LA County Public Health understands that trust is the most critical public health intervention of all.

Trust is the foundation of any thriving public health system, acting as the invisible thread that connects communities to the institutions that serve them. Community members are more likely to engage with health department services and supports when the health department actively engages with them. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is embracing this reality head-on, using an age-old approach that is as personal as it is powerful: door-to-door outreach. Highlighted in an NBC Los Angeles segment, LA County Public Health is using Community Public Health Teams to close the gap between health services and the people who need them.

Building on successful partnerships with community-based organizations (CBOs) developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the health department developed its Community Public Health Teams framework in 2022. A Community Public Health Team is a formal, five-year partnership between a CBO, a health care partner such as a Federally Qualified Health Center, and dedicated public health staff. Using Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG) funding, LA County Public Health brought this framework to life and launched ten Community Public Health Teams. These teams conduct annual home visits to 8,000 – 13,000 households, checking in on residents’ health needs and connecting them to care or other resources as requested.

Community Public Health Teams also gather feedback from residents to guide existing and future public health efforts. Each team hosts at least two community convenings annually to share data, jointly identify local health priorities, build consensus, and develop community action plans. The personal touch of this effort is critical: it creates a two-way street where community members are not just passive recipients of services, but active participants who can help shape public health priorities and resources.

LA County Public Health has invested a significant portion of its PHIG funding—$75 million—to sustain its Community Public Health Team project for five years. This investment reflects LA County Public Health’s understanding that CBOs are indispensable partners. These CBOs, deeply rooted in their neighborhoods, serve as an extension of the workforce and are uniquely positioned to connect with residents in ways that government agencies sometimes cannot.

As of January 17, 2025, Community Public Health Teams have conducted over 50,000 visits (including return visits) to 17,500 unique homes and completed a total of 2,529 assessments. Behind these numbers is something harder to measure but just as essential: building human connections. The Community Public Health Teams’ personalized approach is an effective way to connect people to resources designed to help their communities thrive, ensure that our most vulnerable neighbors don’t get left behind, and build confidence in the public health system.

To learn more about Community Public Health Teams and to check if there is a team in your neighborhood, visit ph.lacounty.gov/CPHT.

Story prepared by Ajayi Pickering-Haynes and Chloe Lake from the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI).