Strategy
The Washington State Department of Health (WA DOH) immunization program developed a toolkit to support community health workers’ own vaccine confidence and to equip them with culturally responsive tools to navigate vaccine conversations with clients and community members.
Challenge
Community health workers reported limited confidence initiating conversations about vaccines. Survey findings identified vaccine safety concerns, questions about effectiveness, mistrust of the health system, and the need for skills to identify misinformation and locate accurate information.
Solution
In 2025, the WA DOH health services consultant conducted a needs assessment of community health workers and stakeholder engagement to inform training and toolkit development. Local health jurisdictions, community health worker leaders, and community-based organizations reviewed draft materials and ensured that materials were translated and culturally relevant. The toolkit was officially launched in May 2025 followed by implementation activities through June 2026. Activities include developing a toolkit portal on WA DOH’s website, training community health workers, supporting community outreach, distributing printed booklets, and collecting implementation feedback.
Outcome
The toolkit launch and implementation were successful due to strong partnerships between WA DOH, community-based organizations, community health workers, and local health jurisdictions. Collaboration across WA DOH programs also helped expand the project’s reach and support new digital health efforts.
Evaluation activities were limited due to grant termination; however, some data collection was obtained. By July 20, 2026, the toolkit webpage had 2,400 page views, 1,264 unique users, and 360 material downloads. Participating community-based organizations reported that the toolkit improved vaccine confidence when communicating with community members. Toolkit users identified the conversation guides and tip sheets were the most useful resources.
One significant lesson learned was the importance of trusted community partnerships for effective health education. Materials not only need to be translated, but they also need to reflect cultural values, use appropriate language, and meet community needs. WA DOH was most effective when supporting community partners rather than leading community outreach.
Supplemental Materials