“Healthy communities promote healthy minds and bodies” is the theme of this year’s Annual Meeting and Exposition, Oct. 29 – Nov. 2, 2011 . Community health workers play an integral role in our communities, and the CHW Section Program Planning Committee received an overwhelming number of abstracts – over 100. Our 2011 program consists of two poster sessions, two roundtable sessions, four scientific sessions, and a Special Invited Session: “ Integrating CHWs into Emerging Models of Care,” featuring two national leaders two national leaders in public health. Terris King of CMS and Dr. Allen Herman will address opportunities and strategies for integrating community health workers into emerging models of care under health reform. Our Section will have a strong presence at the meeting, including sessions on the critical role of CHWs in urban, rural and tribal settings, CHWs and mental health, CHWs working internationally, and CHW leadership and sustainability.

As in the past we will have several business meetings. It is extremely important that our members participate as we will continue to develop our infrastructure as a Section, creating bylaws, committee positions, etc. Schedule for meetings is as follows: 

Ø  CHW Section Executive Board Meeting – Sunday, Oct. 30 at 2:30 p.m.

Ø  CHW Section Policy Committee Meeting – Monday, Oct. 31 at 7:00 a.m.

Ø  CHW Section General Business Meeting – Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 6:30 p.m.

Ø  CHW Section Education Y Capacitacion Meeting - Wednesday, Nov. 2 at 6:30 a.m.

Lastly, but certainly not least important, all are invited to attend the CHW Section Social Hour/Reception, which will be held Monday evening from 6:30 – 8:00.  All members are encouraged to come and meet, mingle and network. Please join us as we welcome new and old members alike!

To register for the APHA Annual Meeting and to view the CHW Section program and speakers, go to: http://www.apha.org/meetings/highlights. Don’t forget when you register make sure you name the CHW Section as your affiliation. We look forward to seeing you in our nation’s capitol!

View the sessions sponsored by our section by visiting the interactive Online Program (http://apha.confex.com/apha/139am/webprogram/start.html ). Search the program using keyword, author name or date. Don’t forget to stop by our new Section and SPIG Pavilion (Booth 3073) in the Public Health Expo next to Everything APHA. For more information about the Annual Meeting visit www.apha.org/meetings/AnnualMeeting.