In early 2022, New Jersey’s Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services applied to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to renew New Jersey FamilyCare along with significant components of New Jersey’s Medicaid program and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). As part of the renewal—and building on the growing engagement of community health workers across New Jersey, a 5-year $25 million pilot to advance CHW programs was proposed.  

Through CHAP’s grant, the Center for Health Care Strategies will develop a technical assistance program to support area Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) as they design their CHW pilot programs. Often, MCOs struggle to create programs that preserve the unique strengths and maximize the capacity of this workforce. This technical assistance project will support these organizations in leveraging the emerging base of related evidence and strategies as they create and implement their programs. Ensuring alignment with the state’s guidelines and developing partnerships with community-based entities so that CHW programs can be launched once the renewal application is approved will be central to the project. 

About the Center for Health Care Strategies 

The Center for Health Care Strategies is a nonprofit policy center dedicated to improving the health of low-income Americans and achieves its mission by partnering with state and federal agencies, health plans, providers, and community-based organizations to advance innovative and cost-effective models for organizing, financing, and delivering health care services.