Keynote and workshop descriptions

Lisa Renee Holderby-Fox, AS, CHW

Community health workers have a long history in the United States. Along with the history there have been many ebbs and flows in funding and support to promote the CHW workforce. The recent COVID 19 pandemic and recovery efforts have invigorated interest in the CHW workforce. The renewed interest opens many doors to uplift the vital role and contributions of CHWs. This presentation will describe the CHW movement from the 1960’s to 2023 including milestones that have prepared CHWs to maximize this moment in time. It will also describe the recent investments made in the community health workforce creating several opportunities for CHWs including funding, policy initiatives and unification of CHWs across state lines. The recent experience of a CHW Day on the Hill in Washington D.C., several state, regional and national CHW awareness efforts will also be highlighted. The recent investments in CHWs by federal and state agencies in conjunction with the maturing of the CHW workforce has presented unique opportunities. These opportunities amplify the voices of CHWs and allies working to ensure the workforce will be in a better position for acknowledgement, sustainability and respect going forward. Our time is now!

Denise Evans, MM, MA

Community Health Workers often do not have an opportunity to “let their light shine” - running from crisis to crisis. One CHW/Promitora/Navigator can shift the trajectory of their consumer’s lives while simultaneously assisting their hospital/public health institution maintain an invaluable connection with those living in our most vulnerable communities.  Ms. Evans will share the impact of keeping CHWs lights lit through difficult times, the value of self-care, understanding their value and impact on the organizational bottom line - person centered care. 

Presenter: William Jackson

In order to be the most effective, a community health worker must have a keen understanding of the issues within their community, and be strategic in their approach when addressing these issues In this workshop we will spend some time not only discussing what the issues are, but also discussing how we can go about addressing them.

Presenter: Jonathan Cauchi

In this presentation, we will define “Disability”. Participants will analyze models of thought associated with disability and recognize ways to create a more welcoming environment for persons with disabilities. We will also identify the services provided by Disability Advocates and Centers for Independent Living (CILs).

Presenter: Kiara Baskin

We will delve into the world of community-based care and explore how the collaboration between doulas and community health workers can maximize impact in improving maternal and infant health outcomes. We will discuss the unique roles and contributions of both doulas and community health workers, highlighting their shared goals of providing comprehensive support to individuals and families throughout the perinatal period. Through real-life case studies and success stories, we will showcase the power of this partnership in addressing healthcare disparities, promoting healthy pregnancies, and fostering positive birth experiences. Join us to learn about the innovative strategies, challenges, and lessons learned from implementing community-based care models that leverage the combined strengths of doulas and community health workers. Together, we can explore how this collaborative approach can transform the landscape of maternal and infant care, making a lasting impact on the health and well-being of communities.

Presenter: Danielle Acker

Advocacy is a vital role of a community health work. This workshop will focus on the importance of advocacy, different types of advocacy, tangible ways to implement advocacy when working, and also how to advocate for yourself as a Community Health Worker. 

Presenter: Leticia De La Paz

The importance of creating a sense of belonging at our work place and the impact it has on how we serve others. Bringing our perspective to create an environment where through guidelines and talkents we support the vision and mission of the organization we work for.

Presenter: Tressa Liba

Join Executive Director of MiCHWA, Tressa Liba, for an overview of MiCHWA, ongoing projects and strategic priorities for the next year. CHW registry, workgroup updates and conversation will be included.

Presenter: Jaye Clement

Facilitating improved patient-provider relationships requires a foundation of trust and mutual respect between providers and the community. Integrating Community Health Workers (CHW) as extensions of the community and a new provider-type within traditional clinical care teams can build trust and yield improvements in equitable birth outcomes. However, the integration of CHWs into clinical settings, while a novel concept, can be fraught with significant challenges if not recognized and managed well in actual practice. Challenges range from misunderstanding and undue tension to the potential of adversely impacting the dynamics in the clinic environment, clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction and the effectiveness of CHWs during home visits.

This session will focus on 10 identified barriers and corresponding lessons learned in successfully integrating CHWs into clinical settings, which requires system-level change and support of senior leadership with an experiential understanding of both the clinical and community cultures. Community and clinical culture differences require specific attention to team building, cross-team training, defined roles, transparent communication and earned trust and respect. Also, standardized communication tools are useful in sharing sensitive patient information between CHWs and clinical staff. The development of protocols is an ongoing effort.  Key discussion points highlight a different type of cultural competence in navigating the oft parallel yet polarized differences in language, expectations, roles and key metrics between community and clinically-oriented team members.