Findings from Shari L. Hutchison and Co-Researchers Provides New Data on Health and Medicine (Community Health Worker Intervention to Decrease Substance Use Disorder Readmissions in Medicaid-Enrolled Adults): Health and Medicine

2026 JUL 07 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Investigators publish new report on Health and Medicine. According to news reporting originating from Pittsburgh, United States, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “Community Health Workers (CHW) are individuals with an understanding of the communities they serve, employed within healthcare and human service systems to assess health and social needs of community members and connect individuals to needed services. In this study, CHWs employed by a behavioral health managed care organization (BHMCO) were trained in a care coordination intervention to address reasons for substance use disorder (SUD) admission, health-related determinants, and motivation for ongoing treatment, with the goal to improve care and reduce readmissions.”

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research, “This observational cohort study included 865 Medicaid-enrolled adults with SUD hospitalization or residential service in 2021-2024; 593 individuals (68.6%) received the CHW Intervention. Outcomes included the BHMCO’s paid service claims. Rate of readmission for those receiving the intervention was low (5.7%); approximately half (49.8%) received follow up services within 30 days of admission. Models adjusting for differences between those with and without the intervention (n = 272) showed higher odds for 7- and 30-day follow up for those with CHW contact.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “The present effort shows positive impact of the work of CHWs when part of a behavioral health treatment team on quality of care for individuals with SUD.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Community Health Worker Intervention to Decrease Substance Use Disorder Readmissions in Medicaid-Enrolled Adults. Community Mental Health Journal, 2026. Community Mental Health Journal can be contacted at: Springer, Van Godewijckstraat 30, 3311 Gz Dordrecht, Netherlands. (Springer - www.springer.com; Community Mental Health Journal - http://www.springerlink.com/content/0010-3853/)

The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Shari L. Hutchison, Community Care Behavioral Health Organization of the UPMC Insurance Services, Pittsburgh, United States. Additional authors for this research include Donna E. Mengle, Irina O. Karpov, Tammy L. Pooler, Amy D. Herschell and Jamie F. Edwards.

Publisher contact information for the Community Mental Health Journal is: Springer, Van Godewijckstraat 30, 3311 Gz Dordrecht, Netherlands.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)