Proving Community-Led Wellness Works

We’re not just serving families — we’re building the evidence base that transforms how community health is delivered nationally.


The Study

Partnership: UC Berkeley School of Public Health / UCSF – pending confirmation
Design: Pragmatic randomized controlled trial measuring health outcomes from community health worker interventions in Oakland’s most underserved neighborhoods
Timeline: 18 months baseline through 12-month follow-up
Sample Size: 200 families across East and West Oakland


What We’re Measuring

Primary Outcomes

  • Blood pressure (systolic/diastolic)

  • Blood glucose levels

  • BMI and waist circumference

  • Food security status (validated assessment)

  • Healthcare access and utilization

Secondary Outcomes

  • Reduction in emergency department visits

  • Medication adherence

  • Health literacy scores

  • Community connectedness

  • Economic outcomes (employment, income stability)

Data Collection Points

  • Baseline (Enrollment)

  • 3 Months

  • 6 Months

  • 12 Months


Why This Matters

For Oakland:

Proves which interventions work — allowing us to scale community-based wellness programs locally.

For California:

Builds evidence to support Medicaid reimbursement for community health worker (CHW) services.

For the Nation:

Demonstrates that community-led mobile wellness infrastructure is both cost-effective and clinically impactful.


Published Results

Findings will be shared through:

  • Peer-reviewed journal articles

  • Policy briefs

  • Public replication toolkits


Preliminary Findings

This section will be updated as data is collected and analyzed.


Research Partners


Want to Learn More?

📧 For Research Partnerships: research@handsforlifelm.org

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