From Argentina’s neighborhood assemblies to Los Angeles County’s new Community Public Health Teams, community health workers demonstrate that empathy is not just a feeling but a structure for delivering care. The model adapts to local histories: in some countries, community health workers are volunteers; in others, they’re formal state employees. Psychological and public health research shows that empathetic societies experience stronger social cohesion, lower violence, and greater cooperation.3,4 In public health, empathy motivates action. Argentina’s community health workers are called sanitary workers, and they are regular people who volunteer for health training to serve their neighbors. “Community health worker in the Brazilian public health system” by Paulo H. Carvalho/Agência Brasília is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 15, 2026 15:45 UTC