Greetings!

I hope this summer has reinvigorated CHWs across the country for the work ahead of us. It has certainly energized me!  Several states have held CHW conferences and Annual Meetings. I attended and presented at Unity 2010, the Michigan 3^rd Annual CHW Conference and also attended the Canadian Public Health Association Annual Meeting. I had the pleasure of representing the CHW Section at all of the above mentioned conferences. While all were exciting and well organized, each was amazing in its own right.  Other than the APHA Annual Meeting, currently there is only one other annual conference where many CHWs gather -- the Unity Conference, hosted by the University of Southern Mississippi.  This year Unity was held in Columbus, Ohio.  The Ohio CHW Association (OCHWA) was very involved in the conference planning and they, along with the Ohio Commission on Minority Health, were wonderful hosts.  The conference is always a great experience, but it is even more so when the statewide CHW Association is engaged the planning. Thanks to Jewel Bell, OCHWA’s president, for hosting CHWs from around the country.  To top off a wonderful conference, Corinne Justin was the 2010 recipient of the Esther M. Holderby Dedicated CHW Award. She is a Gila River Indian Community tribal member and the first community health representative (CHR) to be the award’s recipient. The award was established after the 2005 death of Esther M. Holderby, my mother and a dedicated CHW herself.

The Canadian Public Health Association Annual Meeting was held in Toronto, Canada on the heels of the Unity Conference.  You may not be aware, but our section has members in Canada. I was invited to participate in a pre-conference session on CHWs.  The session included presentations on the CHW movement in the United States, international CHW programs and the Community Health Representative (CHR) program in Canada. I was struck by the commonalities our field has, no matter our job titles or where we work. There is not a CHW unit at the Canadian Public Health Association, and the session participants were very interested in the involvement we have in APHA.  We will be working with our Canadian CHW Section members and others to advance the CHW movement across our northern border.

The last stop on my CHW summer time journey was Grand Rapids, Mich.  I had the honor to spend the day with some amazing CHWs. The Michigan CHWs are ready and eager to organize. Like several CHW organizations across the country, they have had a difficult time sustaining their efforts. I hope they will hold on to the energy I felt in the room and move forward. I have no doubt they will. It was a true honor to represent the CHW Section at each conference.

There are new CHW organizations in Texas and Rhode Island, and I’m sure there are other budding organizations that are not on the radar yet.  I wish them well in organizing and giving the CHW workforce a unified voice in their states as we move forward.  It is crucial that all states develop and maintain strong CHW organizations which have CHW leadership.  Joining APHA is important on several levels, but we cannot forsake our CHW brothers and sisters in our home states or countries.  Strong CHW organizations in our own backyards will enhance our involvement in national initiatives, efforts and organizations like APHA. We should develop CHW leaders at home and encourage those leaders to be active within APHA.

As we move forward as a Section there are expanded opportunities for leadership, not only in our section, but in APHA.  The CHW Section is only as strong as our membership. Please join your colleagues in Denver at the 2010 APHA Annual Meeting to enhance your knowledge, network and become more engaged in the Association.  Our program planner has worked incredibly hard along with a small committee to bring an innovative program.  The social justice theme is perfect to highlight the work of CHWs, promotores de salud and CHRs around the country and around the world.  We received several abstracts from international programs, speaking to the important role of CHWs to promote health worldwide.  Please stop by our new booth at the expo during the Annual Meeting to receive the CHW program session listings. I’m sure you’ll find at least a few sessions to entice you.

See you in Denver!

Lisa Renee Holderby