Other Training Opportunities

Community Health Worker 101: IPHA is hosting a Community Health Worker 101 Training with the live, virtual sessions on July 1 and 2 from 8:45 AM – 4:30 PM. Click here to learn more and register.

CHW Supervisory Training: IPHA is hosting an upskilling training for CHWs who supervise or manage a CHW team. The live, virtual sessions will be held via Zoom on July 10 and 11 from 8:45 AM – 4:00 PM. Completion of CHW 101 training is required to register. Click here to learn more and register.

Maternal and Child Health ACEs Series: IPHA is hosting a virtual Maternal and Child Health Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) training series. The second session will be on Tuesday, July 15 from 9:00 – 10:00 AM. The topic of this session is building resilience. No registration is required. Click here to join via Zoom.

July 17, 12:30 – 4:30 PM in Peoria and July 28, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM in Carterville: Mary Jane Clark, MS, RN, CHES®, CHWC ®, with West Central Illinois AHEC, will host a Professional Coach Advocate Training. To learn more and register, click here.

Seizure Recognition and First Aid for CHWs: IPHA is hosting a CHW upskilling training that equips participants with a solid understanding of epilepsy, including types of seizures and treatment options, while exploring the real-life challenges faced by those living with the condition. The live, virtual session will be held via Zoom on July 22 from 8:45 AM – 3:00 PM. Click here to learn more and register.

All training can be found on the event calendar on IPHA’s website.

If you have any recommendations, topic ideas, or speakers for our Lunch & Learns, please complete this form and we will try our best to accommodate your recommendations.

AmeriCorps is Losing Its Funding

The statement below is from Yolanda Wallace, who is a longtime volunteer and Community Health Worker (CHW) for AmeriCorps:

"The mission for AmeriCorps is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering.

I have learned that AmeriCorps is losing its funding. It is an amazing way to encourage volunteering and a great way to experience something new. You can also explore new opportunities that offer training. I love the program so much that I went through it twice, as a young woman and last year. In 1999, I became an AmeriCorps Promise Fellow. It was under Colin Powell’s America’s Promise. It was built on the premise that every young person deserves the “Five Promises” of caring adults: safe places, a healthy start, marketable skills, and opportunities to serve. It was a life-changing experience. It also gave an educational stipend and training.

Years later, in 2024, I became a Senior AmeriCorps member. Again, another opportunity to do something new. The program is in partnership with the HAP Foundation and IPHA. I felt a sense of importance as a Community Health Worker. I have served as a Senior AmeriCorps Community Health Worker for a year now. This past year has included outreach in our communities, working with underserved populations, and lots of training. I have been blessed to serve with AmeriCorps for another term. There hasn’t been any specific reason why the funding has been cut. AmeriCorps is so important. It saddens me that others won’t get to experience this lifetime opportunity to fulfill an important need in the community!

Pictured below are my new friends and I who serve in our community as Community Health Workers, celebrating our one-year anniversary as AmeriCorps CHWs at the Central Illinois Ronald McDonald House in Peoria!”

Yolanda Wallace, CHW; AmeriCorps

Pictured are Yolanda Wallace, Dallas Terry, and Teri Alexander. They are all Senior AmeriCorps and Certified Community Health Workers. Yolanda Wallace is the Director of Mothers' War on Violence, a nonprofit organization in Peoria. They have partnered with Ameren Illinois's Healthier Homes Initiative. The Healthier Homes Initiative is a program aimed at lowering health hazards to help improve respiratory environments. Yolanda is also certified with the Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) for Medicaid and Medicare through a partnership with Solvera Health. Dallas Terry is a retired Veteran who mentors youth at his church. He also advocates for Prostate Cancer Awareness. Teri Alexander partners with Solvera Health, assisting Medicare and Medicaid patients and helping them understand their plans.

To learn more about AmeriCorps, visit their website.

Southern Illinois Hosts Peer Support & CHW Conference with Focus on Change and Compassion

On May 23, Southern Illinois brought together more than 150 community health professionals, peer support specialists, and advocates for the inaugural Peer Support and Community Health Worker (CHW) Conference. The gathering served as a powerful reminder that the healthcare system can — and must — do better for those most often left behind.

The conference highlighted the essential work of CHWs and peer professionals across the region, with breakout sessions exploring themes like Community Building and Social Determinants of Health. Conversations throughout the day centered on practical strategies to better support underserved populations while honoring lived experience and local knowledge as forms of expertise.

“The vibe was about real change,” one attendee shared, “not just talk, but action rooted in compassion.”

Tracey Smith, of the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA), reflected on the day’s impact, saying, “I was overwhelmed with the empathy and dedication that I saw in all the attendees and presenters. In this time of fear and turbulence, it was a shining light in my year!”

As part of the event, IPHA honored Take Action Today for their outstanding leadership in building and sustaining the CHW workforce in Southern Illinois. The recognition underscored the group's commitment to advocacy, training, and boots-on-the-ground support that continue to shape the region’s health infrastructure.

The day ended not just with new connections and insights, but with a renewed sense of possibility for what public health in Southern Illinois can become when powered by community-rooted care.

IPHA’s Tracey Smith presented the award, Outstanding Organization for Expanding the CHW Workforce in Southern Illinois, to Take Action Today at the 2025 Southern Illinois Recovery Network (SIRN) Regional Conference.

Moving Pillsbury Forward Update

Moving Pillsbury Forward (MPF) is a community-centered not-for-profit organization that is focused on the revitalization of the Pillsbury Neighborhood in Springfield, IL. In 1929, the Pillsbury Company established a flour milling and manufacturing site in the neighborhood that provided good jobs.

Unfortunately, in 2001, when the plant closed permanently, the surrounding neighborhood was left with the massive, contaminated industrial site. The environmental health of the disadvantaged population surrounding the site is a significant community health concern that MPF is working to improve.

MPF completed site readiness and fundraising in 2024 so that the former milling and manufacturing site could be turned over to contractors for cleanup and demolition this year. Now, MPF volunteers are cleaning up the surrounding neighborhood and working with Community Health Workers (CHWs) to connect residents with resources and improve the livability of the area. They are clearing vacant lots, cleaning out clogged storm sewer drains, edging sidewalks, and coordinating bulk garbage removal throughout the neighborhood. It is anticipated that the work will improve the health outcomes of the residents in the area as the living environment improves.

MPF works regularly with local CHWs to identify areas for improvement. Sidewalk accessibility and clogged storm sewer drains are two areas where coordination has taken place. MPF also coordinates with residents and the Pillsbury Neighborhood Association to make referrals to CHWs. Their volunteers are seen working in the neighborhood every week and have established strong relationships with the residents. That has proven helpful for making lasting connections with CHWs.

MPF and the CHWs are focused on improving the quality of life for area residents. MPF is thankful to have CHWs as partners working towards measurable improved outcomes for the disadvantaged residents in the area. 

“Improving the environmental health of the 12,000 people living within 1-mile of the former Pillsbury flour milling and manufacturing site is a core mission for Moving Pillsbury Forward. We have enjoyed great community support and have seen dramatic improvements in 2025 as we began removing old milling and manufacturing buildings and have cleared the way for renewal in the area.”

– Chris Richmond, President of Moving Pillsbury Forward

To learn more about MPF, you can visit their website or contact them via email at movingpillsburyforward@gmail.com.

June is Oral Health Month

Why Oral Health Matters: How CHWs Can Help Promote Healthy Smiles, by Grace Keziah Dadala

Oral health isn’t just about teeth. It’s dignity, confidence, nutrition, and overall well-being. Yet, in many communities, access to even the most basic dental care is out of reach. That’s where the Community Health Worker (CHW) comes in, not as a dental provider, but as a trusted partner in care and prevention for families.

CHWs are ideally placed to promote oral health. They understand the local demands, develop good relationships, and communicate in a culturally meaningful way. When CHWs talk about brushing, flossing, a nutritious diet, or regular visits, people listen – and lives are changed.

Here are some of the ways CHWs can assist:

• Educate: Instruct on simple and efficient methods of brushing, flossing, and avoiding sugary foods and drinks
• Connect: Help families find local dental clinics or free/low-cost dental care
• Advocate: Promote the incorporation of oral health into schools, clinics, and community program educational activities
• Support: Offer follow-up assessments on home visits and assist children and older adults in maintaining their oral hygiene routines

Research has demonstrated that such programs enhance daily habits and result in improved oral health status, particularly in groups with barriers to conventional dental care.

Oral health is a matter of public health. Equipped with the appropriate tools and support, CHWs have the potential to be effective advocates for healthier smiles and healthier lives.

Have a safe month,

Tracey Smith, Associate Executive Director for Public Health Practice at IPHA, Director of the CHW Capacity Building Center

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter. We strive to keep CHWs, their employers, educators, and allies informed and connected. If you would like to contribute information for a future newsletter, please contact Mariah Menietti at mmenietti@ipha.com. We look forward to showcasing ways in which CHWs are making an impact in Illinois.