When Kennedy was referred to the community health worker program at Penn Medicine, she had been struggling with heart issues and had concerns about the efficacy of the coronavirus vaccines that were available to her. But according to Austin, community health workers are taught to look at patients as comorbid, meaning they may be dealing with many diseases or barriers at once. Austin takes into account the whole person and asks that person to articulate what is making it hard to stay well or access health care systems. Before Austin could address Kennedy’s fears about COVID-19 and getting vaccinated, she had to make sure Kennedy had her other needs met as well.