ABSTRACT
The question of the possible, proper, or desirable relationships of churches to health and human service agencies is raised. Identifying, recruiting, and training important members of natural helping networks in the black church, who can serve as “lay health advisors” (LHA) linking and negotiating between people at risk and agency services, is one health intervention strategy for establishing a relationship between formal and informal support systems. As lay people to whom others naturally turn for advice, emotional support, and tangible aid, LHAs provide informal and spontaneous assistance. Found at many levels in a community, these persons are already helping people by virtue of their community roles, occupations, or personality traits. A lay health advisor intervention model conceptualizes the relationships between the social support functions of networks within black congregations and their expected effects on: (1) the behaviors of individuals at risk; (2) the service delivery structures of agencies; and (3) the problem solving capacities of communities. Based on this model, three types of LHA interventions are categorized in accordance with the aim of network 294member involvement: (1) enhancing the total network within a church; (2) cooperative problem-solving linking networks between churches; and (3) coalition building connecting networks beyond the church. An intervention example for each of these categories is provided, including a description of the target population, support providers), purpose, problems addressed, network characteristics emphasized, activities used, and role of the professional. Important lessons learned from these examples are drawn, with particular emphasis given to the issues and special interests of working with natural helping networks in black congregations.
