Keynote and workshop descriptions

Presenter: Lois Smith Owens, MSW
Adjunct Professor
Grand Valley State University School of Social Work

Speech to Community Health Workers regarding their role in teaching, giving, sharing, supporting communities across the state. Notably the heroic work they have done in this hurting time of the past two years. Celebrating their integrity, their love for humanity, and their commitment to a better life for all of us…Superwomen and Supermen all…

Presenter: Ken Wasco
Author, Catalyst, Speaker, Doer 

To say we are living in whirlwind times would be an understatement. We go to sleep behind and wake up further behind. With everything seeming to be in a state of flux. Something remains constant. Let’s explore it.

Presenter: Natalia Palma, CHW 

Over the past couple of years, the needs of our clients have challenged us to think of our role as a CHW different than ever before. As resourceful as we may be, there are many times we may feel defeated. In this workshop we will look at ways to navigate and celebrate the small wins.

Presenter: Porsche Fischer 

This workshop will discuss the digital divide between technology and underserved populations and how to overcome that gap by training CHWs as Community Tech Workers (CTWs). The CTW stackable credential will give CHWs the ability to help teach their clients the basic digital literacy skills they need to access online documents, telehealth visits, Zoom calls, registration and conferencing scheduling for school children, access to vaccination and medical records, banking, bill-pay, and tax information

Presenter: Gladys M. Muñoz, BS, MSA 

“Communication is Culture and Culture is Communication”
~ Edward T. Hall

Communication problems, especially misunderstandings and misinterpretations are one of the most common problems and frustrations in relationships. Intercultural Communication implies an interaction that promotes growth, understanding and positive change. We will briefly explore Bias, Cultures, Communication Styles and how they apply to Health Care and life in general.

Presenter: Laura Bahena, CHW, CNA 

This training is my proprietary training with the techniques that I used as a CHW for over 20 years with clients and community members with mental health issues. In this training the CHW will learn basic skills that he or she can use to prepare to work with clients or patients with mental health problems. This is a tier model. This is the introductory level. 

Participants will learn how to keep safe when working with mental health issues, documentation and data protection of the clients, and following protocols at your agency regarding working with clients with mental health. Participants will also learn how to support clients with mental health issues in the best way such as working collaboratively as part of a team.

Presenter: Tressa Liba, MSW, MPA,CCHW 

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: Floyd Booker, MM and Pat Koch

In this workshop participants will learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of suicide and identify the difference between suicide myths and facts. Participants will also discuss direct approaches to invite conversations with people about suicide prevention and construct examples and options to persuade a person to stay alive and get help.

Presenter: Mark Mann, MTS 

We have all shared the experience of having our schedules, projects, habits, and priorities shift dramatically and then make the slow return over the past 2 years. This workshop will explore the lessons we continue to learn since the start of the pandemic. It is in sharing our griefs and our hopes that we can find the “antibodies” we need to confront this time of adversity.