Across the country, at all levels (statewide, locally and nationally), CHWs are organizing professional associations or networks. CHW associations advocate for CHWs and the communities they serve. They give CHWs a means of gaining additional skills, getting support and recognition, and sharing resources and strategies with peers. This regular newsletter feature highlights the ongoing organizing efforts of CHWs across the country. We urge CHWs to contact their local networks and get involved! If there is no network in your area, think about starting one. Contact the network nearest you for information and strategies about organizing. We recognize the enormous energy and commitment of CHWs as they organize. We also know that this is only a partial list of CHW associations. If you know of others, please let us know! Contact Newsletter Editor Gail Hirsch at: gail.hirsch@state.ma.us or (617) 624-6016.
NATIONAL CHW ASSOCIATIONS
American Association of Community Health Workers
Durrell Fox, Co-Chair, dfoxnehec@aol.com
APHA CHW Section
http://www.apha.org/membergroups/sections/aphasections/chw
Lisa Renee Holderby-Fox, Chair, lrfox@machw.org, (617) 524-6696 ext. 102
National Association of Community Health Representatives
http://www.nachr.net; Ramona Dillard, CHR/CHWD, rdillard@lagunatribe.org,
Pueblo of Laguna, Laguna, NM; (505) 552-6652
Community Health Representatives (CHR) Area Associations
Oklahoma Area Association of Community Health Representatives (OAACHR)
c/o Cyndi Gilks, President, Muscogee (Creek) Nation CHR Program
Phone: (918) 623-1925
Email: Cyndi.gilks@creekhealth.org
New Mexico/Southern Colorado CHR Association (NMSCCHRA)
Alk'inibaa' Mermejo, President
Phone: (505) 660-8627 or (505) 455-4115
dinewarriorwoman@yahoo.com
akeemmermejo@sanipueblo.org
Aberdeen Area Community Health Representatives Association (AACHRA)
John Eagle Shield, President; (701) 854-3856
srchr@westriv.com
STATE AND REGIONAL CHW ASSOCIATIONS
ARIZONA
Arizona Community Health Outreach Workers Network
http://azchow.org, (520) 705-8861, azchow.network@gmail.com; Lourdes Fernandez, CHW/Promotora
CALIFORNIA
Community Health Worker/Promotoras Network http://www.visionycompromiso.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=6&Itemid=4
Maria Lemus, Executive Director, (510) 232-7869, chwpromotoras@aol.com or mholl67174@aol.com
FLORIDA
REACH-Workers—The Community Health Workers of Tampa Bay
Michelle Dublin, Chair, (727) 588-4018, Michelle_Dublin@doh.state.fl.us
GEORGIA
Georgia Community Health Advisor Network
Gail McCray, (404) 752-1645, gmccray@msm.edu
ILLINOIS
Chicago CHW Local Network
Laura Bahena, (312) 878-7015, healthconnectone.org, http://hco.depaulccts.org/
LOUISIANA
Louisiana Community Health Outreach Network (LACHON); Email lachws@gmail.com or
Call Ashley Wennerstrom at (504) 988-4007 or Kristina Gibson at (504) 523-6221 ext. 172.
LACHON’s mission is to supports community health workers while advocating for improvements in community health. They do this by:
1. Convening community health workers to share resources and offer peer support.
2. Offering professional development opportunities.
3. Increasing recognition for the community health worker profession locally, nationally and internationally.
They are also on Facebook, and their Twitter account is @LACHON1.
MARYLAND
Community Outreach Workers Association of Maryland, Inc.
Carol Payne (410) 664-6949, carol.b.payne@hud.gov
MASSACHUSETTS
Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers, www.machw.org
Lisa Renee Holderby-Fox, Executive Director, (617) 524-6696, ext. 102, lrfox@machw.org
MINNESOTA
Minnesota CHW Peer Network
http://www.wellshareinternational.org/chwpeernetwork.us
Anita Buel, Chair, (612) 2933502, anita.dchw@gmail.com
Sophia London, Co-Chair, Sophia.London@hcmed.org
MN CHW Peer Network brings Twin Cities CHWs together for learning and continuing education approximately 4-6 times per year. The co-chairs of the Peer Network serve as conveners for the trainings and help the group identify topics for continuing ed. They are busy CHWs who provide leadership to the network on a volunteer basis.
The Minnesota CHW Alliance is a broad-based partnership of CHWs and stakeholder groups who meet monthly and work together to advance the CHW role in the state. The curriculum, scope of practice, workforce development efforts, payment legislation and Day at the Capitol have come out of this group and its predecessor, the MN CHW Policy Council. Contact Joan Cleary, part-time interim director; joanlcleary@gmail.com.
NEW JERSEY
The New Jersey CHW Institute supports the development of CHW groups; Carol Wolff, (856) 963-2432, ext. 202; wolff_c@Camden-AHEC.org
NEW MEXICO
New Mexico Community Health Workers Association http://www.nmchwa.com/
Bette Jo Ciesielski, (505) 255-1227, nmchwa@yahoo.com
NEW YORK
Statewide: Community Health Worker Network of New York State
http://chwnetwork.org/id49.html
New York City: Community Health Worker Network of NYC
http://chwnetwork.org
Sergio Matos, Executive Director, (212) 481-7667, sergio@chwnetwork.org
Romy Rodriguez, Chair, romelia@chwnetwork.org
Community Health Workers Association of Rochester:
http://www.chwrochesterny.org.
Glenda Blanco, Chair, (585) 922-3507, glenda.blanco@rochestergeneral.org
OHIO
Ohio Community Health Worker Association
http://www.med.wright.edu/CHC/programs/ochwa.html
Jewel Bell, President, (513) 464-8404, jewel.bell@att.net
OREGON
Oregon Community Health Workers Association
Teresa Ríos, (503) 988-6250, ext. 28686, teresa.c.rios@co.multnomah.or.us
Veronica Lopez Ericksen, (503) 988-5055, ext. 28061, xiomara.t.lopez@co.multnomah.or.us
RHODE ISLAND
Community Health Worker Association of Rhode Island:
http:// www.chwassociationri.org
Beth Lamarre, Coordinator, (401) 270-0101, ext 149; chwassociationri@gmail.com
TEXAS
South Texas Promotora Association
Merida Escobar, President/CEO, (956) 383-5393, stpa08@sbcglobal.net
WASHINGTON STATE
Washington Community Health Worker Network
Lilia Gomez, (360) 786-9722, ext. 230, lgomez@wacmhc.org
Seth Doyle, (206) 783-3004, ext. 16, sdoyle@nwrpca.org