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 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. You can earn a certificate for one hour of attendance by attending a Lunch & Learn and completing the post-Lunch & Learn evaluation.

Other Events and Trainings:

January 28, 2026, 12:00 – 1:30 PM: Strengthening Chicago's Youth with Lurie Children’s Hospital, the Illinois Public Health Association, and Brady’s End Family Fire program are partnering to provide practitioners serving youth with timely, practical guidance on secure storage and youth safety. This panel-style webinar aims to highlight effective strategies, messaging, and additional community supports that are needed to ensure we keep our communities safe.

January 29, 2026, 12:00 – 1:00 PM: Join IPHA for a webinar, Energy Efficiency for Healthcare Facilities Made Easy. Phil Lopez, Lead Business Marketing Coordinator with the Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program, will be presenting on how energy efficiency can help you manage overhead costs and improve the comfort of patients and staff.

February 24, 2026, 9:00 – 10:00 AM: Join IPHA for a webinar in the Maternal Child Health ACEs Series. Mary L. Mitsdarffer, PhD, MPH, with Rowan University, will be presenting Culturally Rooted Protective Factors and the Life Course: Understanding ACEs and PCEs in Latino Maternal and Child Health. This training integrates cultural humility with a life course perspective on adverse and positive childhood experiences, ACEs and PCEs, highlighting how both shape maternal and child health. It examines the role of culturally rooted protective factors, such as familismo in Latino families, in buffering the effects of early adversity amid structural inequities.

The Southern Illinois Recovery Network (SIRN) is hosting their second annual SIRN Regional Conference, created for Recovery Support Professionals and Community Health Workers serving Southern Illinois. Save the date for the 2026 SIRN Conference on May 22, 2026. More details and registration to come.

CHW Cancer 101 Program

The Illinois Primary Health Care Association (IPHCA) and the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA) are excited to announce the launch of the Community Health Worker Cancer 101 program. This asynchronous program will provide Community Health Workers (CHWs) with education specific to cancer prevention, screening, treatment, survivorship, and resources available. Once a CHW has completed the self-paced virtual learning sessions, they will complete a community outreach project of their choosing. Projects may include setting up a cancer outreach table, updating cancer brochures to assess health literacy, creating a cancer focused social media campaign, developing a new cancer resource for their organization to use, etc. Pictures or copies of what was created will be submitted to IPHA. Upon review, the CHW will receive a certificate of completion.

This training was supported by grant funding from The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of CHWWorkforce Grant. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Funding for select sessions was provided by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Maternal Health Awareness Day

January 23 is Maternal Health Awareness Day. The theme for Maternal Health Awareness Day 2026 is 'Holding Ground on Maternal Health'. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. A death is considered preventable if there was at least some chance it could have been avoided with reasonable changes to the patient, family, provider, facility, system, and/or community factors. Social factors such as income and access to high-quality care can affect a pregnant person's ability to manage conditions that increase maternal risk, like high blood pressure or diabetes. To learn more about preventing pregnancy-related deaths, you can visit the CDC’s webpage on maternal mortality prevention.

IPHA has made efforts to support the maternal and child health field. Most recently, we received a grant to support maternal and child health organizations throughout the state of Illinois, specifically focusing on seven counties that were identified based on need. IPHA is providing funding and support to 20 organizations in those seven counties by hosting a twelve-part training series, mailing physical toolkits to each organization, and creating a virtual toolkit with resources specific to each county.

IPHA recently hosted a Lunch & Learn that was presented by Chastity Mays, MS.Ed.; Candace Akintola, MA.Ed; and Michelle Soto, OTD, with The Little Resource Center. The presentation introduces doulas as peer professionals who support families through pregnancy, birth, and beyond, highlighting their vital role in community care. Practical examples show how doulas and CHWs can work together to strengthen family support. To view the recording and slides of this presentation, visit the Community Health page on IPHA’s website, and scroll down to “Rooted in Community: Doulas and CHWs Supporting Families Together” under CHW Webinars.

Continue reading to learn about Advocate Health Care and The Center for Faith and Community Health Transformation’s Infant and Maternal Health training for CHWs.

Additional Maternal Health Resources:

• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists – Maternal Health Awareness Day
• American Foreign Service Protective Association – National Maternal Awareness Day
• Illinois Department of Public Health – Maternal Health
• Illinois Department of Human Services – Bureau of Maternal and Child Health

Jacqueline Croffett and East St. Louis School District 189

Jacqueline Croffett was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, and lived there until the age of six, when she moved to Lansing, Michigan. There, she was raised in a structured, upper-middle-class household. Her mother was married to a pastor who also served in the military, so her upbringing was strict, disciplined, and highly structured. At age 13, her life shifted dramatically when she moved back to East St. Louis to live with her father, who struggled with addiction. Although he managed to keep a roof over their heads, there were times when she had to boil water to bathe and rely on food pantries once food stamps ran out. Jacqueline became pregnant at age 14 and had her second child at age 16.

"During one of the lowest points in my life, I remembered my foundation and knew there had to be more for me than the environment I was surrounded by. I found the strength to push forward through homeschooling, night school, and summer school. At 17 years old, I proudly walked with the Class of 1996 at East St. Louis Senior High School. That diploma remains my greatest achievement—it cost me more than any degree I have earned since.” – Jacqueline Croffett

Today, Jacqueline dedicates her life to serving individuals and families who share similar lived experiences. She is deeply committed to her community and feels honored to walk alongside people as they work toward stability, healing, and hope.

In September 2025, Jacqueline reached out to School District 189 to inquire about the possibility of a Community Health Worker (CHW) internship. While the idea was new to the district, they were willing to give it a chance. That opportunity became life-changing for Jacqueline and has since opened the door to conversations about a potential partnership. She has lived and worked in the district, and it is a community that means a great deal to her. That personal connection is why she specifically asked to serve there. Jacqueline believes CHWs have the potential to really help transform District 189. They can deliver comprehensive wraparound services to families and create real, measurable change.

During Jacqueline’s time as a CHW Intern with District 189, she supported the District Director of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Health Services in addressing the health and social-emotional needs of students, families, and staff. She gained hands-on experience in school-based health coordination, interdisciplinary collaboration, and community outreach. She contributed greatly to the district's whole-child approach.

Jacqueline currently serves at Love Church in Belleville, Illinois, as Lead of the Outreach Ministry, where they provide consistent support to three homeless encampments in the community. Their services include hygiene supplies, food distribution, and connection to vital resources such as mental health services, substance use support, and housing assistance. One of the photos captures a tent they set up specifically for a senior woman in need. She remains deeply committed to serving and uplifting her community

Advocate Health Care’s Faith and Health Partnerships and The Center for Faith and Community Health Transformation

Advocate Health Care’s Faith and Health Partnerships program works side by side with faith communities to promote health equity by mobilizing the transforming power of social connectedness and spiritual wisdom. Advocate co-founded The Center for Faith and Community Health Transformation (The Center) to promote health equity through faith-rooted, collaborative action. Together, they work to create health equity by building community, nurturing leaders, and connecting with the unique spiritual power of faith communities to promote social justice and abundant life for all.

“Often, it’s trusted people in the congregation who provide support, information, and advocacy for fellow members and for people in the community—just like CHWs! We are trying to build ways for CHWs to be active in faith-based settings.”  - Kirsten Peachy, Vice President of Faith and Health Partnerships

Advocate Health Care and The Center have developed two training courses for CHWs that integrate spirituality and faith-engagement—one on Infant and Maternal Health and one on Mental Well-Being. These trainings recognize the ways in which the experience of the individual person occurs within a wider environment. This social context impacts health outcomes for pregnant people and for people facing mental health challenges. This is helpful for CHWs to think about when seeking to provide support and navigation to services. A person’s distress or health challenges may be related to issues of discrimination, trauma, or challenges that they’ve experienced across their life span. It is important for CHWs to carry this awareness into their work with individuals. A person is never just an isolated being but part of a collective social context that impacts their health outcomes. The Center invites CHWs to incorporate their own wisdom and life experiences into their care for others and to honor the power of spirituality and faith practices in supporting well-being, resilience, and healing.

Follow the link to participate in the pilot of two learning programs for Community Health Workers, which have been designed by Advocate Health Care and The Center for Faith and Community Health Transformation: Learning Lab for Community Health Workers.

For more information or questions, contact Kirsten Peachy, Vice President, Faith and Health Partnerships at Kirsten.peachey@aah.org or 708-785-5078.

Community Health Worker Highlight

Rochelle Carter, CHW – Peoria City/County Health Department

Rochelle is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences, Diversity and Equity Option. She also earned minor degrees in Public Health and Aging Studies. Rochelle was recently hired by the Peoria City/County Health Department as a Community Health Worker (CHW) and is very excited about her new role. We would like to give Rochelle a warm welcome to the Community Health Worker field!

“Hello, my name is Rochelle Carter. I am the new Community Health Worker for the Peoria City/County Health Department! I became a CHW because I wanted to bridge the gap between individuals and the health and social services they need. I have a strong passion for health equity and community-centered care. Becoming a CHW allows me to meet people where they are, build trust, and support individuals beyond clinical settings. As I begin my work as a CHW, I look forward to building meaningful connections with the community and helping individuals overcome barriers. My advice for Community Health Workers currently in training is to remember the reason you do the work. Also, remember that you may not have all the answers, but your willingness to listen, show up, and advocate for your community can make a lasting difference.” – Rochelle Carter, CHW

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.