The Critical Role Hawai'i's Community Health Workers Are Playing in COVID-19 Response Efforts.

Community health workers play an instrumental role in the health care system and are critical partners in pandemic response. In Hawai'i, community health workers are working to reduce the burden of chronic disease among Pacific Islander, Filipino, and Native Hawaiian populations in partnership with government agencies and health care organizations. This commentary reviews the role community health workers in Hawai'i are playing in assisting with the COVID-19 response. Utilizing their skills and the community's trust, they are optimally positioned to reach marginalized and vulnerable populations hit hardest by COVID-19; community health workers educate, screen, and provide social service referrals to community members.

Community Health Worker (CHW) Movement in Hawai'i: Moving Towards a CHW Association.

This editorial presents the perspectives of allies - a group of governmental, university and public health organizations that support the creation of a professional association for CHWs in Hawai'i. We support the efforts of CHWs as they organize and move towards establishing a professional association. Hawai'i CHWs have held monthly meetings starting in 2017 to discuss variety of issues around their work and share information and experiences. A group of CHWs and allies developed a strategic plan in 2018 in preparation to establish a professional association. They shared the results with colleagues from across the state. One desirable outcome for many was a professional CHW association. Such an association could be a forum of shared learning, information sharing, networking, and advocating for workforce and professional development issues, such as training, reimbursement for services, credentials, and certifications. Furthermore, allies support CHW-led efforts to develop an association, for instance, by securing diversified funding sources for CHW trainings, networking, and planning activities. Allies also help by informing supervisors, employers, and policymakers about the importance of trainings and other workforce and professional development for CHWs. A professional association for CHWs in Hawai'i could be useful to many. This editorial provides more insights into this topic.

Empowerment through community building: Diabetes Today in the Pacific.

The goal of Diabetes Today, a program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is to develop coalitions and train coalition members in assessment, planning, and evaluation to address diabetes in their communities. CDC established the Pacific Diabetes Today Resource Center (PDTRC) in 1998 to tailor the program for Pacific Islander communities in Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Palau. PDTRC's work is guided by the principles of community building and the goal of empowering coalitions to take action around diabetes. Culturally appropriate strategies are used to gain access to the community, transfer knowledge and skills, build coalitions, and provide technical assistance. Evidence of empowerment is seen in increased individual competence, enhanced community capacity, reduced barriers, and improved supports to address diabetes. To maintain the gains of community building in the Pacific, three factors appear critical: an engaged leader, a host agency for the coalition, and continuing access to technical assistance and funds.

Listening to the community: a first step in adapting Diabetes Today to the Pacific.

Diabetes is a growing problem among Pacific Islanders, but few community-based groups in the Pacific are actively working on diabetes prevention and control. The Pacific Diabetes Today Resource Center (PDTRC) was established in 1998 to adapt the Diabetes Today (DT) curriculum for Pacific Island communities in Hawai'i, American Samoa, and Micronesia. To gather data to guide the development of the Pacific Diabetes Today (PDT) curriculum, a year was spent listening to Pacific communities. First, data were gathered from health professionals on how the DT curriculum should be modified. Second, health and community leaders in 11 sites were trained and supported to conduct discussion groups with people affected by diabetes. Third, site coordinators evaluated the discussion group process. A Pacific-wide Advisory Council (AC) was established to guide the project, and the AC used findings from the first year to generate guidelines for staff to follow in adapting the DT curriculum to the Pacific. These guidelines directed staff to: a) realize that Pacific communities need to build awareness about diabetes; b) train and support local community leaders as co-facilitators in the PDT curriculum, using a learn-by-doing approach, with the goal of developing them as independent trainers; c) encourage the involvement of a broad range of community members in PDT training, including the involvement of local physicians to counter medical misconceptions about diabetes; d) give the PDT curriculum a Pacific "look" and "feel;" and e) keep the training logistically flexible to accommodate differences in communities across the region. Other programs and agencies that want to develop training programs in the Pacific may find these listening strategies and guidelines helpful.