To celebrate National Community Health Worker Awareness Week, we are taking this time to highlight IPHA and the HAP Foundation’s partnership in the Registered Apprentice Program for Community Health Workers.

Pictured from left to right: Jony Vargas, Melissa Gomez, Kaitlyn Macias (CHW Apprentices), and Joe Matty (president of The HAP Foundation) receiving their CHW Apprenticeship Certificates.

Empowering Community Health Workers Through an Apprenticeship Program

To strengthen the role of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in the healthcare workforce, The HAP Foundation—supported by funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)—launched a registered one-year CHW Apprenticeship Program with the U.S. Department of Labor in 2023. Developed in close collaboration with the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA), this program equips CHWs with specialized skills and resources to support individuals living with serious illness.

Apprenticeship programs offer a powerful blend of hands-on experience and structured learning, creating accessible pathways into meaningful careers. The HAP CHW Apprenticeship includes a minimum of 144 hours of technical instruction and 2,000 hours of on-the-job training—equivalent to one full year of full-time work. According to the Department of Labor, healthcare apprenticeships have more than doubled since 2016, reflecting growing recognition of their value.

So far, 45 individuals have participated in the program, and seven have successfully completed it. The HAP Foundation is proud to celebrate their achievements!

Two recent graduates have already advanced in their careers. One is now employed as a Community Health Worker at the University of Chicago and shared that the apprenticeship training prepared her well for the role. Another graduate has been promoted to Case Manager/Intake Specialist within her organization.

This impactful program would not be possible without the ongoing support and partnership of the Illinois Public Health Association.

Below are a few quotes from a survey that individuals who completed the apprenticeship program filled out.

• “The HAP Foundation has helped with giving or finding funding to participate in the program. Our instructors have gone above and beyond to educate and find resources.”
•  “One major thing I learned that stands out the most for me is the difference between palliative care and hospice care. I was able to relate the information given to past experiences. Now I feel comfortable and confident speaking to people about it.”
• “I would like to thank The HAP Foundation for opening its doors to me. Not only career-wise, but mentally, and in a way, emotionally. Everything that was taught came in handy, and a lot of the personal experiences we shared in the group made me feel like it was relatable to my experiences. I had the best of the best instructor, coaches, team, and group.”

The employment of CHWs was projected to grow 13% from 2022 to 2032, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. On average, about 7,500 openings for CHWs are projected each year over the decade. CHWs play a crucial role in promoting health within a community by assisting individuals to adopt healthy behaviors and advocating for their health needs. The CHW workforce is evolving rapidly in terms of professional identification and institutional recognition. To learn more about the occupational outlook of the CHW field visit the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website.

Registered Apprenticeship Programs have an average of 92% employment retention rate after apprentices complete the program. You can learn more about the benefits of apprenticeships for employers by visiting apprenticeship.gov.

Lifting Up the CHW Workforce at IPHA’s Annual Conference

We are excited to share a sneak peek of the CHW-centered presentations that are going to occur at our conference on September 9 – 11, in Bloomington-Normal, IL. Register today to secure your spot. There is a discounted rate and a limited conference scholarship for CHWs. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to learn, network, and collaborate with fellow CHWs and other public health professionals.

Exploring Effective CHW Training Modalities

IPHA has established itself as a leader in downstate CHW education. This presentation will highlight effective training practices and address challenges in an evolving workforce environment. It will cover curriculum design, teaching methods, and practical application strategies, targeting community-based organizations and healthcare education programs involved in developing the Illinois CHW workforce.

Strengthening Rural Health Through Community Health Workers and Medical Providers

Rural communities face persistent health challenges, including limited access to care, provider shortages, cultural and language barriers, and long-standing health inequities. These issues are compounded by a sharp decline in trust in healthcare, especially in rural areas. This session explores how integrating Community Health Workers (CHWs) and Advanced Practice Physicians (APPs) can help rebuild trust and improve rural health outcomes. Through real-world examples and practical tools, participants will learn strategies to strengthen care delivery through sustainable, team-based, community-centered models.

CHWs as Catalysts for Change: Bridging Gaps in Rural Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care

This presentation explores the pivotal role of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in addressing substance use and chronic homelessness in rural Illinois. It examines how CHWs serve as catalysts for change by bridging gaps between services, fostering multi-sector collaboration, and improving access to care in rural communities. The session highlights strategies for empowering CHWs, overcoming implementation challenges, and measuring impact within recovery-oriented systems of care. Drawing from real-world examples, it offers practical insights for integrating CHWs into public health initiatives, particularly in rural settings. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to leverage CHWs to address health disparities and improve underserved outcomes.

CHW Certification Program Update

This presentation will provide an overview of the Community Health Worker Certification Program created through the Illinois Department of Public Health. This presentation will also provide an update on the exciting development of this program.

Behavioral Health: A CHW's Journey to Healing

This interactive session explores behavioral health and wellness through the lens of mind, body, and spirit, emphasizing cultural humility and trauma-informed care for CHWs. Participants will engage in storytelling and drawing activities to reflect on their own well-being, recognize trauma triggers, and develop strategies for self-care and patient support. Through a Wellness Tree exercise, Story Circles, and Trigger Mapping, attendees will gain actionable insights to navigate behavioral health challenges while maintaining resilience. By the end of the session, CHWs will leave with practical tools to foster holistic wellness in themselves and the communities they serve.

Building Sustainability for CHWs: New Billing Opportunities for Community-Based Organizations in 2026

By the end of 2026, it is anticipated that certified Community Health Workers, along with perinatal doulas and lactation specialists, will all be able to bill Medicaid and Medicare for certain services. This session will explore the process of billing for these services, including the review of Medicare and Medicaid guidelines. The benefits and cons of using a centralized HUB approach to help with billing will be discussed, along with approaches to coordinate CHW services in Illinois.

Centering Grief Experiences: The Role of Community Health Workers in Grief-Informed Care

What do grieving people need? How does grief impact health? We will explore the diverse instances of loss that are part of the human experience and describe some of the varying human experiences of grief. We will explore why grief is so stigmatized and why talking about grief matters. Grief will be discussed as an emerging determinant of health, impacting both physical and emotional wellness. We will highlight the role of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in supporting grieving people, creating safe spaces to honor grief, and connecting people with supportive resources.

Authentic Leadership: Charting Your Own Path

This session is designed to help Community Health Workers (CHWs) embrace their leadership potential. As trusted messengers and advocates, CHWs already lead in their communities. This session builds on those strengths, focusing on core leadership values—trust, empathy, integrity, and transparency. Through reflection and discussion, participants will explore their personal leadership style and learn strategies to guide teams, solve problems, and influence change. Whether stepping into a new role or enhancing your impact, this session offers tools, real-world examples, and support to lead with authenticity and purpose in every community setting.

 CHWs, A Movement, not a Moment!

CHWs have been associated with many historical moments in Illinois. But after the dust settles and people are back to doing business as usual, the need for CHWs does not go away. The Illinois CHW Association believes in the impact and value of CHWs as an essential part of the workforce, therefore supporting CHWs as a movement, not just a moment. In this session, we will discuss the history, impact, and future of CHWs from a statewide CHW association's lens.

CHWs: Strengthening the Maternal Child Workforce

This panel will highlight innovative strategies to strengthen the maternal and child health workforce by addressing critical gaps in care and workforce capacity across under-resourced communities. Presenters will share findings from a 2025 regional workforce survey spanning 16 Southern Illinois counties—the first of its kind—revealing urgent needs in maternal health systems. The discussion will also spotlight SUHI’s groundbreaking Community Health Worker (CHW) apprenticeship program, which builds sustainable talent pipelines through an earn-while-you-learn model. By integrating culturally competent CHWs and doulas into care teams, this approach enhances clinical outcomes, promotes birth equity, and offers a scalable model for workforce development. Attendees will gain actionable insights to replicate similar models and strengthen community-rooted maternal care.

Oral Health and the CHW

Oral and systemic health affect each other because the mouth and the body are connected. Ensuring clients are educated to care for their oral health not only impacts the mouth and teeth but also the health of the body. CHWs have a unique opportunity to help clients access oral health care and provide important oral health information and education. The Illinois Public Health Association offers an oral health certificate training program to introduce CHWs to oral cavities, oral diseases, disease prevention, and oral health education.  This session discusses how the oral health training program equips CHWs to assist their clients with oral health needs. Two CHWs will share their experiences engaging clients using the knowledge they gained through the oral health training program.

Private and Public Partnerships to Sustain, Elevate, and Expand the CHW Workforce

This session explores how public-private partnerships in suburban Cook County are sustaining and elevating the CHW workforce. Participants will learn how to align philanthropic and public health infrastructure to support long-term workforce pipelines. Through interactive storytelling and collaborative dialogue, attendees will explore what’s working, where barriers remain, and how to co-create equity-based workforce models. CHWs and program leaders will share firsthand experiences from the field. The session offers a replicable model for uplifting CHWs as essential to the future of public health.

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.