Hi everyone,

Many of you know that this newsletter began with my work in Rhode to Equity and initially served as a weekly resource newsletter for the Rhode to Equity teams. It now covers various topics, primarily aimed at helping you build your toolkit and stay informed while sharing opportunities for you to make your voices heard.

In the coming year, I will begin transitioning out of this role. I want to emphasize the importance of continuing our connection and communication, as that is where real change begins. We all need to take action, but it’s not solely our responsibility! Together, we can achieve meaningful change. 😊

Please make sure to sign up for the CHWARI, RIDOH CHW Program, and NACHW newsletters to stay updated.

Stay Connected by signing up here.

What began with 18 CHWs and teams has now grown to over 170 CHWs and allies. Woohoo!! ❤

Have you heard about…?

• Our wonderful partner, Mitchelle Abuna at RIDOH, many of you may know from previous focus groups and coding opportunities, is conducting a Community Resources Mapping Survey. We encourage you to take 5-10 minutes to complete this survey. Your participation will help Mitchelle gather data to better understand the distribution, qualifications, and focus areas of CHWs across the state. Thank you for your support! click here.

• The Olmstead Act is coming to RI and they need our input from those living with disabilities, those who work with people with disabilities, caregivers, family, friends, etc. The two upcoming listening sessions for Olmstead will be held 1/3 and 1/7. See the attached PDFs to share with the community.
  • $50 stipend available!
  • These sessions will serve as a chance to speak about what is working and what is not working in this state for people living with disabilities.
  • To reserve a seat for these in-person sessions, register at www.oscil.org/olmstead  or call 401-738-1013.
  • Brown University is also holding an in-person session 1/7 and a virtual session on 1/8 5-6:30pm

• The RI Public Health Association and RIDOH are collaborating on a new data-informed initiative focused on immunizations. This project aims to create community reports based on data to guide and support health promotion efforts, public health messaging, and related initiatives.
  • They are seeking 10-12 participants and aim to start with focus groups in early January via 2-hour Zoom sessions.
  • Compensation of $50 per hour for each participant
  • Currently seeking participants for 3 focus groups in Providence, Block Island, and in the Tribal Community.
  • What to expect: Discussions on experiences related to accessing and receiving vaccines, barriers faced, and ideas for developing and implementing health promotion materials for immunization
  • For more information contact Paola Henderson at Phenderson@carelinkri.org

• The RIPIN Family Voices team is reevaluating their English Support Groups to better understand the needs of English-speaking parents and caregivers of a child with special health care needs . Please take a moment to share this survey with others to provide feedback that can help shape future support opportunities. Survey here.

• Governor McKee and HealthSourceRI announce new flexibilities in place to help RI’ers stay connected to coverage for 2025 while they navigate the breach.
  • The open enrollment deadline will be extended through 2/28/25
  • More information on HSRI can be found here.

Advocacy & Legislation

• New Advocacy Skills Series video on how to submit effective public comments. Watch the 8-minute video here.
• 01/01/25 webinar: Breaking down barriers: How new policies drive better health outcomes – Learn more and register here.
• 01/08/25 Hybrid Climate Action Meeting: Join Audubon Society of Rhode Island to come together with local advocates to take action immediately to address climate change. Learn more and register here.
• 01/13/25: Storytelling for Environmental Advocacy: Learn how to convey our concerns about climate change and workshop our stories to advocate for solutions. Learn more and register here.
• 01/15/25 via Zoon 1pm: Making the Case For Housing as Healthcare – A fireside chat

• 01/22/25 via Zoom: Public Policy 101 – English session 10-11:30 am, Spanish session 12:20-2 am
• National CHW Policy Group Meeting Notes and registration links

Professional Development, Opportunities, Resources

• Resources on Maternal Health – Maternal Health Awareness Day tools – Maternal Health Awareness Day is January 23, 2025. This year’s theme is Know What’s at Stake.
• 1/13/25 at 1pm via Zoom: How Social Workers and CHWS Collaborate Effectively to Advance Health Equity
• 1/23/25 at 2pm via Zoom: Enhancing Oral Health Care Access with CHWs
  • Participants must register and attend using their own unique Zoom link to receive educational credits.. Please us the hyperlink above to register.

• RIAIMH’s Community Conversation Series for 2025 is scheduled! The first 2 sessions on 1/28 and 2/25 (8:30-10:30) focused on immigration trauma and Infant/early childhood mental health. Register on www.riaimh.org
• Improving Child Health Jan 9 Early Childhood  Café 1/9/25 at 7:30am – Register here.
• Community Commons Most Popular Content of 2024
• Including People with Lived Experience – Thoughtfully

Community Resources, Opportunities, & Events

• See the attached “Know Your Rights Immigration” PDFs

• RIDOH Family Visiting is recruiting for their 2025 Family Visiting Parent/Caregiver Advisory Council – see attached PDF for flyer in English and Spanish
  • Families receive $40 gift cards for attending each monthly session and they ask for 1-2 year commitment.
  • Meetings are virtual 5:30 – 7pm via Zoom and are a mix of providing input on services impacting pregnant people and families with young children.
  • Current families and recent graduates of Early Head Start, Early Intervention, First Connections, Healthy Families of America, Nurse-Family Partnership, and Parents as Teachers are welcome to join!

• Volunteer Opportunities for kids and adults at Roger Williams Park and Zoo. Learn more here.

• Free Family events
• 1/22/25: Spanish-Speaking RIPIN Support Group – 12:30-1:30 or 6-7pm. Register here.

Self-Care

• Teaching Mindfulness to Kids
• Mindless Habits That Are Secretly Exhausting You & How To Adjust
• 10-Minute Meditation Practice for Intention-Setting

Articles + Videos + Podcasts

• Commons Good Podcast
• ASTHO Unveils Top Five State Public Health Policy Issues to Watch in 2025

Happy New Year!

Swanette

Swanette Salazar CCHW

Lead Community Health Worker – First Connections Program Lead Community Health Worker Consultant – Rhode 2 Equity(CTC-RI)

Roadmap Summit Recap!

On December 4, 2024, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) hosted a special summit at District Hall in Providence to celebrate the progress of the CHW Roadmap project including its four key components: CHW Role, Agency, and Leadership; Payment and Sustainability; Person, Place-based Coordination; and Workforce Development for Supervisors and CHWs.

  At the summit, 78 attendees gathered to hear from the four CHW Roadmap teams, who shared their progress, accomplishments, and challenges.

The summit was opened by Jerome Larkin, MD, Director of Health, RIDOH, and Deborah Garneau, MA, Maternal Child Health Director, RIDOH, both of whom emphasized the work of the implementation teams as well as the vital role of the community health worker in Rhode Island. Sherri Ohly, Envision Co-Director, then led a discussion on Sustaining CHW’s in times of change followed by a session on Civic Engagement co-led by Arthur Handy, Representative District 18, State of Rhode Island & Special Project Manager, FSRI and Cristy Romero, CHW, Jenks Park Pediatrics, FSRI.

The day concluded with a world fair which was a valuable opportunity for feedback and collaboration, allowing CHWs and stakeholders to identify key connection points and strategies to propel the work forward. Closing remarks where provided by Kristine Campagna, Associate Director of Health, Division of Community Health and Equity (RIDOH) and James Day, CPS, Health Program Administrator, RIDOH.

Sign up to join the CHW strategy meetings here and view the full roadmap.

This information was shared in an email from Swanette Salazar CCHW on 12/16/24, in her role as the Lead Community Health Worker Consultant – Rhode 2 Equity(CTC-RI). Some of this info is in the CHWARI Newsletter – some is not due to time issues. We will try to post updates like this on our website so that all resources are ‘out there!’ We are working on a way to coordinate communications better. 

Hi everyone,

As we approach the holiday season, I invite you to reflect on all you are grateful for and the amazing accomplishments we have made. Let’s also think about the challenges and use these lessons to improve next year.

I appreciate your friendship, the community we are building, and our partnership. I am also thankful for the dedicated workforce of community leaders in Rhode Island who unite with a common goal: to make our state a better place for everyone.

Have you heard about…?

• RI Foundation Community Information Sessions to learn about their Five-Year Action Plan and 2025 grant programs. Learn more and register here.

• The Stanford Center for Early Childhood is looking to interview first-time fathers. They are hoping to gain more understanding on the involvement and roles fathers play in feeding their young children. Learn more here.
• Minimum wage is increasing in 2025 in RI from $14 to $15 an hour.
• Local Social Security offices are no longer taking walk-in appointments. Learn how to get help here.
• The Care Transformation Collaborative of Rhode Island (CTC-RI), in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), is excited to offer up to 15 Community Health Workers the opportunity to participate in the Asthma Basics Training Program. This comprehensive program spans two days in-person sessions, totaling 9 hours with a virtual assessment via zoom (to be scheduled on the last day of class). See the attached PDF for more information.
  • Apply here.  – Applications Open: December 11, 2024  –  Applications due: January 17, 2024
• This year’s public statement from the Surgeon General calls attention to the importance of parental stress, mental health and well-being, stressors unique to parenting, and the bidirectional relationship between parental mental health and child outcomes. Find more resources here.

• RI Urban Perinatal Education Center, The Commonsense Childbirth Inc., and RIDOH have collaborated to start a hybrid learning Certified Professional Midwifery (CPM) Satellite Program in Rhode Island starting September 2025.
  • Deadline to apply for admission is May 1, 2025! For more information, including how to apply, click here.
• Have you seen the RIDOH Stay Connected List? Find it here.

Advocacy & Legislation

• New Advocacy Skills Series video on how to submit effective public comments. Watch the 8-minute video here.
• Today 6-8 pm: Virtual Storytelling for Climate Action Workshop. Learn more and register here.
• 12/16/24 Climate Action Organizing Meeting: Join Audubon and Green Energy Consumers Alliance for an organizing meeting on what we can do to tackle climate change collectively. Learn more and register here.
• 01/01/25 webinar: Breaking down barriers: How new policies drive better health outcomes – Learn more and register here.
• 01/08/25 Hybrid Climate Action Meeting: Join Audubon Society of Rhode Island to come together with local advocates to take action immediately to address climate change. Learn more and register here.
• 01/13/25: Storytelling for Environmental Advocacy: Learn how to convey our concerns about climate change and workshop our stories to advocate for solutions. Learn more and register here.
• Prerecorded video: The Power of Policy – 10 Tips for Getting Things Done in Public Health
• Public Health Advocacy Consensus Task Force  – Learn how you can get involved here.
• Elevator Pitch Essentials: How to Make Your Message Memorable
  • Elevator Pitch Essentials Tip Sheet

Professional Development, Opportunities, Resources

• Maternal Health Tools: Raising the Bar for Maternal Health Equity and Excellence
• RIAIMH’s Community Conversation Series for 2025 is scheduled! The first 2 sessions on 1/28 and 2/25 (8:30-10:30) focused on immigration trauma and Infant/early childhood mental health. Register on www.riaimh.org
• December 13, 2024, at 7:30 am – Breakfast of Champions: Technology to Support Primary Care. Register Here.
• Screened for Developmental Delay, Now What? ECHO® – Register by Dec 13, 2024. Register here.
• December 20, 2024, at 7:30 am: New Primary Care Management Codes, an examination of the impact of primary care on total medical expenses in Massachusetts, and an update on the AHEAD Model
• •    Email Michelle Mooney to join: mmooney@ctc-ri.org
• December 17, 2024 at 8:00-9:00 am Best Practices in Team-Based Care: Navigating Eating Disorders in a Pediatric Primary Care Setting. Register Here.
• December 16: Addressing Alcohol Use Disorder in Primary Care Think Tank Series. Register Here.
• Improving Child Health Jan 9 Early Childhood  Café 1/9/25 at 7:30am – Register here.
• SOPHE Center for Online Resources and Education
• APHA Toolkit: An Exploration of Individual & Community-Based Leaders in Times of Transition
• IHI Always Even Toolkit: The toolkit supports providers in partnering with patients and family members to co-design, reliably implement, and sustain and spread Always Events to dramatically improve the care experience.
• Rethink Health Toolbox Webinar Series
• One Neighborhood Builders Fresh Fridays Conversations: Community Wealth Building 12/13 8:45a-9:30a. Register Here.

• Including People with Lived Experience – Thoughtfully

Community Resources, Opportunities, & Events

• Youth-Led Holiday Community Event – 12/14 from 9-1pm . Flyer here. Community youths and Y4US Hope Gardeners by CC4ES created various Rhody Grows Hope items (repurposed from the recyclables) as holiday gift items, and are facilitating this community event.

• All Aboard the Holidays Roger Williams Park Botanical Center

• Plant Walks with MNH – additional dates 1/11, 2/8, and 3/8

• Yoga for Everybody

Self-Care

• Caregiver Self Care Activities & Relaxation Exercises
• Still Together Mindfulness Mediation Community Newsletter
• Podcast: The Power of Gratitude
• Self-Care Tips
• How to Have Healthier Holidays in 1-2-3!
• American Psychological Association. Gratitude

Articles + Videos + Podcasts

• EC-LINC’s New Neighborhood podcast: Highlighting Parent Leadership and Fatherhood
• IHI Turn On The Lights Podcast: Expanding the role of health systems beyond traditional hospital care
• 50-State Scan of Public Health Advocacy Capacity
• A New Vision for Women’s Health Research
• National Humanities Conference in Providence
• New analysis from The Lancet Next 1,000 Days Series : New analysis from The Lancet Next 1,000 Days Series shows that providing one year of early childhood care and education (ECCE) for all children would cost on average less than 0.15% of low- and middle-income countries’ (LMICs) current gross domestic product. The potential benefits of providing these programs are on average 8–19 times larger than the cost of implementing them.

Potential Funding Opportunities and Request for proposals

• NCCOR Funding Opportunities
• RI Humanities Mini-Grant Opportunities
• NIH Grants & Funding
• Health Workforce Grants

Happy Holidays!

Swanette

Swanette Salazar CCHW

Lead Community Health Worker – First Connections Program

Lead Community Health Worker Consultant – Rhode 2 Equity(CTC-RI)
salazarsw@familyserviceri.org

I use she/her/hers pronouns! How about you?

Congratulations to CCHW Wiston Delgado and the members of RI’s Latinx CHW Support Group! There aren’t enough emojis to show how excited we are!  

This group was started two years ago with seed money from RIDOH’s CDC grant and was supported by CHWARI and our former Bilingual Program Coordinator, Lina Roman.  It was created it to give Spanish speaking CHWs a much needed place to prevent compassion fatigue and share resources in their native language. This fall, when the original funding source expired, Wiston Delgado, CCHW, applied for the funding necessary to keep the group going… and the Rhode Island Foundation’s Juanita Sánchez Community Fund said yes!  

Wiston is excited to share, “I never tried anything like this before, but as a CHW, the thing we do is make connections. I read about the funding source for Rhode Island Latinos in a newsletter. Then I asked the director of a non-profit I knew if they would sponsor my application. They helped me do it.  When the letter came last week I couldn’t believe it!”  A big shout out the Educational Center for Arts & Science (Teatro ECAS) for agreeing to be a non-profit partner with Wiston to make the group eligible for the grant!

Tonya Glantz, of Rhode Island College’s Institute for Eductation in Healthcare and CHWARI, shared, “IEH and CHWARI applaud the continued success of the Latinx support group.  Their dedication to upholding the voices of this group is inspiring and is creating change within the field of community health work.”

The support group’s next meeting will be their in-person holiday gathering on 12/20 from 3pm-5pm. (We originally had it at the wrong time!).  Space is limited but if you would like to attend, you can email Wiston.

They will resume their regular zoom schedule on January 14th at noon. In addition to their meetings they have a very active WhatsApp chat for members to share resources and receive support daily. 

Join them to get the support you need to do the hard work you do!!!!  

This information was shared in an email from Swanette Salazar CCHW, in her role as the Lead Community Health Worker Consultant – Rhode 2 Equity(CTC-RI). Some of this info is in the CHWARI Newsletter – some is not due to time issues. We will try to post updates like this on our website so that all resources are ‘out there!’ We are working on a way to coordinate communications better. 🙂

Hi everyone,

After a much-needed newsletter hiatus, I am back! I hope you all are able to take time to reflect on the amazing work you have all been doing this year! Cheers to you! ❤ You all do so much and are a huge part in making RI better, one interaction at a time.

Have you heard about…?

• The Pawtucket Central Falls CHW networking sessions are back! See schedule here and contact Cristy Romero RomeroCr@familyserviceri.org for more information and to register.

• 12/12 | 1pm MLPB Legal Problem-Solving Community of Practice  | Register here

• Check out the amazing MLPB RI Digest!

• The MCH Section at APHA is requesting participants for a study. This study is intended to understand the impact of environments, culture, and social experiences on Black Maternal-Fetal attachment, to bridge the knowledge gap, advance the connection to infant and early childhood development, inform health practices, and enhance the well-being of Black mothers and their infants. See flyer below and contact Tracey at MFARESEARCHTEA@GMAIL.COM

Advocacy & Legislation

• 11/12 | 1pm EST– APHA Legislative Update on congressional activity with Q&A. Join zoom here.
• 11/14 | 6-7:30pm: RIPTA public meeting to share your thoughts on the potential Kingston Station becoming a regional and multimodal transit center in South County! Check out this survey if you would like to attend.

• Providence Comprehensive Plan heads to full council for vote. Learn more about this plan here and how you can participate.
• Check the Bodily Freedom Forever Index to see where local candidates stand on fundamental human rights
• Public Language for Public Health Checklist
• 11/15 9-2pm – RIPIN 2024 Policy Forum. Learn more and register here.
• Center For Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announces new policies to reduce maternal mortality, increase access to care, and advance health equity.
• Free Healthy Heart Ambassador Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring Training opportunity from RIDOH. Space is limited, see attached flyer for more information. Register here.
• Bradley Conference Virtual Series. Learn more and register for the sessions here.

• 11/21 | 5-7:30pm – American Lung Association FREE event!  Register here. See attached PDF to share with others.

• National CHW Policy Working Group – Join us in a national ongoing conversation around federal developments, national advocacy opportunities, and promote CHW Unity. Learn more and register here.

• Environmental Council of RI 2023-2024 Green Report Card
• SAVE RIPTA coalition event. Learn more and buy tickets here.

Professional Development, Opportunities, Resources

• Perinatal Healthcare Workforce Enrichment Series by Black Mamas Matter Alliance – begins 11/13! Learn more and register here.
• 11/14 | 12-1pm webinar: Supporting Infant Feeding Goals in the First 4 Weeks. Download flier here. Register here. This is a training under the New England Public Health Training Center and requires you register for a free account.
• RI Coalition Against Domestic Violence training & events

• 11/12 Lifespan Community Health Ambassadors Virtual Lecture ( 12-1pm)
  • Let’s Talk About Diabetes: Strategies for Management and Patient Engagement
    • Register here
• See attached flyer for a Diabetes Prevention Program starting soon at the North Providence Library.
• Join the upcoming informational sessions to learn more on the RI Certified Professional Midwifery Equity Initiative Class of 2028. Download flier here. Learn more here.
  • Upcoming info sessions will be 11/14, 12/12, and 1/9 at 6pm

• 11/18 | 12:30-2pm Webinar: Working Together to Build Trust in Public Health

• 11/19 Virtual session 8:30a-10:30a – RIAIMH Community Conversations Series
  • Open Doors RI: Women and Children’s House  – Register here.
• 11/20 at 1pm – AMCHPs MCH Housing Champion Forum. PDF can be located here.
• 12/3 RIPIN Peer Mentor Panel with Advocates in Action. Learn more and register here.
• 12/10 | 12 to 1pm – Culturally Competent Palliative Care. Learn more and register here.
• CDC Overdose Resource Exchange (ORE) resources and tools
• Community Violence Prevention Resource for Action Resource packet

• October 28 webinar 1-2 pm EST. Register here.

• 11/12 virtual session 1-2pm: Using Assessment To Strengthen Support For Fathers And Families

Community Resources, Opportunities, & Events

• 11/14 | 5:30-6:30pm FSRI Foster parent information session. Register here.
  • Are you interested in becoming a foster parent? FSRI will be hosting a virtual information for those interested in providing care for a foster youth or interested in growing their family through adoption.
    • FUN FACT – November is National Adoption Month
    • Here are some local resources for families and foster youth
      • Adoption RI: https://adoptionri.org/
      • The Village: https://www.rivillage.org/
      • Foster Forward: https://www.fosterforward.net/
      • Foster Forward Youth Drop in Center: https://www.fosterforward.net/youth-dropin-center

• Free Flu and COVID vaccines. No registration required

• Upcoming LIHEAP events – 11/15 at FSRI and 11/22 at Iglesia Vision Evangelica
• 11/16 GHHI Community Health Fair at CCRI Liston Campus
• The Burriville Safe Sitter Program begins November 27^th. See attached flyer.
• PVD Bike Collective bike mechanics course – Open to all – 6 sessions running Monday evenings from 6-8:30pm from November 11^th to December 16^th. Learn more and register here.

 

• The Refugee Dream center is seeking donations and volunteers.
  • For more information about donations call 401-300-0544 or emails info@refugeedreamcenter.org
  • For more information about volunteering call 401-300-0544 or email volunteer@refugeedreamcenter.org

• Join BCBSRI and the Brown University School of Public Health for a panel discussion about the state of household food insecurity and for the release of the 2024 RI Life Index Finding.

Self-Care

• Article: The Mental Health Benefits of Nature – Spending time outdoors to refresh your mind
• Practicing Self-Care During Election Season
• Free Mindfulness Meditation Practice Session at the Warwick Center for the Arts
  • Always free. No meditation experience required. All welcome.
  • For Zoom link, send email request to meditateforwellbeing@gmail.com
  • For more program and schedule information, visit the Warwick Center for the Arts website(hyperlinked above) – or email meditateforwellbeing@gmail.com
• Still Together Mindfulness Mediation Community Newsletter
• Guided Meditation by Tara Brach
  
  

Articles + Videos + Podcasts

• Book: Rethinking Race & Ethnicity in Biomedical Research
• Podcast: AJPH Building Bridges Between Federal & Local Public Health Policies | Audio | Video
• December AJPH Issues
• American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) November Issue 
• Article: A Big New Trail in Little Rhody
• Podcast: Healthy Children Podcast – Product Safety: How to Know What to Buy
• Newborn Supply Kits Reduce Maternal Stress and Improve Trust in Government

Potential Funding Opportunities and Request for proposals

• NCCOR Funding Opportunities
• https://www.grants.gov/search-grants
• NACCHO RFP
• National Institutes of Health
• HRSA
• Justice Squared Racial Justice & Systems Change

Hakuna Matata!

Swanette

Swanette Salazar CCHW

Lead Community Health Worker – First Connections Program

Lead Community Health Worker Consultant – Rhode 2 Equity(CTC-RI)
salazarsw@familyserviceri.org

I use she/her/hers pronouns! How about you?

On October 25th, 2024, Franyelys “Frannie” West, proudly pictured holding a bouquet, celebrated the grand opening of RI Support Network LLC at 48 Power Road in Pawtucket.

Franyelys West, a dynamic 27-year-old Latina entrepreneur from Rhode Island, has launched her first independent community health worker business, RI Support Network LLC. Through partnerships with local directors, state representatives, and attorneys, Franyelys has created a support network dedicated to empowering families with accessible health and legal resources.

Frannie shares her motivation, “RI Support Network was born from my vision to bridge gaps in our healthcare system with trusted, compassionate support. I believe everyone, regardless of background, deserves access to the resources they need for a healthier, more resilient life. Our mission is to uplift our community, ensuring every voice is heard and every need is met.”

RI Support Network LLC offers personalized services to help clients navigate healthcare, access social services, and find legal resources. The team welcomes walk-ins and takes referrals, with bilingual staff ready to assist. Franyelys and her team are dedicated to making support as accessible as possible, whether in person, by phone, or through text. For more information, call (401) 376-2726 or email fw@risupportnetwork.org.

Visit their new website at risupportnetwork.org to learn more about their mission and how they’re making a difference in the community.

10/21/24

Dear CHW community,

It is with a grateful heart that I inform you I am resigning as Director of the Community Health Worker Association of Rhode Island. Throughout these past 7 years, I have been deeply inspired by community health workers’ compassion, professional dedication, and reverence for human dignity. You have shifted my own professional compass so much that I have taken a position as a therapist at Newport Mental Health. This will allow me to work close to home and serve my neighbors needing behavioral health support on Aquidneck Island.

CHWARI has a lot to be proud of. Building on the grassroots sown in 2009, the association has grown to include over 1800 subscribers to our newsletter and has supported the professional development of several hundred CHWs through training, certification, and leadership opportunities. Through our parent entity, the Institute for Education in Healthcare at Rhode Island College, we have attracted federal and state monies, CHWs from diverse workplaces, and workforce allies across the state to help fortify this invaluable workforce. I wish you all – CHWs and Allies – the best as you forge financial sustainability of this role, grounding CHW work in local community strengths and cultures, and being guided by CHWs’ lived expertise in surmounting barriers and thriving.

Please be assured CHWARI will continue its rich communications outreach, roll out professional development opportunities and connect CHWs with policy actions, job announcements and certification guidance. To that end, please keep sending your newsletter items to Laura Blackwell. Tonya Glantz, Executive Director of IEH, supporting CHWARI since its revival in 2017, will be fielding general inquiries while CHWARI seeks its new leader. In upcoming months, CHWARI will form its new Advisory Council to take the association forward, guided by authentic CHW voices.
Thank you for sharing with me yourselves, your stories, your expertise and your passion for serving the people in this state.

Take care,
Sarah Lawrence

 

The next Advanced Navegante ten-week cohort run by Clinica Esperanza starts this upcoming Monday, September 30th! 

This program is appropriate for those who are bilingual (English and Spanish) and looking to be trained as CHWs. Due to grant limitations CHWARI cannot offer as many core trainings to the public as we did last year. Training is needed to apply for CHW Certification.  If you are bilingual and are looking for CHW training – jump on this chance. 

Their program typically includes a Medical Interpreter module as well as CHW/Navegante Training.  

For more information reach out to Jackie Medrano at JackieM@aplacetobehealthy.org.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 2nd starting at 4pm, a major bill concerning CHWs will be heard at the RI State House.

Currently, CHW services are not billable to private insurance which leaves CHWs mostly funded by grants or Medicaid. This is not sustainable and many grants will end this year! In addition to giving more patients access to vital services, passing this bill (S2606, Sponsored Senator DiMario) would provide more of the job security CHWs deserve! 

There are two urgent ways to advocate!

1. Testify in person!!!! The session will open at 4pm on 4/2 in the Senate Lounge at the RI State House (accessible by busses 50, 55, 56 & 57!) Be heard! General Assembly members will welcome testimony from CHWs and medical providers. You would be able to speak to lawmakers for three minutes!

Logistics: Be there by 4pm and prepare for a long night as the timing of hearings can be unpredictable. Sign-up sheets to testify are usually posted on a table outside the hearing room. Look for Lina Roman, CHWARI’s Bilingual Program Coordinator, near the sign up sheet. Thank you to her and to all CHWs and allies who can make the trip! 
Address is: 82 Smith St, Providence, RI 02903.  Enter your location here to find a bus route. Ample free parking can be found in the RI Dept. of Health Parking Lot after 3 PM.

2. Write an email!  Due by Tuesday 4/2 at 3pm – Write a letter expressing your support. Details on what to include and where to send are on page 2 of this alert compiled by the Washington County Children’s Coalition. 

Let’s pass this important legislation together! 

Read the full details of bill RI S2606.
See Senate Agenda here.
See a thoughtful alert created by the Washington County Children’s Coalition spelling out their reasons for supporting these bills and details on how to advocate.