Health care at your doorstep: How the CPHT project is transforming San Fernando Valley’s community health

In this era of doorstep deliveries for groceries, clothes and medications, the Community Public Health Team (CPHT) project aims to bring health care directly to your home.   

Since the project’s launch in 2023, in partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LADPH), eight Providence community health workers have knocked on more than 8,000 doors across San Fernando and Pacoima, asking residents one simple question, “What do you need?”  

Uniting community-based organizations, health care partners and LADPH staff, the CPHT project addresses health needs at the household level. 

"We're creating a model of health care where we come to them instead of them coming to us," shared Stephanie Bermudez, community health supervisor. 

By conducting household assessments, these dedicated teams gather information on health requirements, including unmet medical and mental health needs, housing instability and neighborhood violence concerns, and connect residents to essential care services such as Medi-Cal enrollment and local food banks.  

One significant benefit of the CPHT project is its ability to expedite appointments through case managers. When a Providence community health worker learned that a community member couldn’t get an appointment for weeks at her local clinic for an allergic reaction, she intervened and secured an appointment that week.  

The pilot program, which receives federal funding and is expected to span three years, aims for long-term sustainability due to the positive feedback it has received.  

“Community members regularly express gratitude for a program that meets them where they are," said Scarlett Diaz, community health worker.