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, accessing
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 dfoxnehec@aol.com and Pam Chapman pam.chapman@spectrum-health.org, co-chairs.
American Public Health Association CHW Section: Lisa Renee Holderby, chair, (617) 275-2813, lrholderby@communitycatalyst.org; http://www.apha.org/membergroups/sections/aphasections/chw/
Community Health Workers National Network Association: Wandy Hernandez Chair, Chicago Health Connections 957 W. Washington Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60607; (312) 243-4772; wandyhdz@chicagohealthconnection.org
National Association Community Health Representatives: Cindy Norris, President, PO Box 1064, Sells, AZ (502) 471-3487 norrisc@todhs.com; http://www.nachr.net/
State/Regional CHW Organizations
ARIZONA
Arizona Community Health Outreach Workers Network (AzCHOW), Of, By, and For Community Health Outreach Workers; http://www.publichealth.arizona.edu/azchow/ Flor Redondo, chair; redondos1271@aol.com
CALIFORNIA
The Community Health Worker/Promotoras Network, Maria Lemus, executive director, Vision Y Compromiso, 2536 Edwards Ave., El Cerrito, CA 94530; (510) 232-7869; (510) 231-9954 fax; e-mail: chwpromotoras@aol.com, or Maria at mholl67174@aol.com
FLORIDA
REACH-Workers – the Community Health Workers of Tampa Bay. Please contact Michelle Dublin, chairperson of the network, at (727)588-4018 or Michelle_Dublin@doh.state.fl.us
GEORGIA
Georgia Community Health Advisor Network, Gail McCray, Department of CH/PM
Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Drive, Atlanta, GA 30310-1495
Ph: (404) 752-1645, gmccray@msm.edu
HAWAII – in process of forming CHW organization. Leimomi Shearer, CHW leimomi@huimalamahawaii.com 69-A Railroad Ave, Hilo, Hawaii 96720
ILLINOIS
Chicago CHW Local Network. Contact Laura Bahena. 1436 W. Randolph St. 4th Floor,Chicago, IL 60607. Telephone (312) 243-4772 ext. 225. Fax (312) 243-4792. E-mail chicagochwlocalnetwork@gmail.com
MARYLAND
Community Outreach Workers Association of Maryland, INC. (COWAM), 259 North Lanvale Street, Baltimore, Md. 21217, (410) 664-6949 or (410) 669-7960, Carol Payne, carol.b.payne@hud.gov
MASSACHUSETTS
Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers (MACHW), Cindy Marti, policy director, cmarti@mphaweb.org, 434 Jamaicaway, Jamaica Plain MA, 02130, (617) 524.6696 x108; www.machw.org.
MICHIGAN
Michigan CHW Coalition, Celeste Sanchez at celisweets6@yahoo.com; (616) 328-4475.
MINNESOTA
Minnesota CHW Peer Network out of the Minnesota International Health Volunteers,
122 W. Franklin Ave. #522, Minneapolis, MN 55404, Anita Buel, vice chair, AnitaBuel2004@yahoo.com, Grace Anderson, chair grace.anderson@co.hennepin.mn.us or Andrea Leinberger (staff) (612) 230-3254 aleinberger@mihv.org
NEW JERSEY – no CHW organization but the NJ CHW Institute is supporting the development of CHW groups. Contact person Yvette Murry, Community Health Worker Institute, NJ AHEC/ UMDNJ-SOM, murryyv@umdnj.edu; 42 Laurel Road E., STE. 3200 Stratford, NJ 08084; (856) 566-6724.
NEW MEXICO
New Mexico Community Health Workers Association (NMCHWA), P.O. Box 81433, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87198, nmchwa@yahoo.com, www.nmchwa.com (505) 255-1227
NEW YORK
New York City -Community Health Worker Network of NYC; 425 E. 25 Street; New York, NY 10010; (212) 481-7667 Sergio Matos, executive director, Sergio@chwnetwork.org or Romy Rodriguez, Chair, Romelia@chwnetwork.org; Web site: http://chwnetwork.org/
Rochester - Rochester Outreach Workers Association (ROWA), Latisha Williams, chair, (585) 274-8490, Lwilliams@monroecounty.gov
OHIO
Ohio Community Health Worker Association, Vivian J. Anderson, MA, president, phone (614) 466-2247, vivian.anderson@odh.ohio.gov; http://www.med.wright.edu/CHC/programs/ochwa.html
OREGON
Oregon Community Health Workers Association, 9000 N. Lombard Street--2nd Floor, Portland, OR 97203, (503) 988-3366, ext 28686, Teresa Ríos, teresa.c.rios@co.multnomah.or.us, or Veronica Lopez Ericksen, xiomara.t.lopez@co.multnomah.or.us
RHODE ISLAND
Rhode Island, In the process of forming a CHW Association; Shavon Smith, CHW, (401) 270-0101 ext 133; smith@ripin.org; 270 Elmwood Ave, Providence, RI 02907
TEXAS
South Texas Promotora Association, Weslaco, Texas; Ramona Casas (956) 783-9293
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