Lunch & Learns

Joining a Lunch & Learn is a great way to stay up-to-date and connected on how Community Health Workers (CHWs) can be empowered to provide care in their communities. Registration is now required for all Lunch & Learns. Register for the sessions that you would like to attend using the links below. You will receive the Zoom link upon registration.

Other Events and Trainings:

November 4 – 25, 2025: IPHA is hosting a Community Health Workers 101 Training on November 4, 10, 18, and 25 from 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM. This training incorporates the 13 national core CHW competencies to prepare individuals to serve as CHWs. Click here to learn more and register.

November 18, 2025: IPHA is hosting a virtual Maternal and Child Health Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) training series. The sixth session will be on Tuesday, November 18 from 9:00 – 10:00 AM. The topic of this session is handling trauma disclosures. Click here to register.

Join the IPHA CHW Section for a CHW Certification Public Comment Review Session on November 5, 2025, from 9:00 – 10:30 AM. During this session, we will:

• Learn the basics of how to submit effective and impactful public comments
• Walk through the key points and implications of the proposed rules
• Ask questions, share thoughts, and clarify next steps before the comment deadline on November 17, 2025

Introducing the New HelpGuideThrive.org Website: Your Trusted Hub for CHWs and Local Organizations

IPHA is excited to announce the launch of our redesigned HelpGuideThrive (HGT) website at www.helpguidethrive.org. Originally created during the pandemic as a COVID resource hub, the newly revamped website is now live and better than ever.

Built with CHWs and community-based organizations in mind, the site features:

• Easier navigation
• A modern, mobile-friendly design
• Information on the CHW Capacity Building Center
• Connection to the Help.Guide.Thrive Operations Hub (continue reading to learn more)
• Blog Posts on new topics added regularly
• CHW Toolkits
• Links to the latest on CHW certification and training
• Support to help you grow and thrive in your work

Whether you're looking for practical tools as a CHW, billing resources as a local organization, or ways to connect with others in the field, our updated platform is here to help you do more, connect more, and thrive more in your vital work. We invite you to explore, bookmark, and share the site with your networks at www.helpguidethrive.org.

Advancing CHW Impact Through the Help.Guide.Thrive Operations Hub

The Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA), in collaboration with the Illinois Primary Health Care Association (IPHCA) and HAP Foundation (HAP), is proud to announce the Help.Guide.Thrive Operations Hub—a resource center designed to strengthen the infrastructure and sustainability of organizations employing Community Health Workers, Doulas, Lactation Specialists, Respite Care Providers, Street Outreach Workers, and Peer Support professionals. The partner organizations are leaders in supporting and developing the public health and healthcare workforce in Illinois.

This initiative includes two robust platforms: Accountable Integrated Care Alliance (AICA) and Health Prism. Together, these tools provide data and analytics to support data tracking, care coordination, workforce management, and critically help community-based organizations transition towards Medicaid billing. For these professionals and their employers, this means increased opportunities for reimbursement, better program sustainability, and improved client outcomes through streamlined services.

This work directly aligns with IPHA’s efforts under its Colorectal Cancer Screening grant from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The Operations Hub can enhance how CHWs engage in colorectal cancer outreach, document encounters, follow up with clients, and report on outcomes. It also opens doors for future billing for preventive services, a vital step in integrating CHWs more fully into the healthcare ecosystem.

This collaboration represents a step forward in professionalizing the CHW workforce while maintaining the community-rooted nature of the work. It recognizes CHWs as essential to health equity, not just in outreach but as part of a data-informed, value-based care model.

As IPHA continues supporting CHWs and other professionals across Illinois, tools like AICA and Health Prism help bridge the gap between community health and healthcare systems, ensuring that these professions are prepared, supported, and sustainable long-term.

Introducing AICA: Technology Built for Community Health Workers by Randall Louie

As product owner of AICA, I'm excited to be part of the Help.Guide.Thrive. Operations Hub partnership bringing Medicaid-ready technology to community-based organizations across Illinois.

My role is to make sure AICA evolves to meet the real-world needs of CHWs, Doulas, CPMs, Peer Support Specialists, and other community-based professionals. I work directly with organizations using the platform to understand their workflows and challenges, then translate that feedback into features that make a real difference in daily operations.

AICA is designed to remove technological barriers so CHWs can focus on connecting with clients and delivering vital services. The platform supports the full care journey, from outreach and assessment through service delivery, documentation, and referral management. We're actively enhancing AICA to include integrated billing capabilities that will streamline the reimbursement process when CHW billing becomes available in 2026.

What excites me is seeing how AICA enables real-time collaboration. Program managers get visibility into service delivery and compliance, leadership can coordinate across initiatives, and CHWs have tools that make their jobs easier instead of adding administrative burden.

I'm grateful to work alongside the Operations Hub in building infrastructure that recognizes and supports the critical role CHWs play in our healthcare system.

To learn more or get involved, please complete the survey below or reach out to the Operations HUB at HUBinfo@ipha.com.

It Takes a Community: Postpartum Depression and the Role of Support

By Debbie Bonsu Amoah, IPHA Intern, Chronic Disease Internship

She wakes at 3 AM, baby in her arms, tears streaming. Not just the baby’s tears, but hers too. The house is silent. The phone that once rang nonstop is now still. Where is the village everyone talks about?

“It takes a village to raise a child” is a phrase we have all heard. It captures the truth that raising children requires more than parents alone; it takes family, friends, and neighbors working together. Sometimes that support looks like a meal dropped off at the doorstep, a babysitting offer, or a simple check-in to ask how a new mom is coping. Too often, though, the village fades once the baby arrives. The visits slow down, the help dries up, and mothers are left alone with struggles that are heavier than most people realize.

As a midwife and public health professional, I believe this silence is not just disappointing; it is dangerous. No mother should bear that weight alone.

Understanding Postpartum Depression

In the United States, about one in seven mothers' experiences postpartum depression (CDC, 2023). The early weeks after birth often bring mood changes, but postpartum depression is different. It lingers, unsettles, and casts a shadow over what should be a joyful season.

Postpartum depression is not about weakness or ingratitude. It is a medical condition marked by deep sadness, anxiety, hopelessness, withdrawal, and in some cases, suicidal thoughts. It demands awareness, compassion, and real support.

Community support is not optional here. It is lifesaving. Community health workers, family members, religious leaders, and healthcare providers all have a critical role in recognizing symptoms, reducing stigma, and helping women access care.

Reflection from Film: Baby Blues

Stories told through film can sometimes bring issues to life more vividly than statistics. The Nigerian film Baby Blues, directed by Uche Montana, does just that. The protagonist begins her journey as many mothers do: healthy, happy, and excited through pregnancy. Yet soon after childbirth, she is engulfed by the emotional storm of postpartum depression.

What stands out most is the role of her husband. Though imperfect, his attempts at encouragement and support highlight an often-overlooked truth: recovery is easier when partners and families show up with compassion.

The film reminds us that postpartum depression is not just a private struggle. It affects families, relationships, and homes. A supportive partner or family can make the difference between isolation and recovery.

It Takes a Community: Myth or Reality?

In past generations, extended families often surrounded new mothers with steady care. Today, with families scattered and busy lives pulling people in every direction, that safety net is weaker. Many mothers are left to manage alone, and stigma around mental health makes it even harder to reach out.

The reality is clear:

• Yes, mothers need a community.
• No, many do not actually have one.

Turning the Myth Into Reality

If we truly believe in community, we have to move beyond words. Real support looks like:

• Asking mothers how they are doing, not just about the baby.
• Breaking the silence around maternal mental health.
• Offering practical help, whether babysitting, cooking, or simply listening.
• Building systems that connect mothers to professional care when needed.

A new mother and father surrounded by supportive family; a reminder that postpartum recovery is easier when the village shows up.

As someone who works in maternal and child health, I see this shift as essential. When communities take action, we do more than raise healthy children. We nurture healthy mothers, families, and societies.

Moving Forward Together

Postpartum depression is not just a personal hardship. It is a public health issue. No mother should feel judged or abandoned by the very community that is supposed to stand beside her.

Even small actions: listening without judgment, sharing household responsibilities, offering words of comfort, can create meaningful change.

If we believe that it takes a village to raise a child, then we must also believe it takes a community to support a mother. Let us commit to building those communities so that no woman has to walk this journey alone.

References

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Depression among women. https://www.cdc.gov/reproductive-health/depression/index.html
• Letourneau, N., et al. (2017). Postpartum depression is a family issue: Addressing the impact on mothers, fathers, and children. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 38(7), 590–599. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22757597/

Have a safe month,

Tracey Smith, Associate Executive Director for Public Health Practice at IPHA, Director of the CHW Capacity Building Center and Claire Hughes, IPHA Program Manager.

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.