workers statewide.

Subd. 3. Evaluation. The commissioner of health shall design, conduct, and evaluate the community health worker initiative using measures such as workforce capacity, employment opportunity, reach of services, and return on investment, as well as descriptive measures of the existing community health worker models as they compare with the national community health workers' landscape. These initial measures point to longer-term change in social determinants of health and rates of death and injury by suicide, overdose, firearms, alcohol, and chronic disease.

Subd. 4. Report. Grant recipients and contractors must report program outcomes to the department annually and by the guidelines established by the commissioner.