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:

June 2, 2026, 2:00 – 3:00 PM: IPHA is hosting a webinar bringing together sub-grantees of the Dementia Caregiver Grant to present outcomes from their grant period work. Presenters will share insights on building and sustaining caregiver support groups for those caring for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD)—including program successes, barriers encountered, and key lessons learned. 

June 2, 2026, 6:00 – 8:00 PM: Join the Illinois Brain Health Project and StoryStudio Chicago for a free virtual workshop exploring creativity, storytelling, and cognitive wellness through guided writing prompts and personal reflection. Whether you are a caregiver, navigating memory changes, or simply curious about brain health, this workshop is for you. No writing experience needed—just bring your curiosity and your voice.

June 9 – July 28, 2026: IPHA is hosting Community Health Worker 101 Training. This training incorporates the 13 national core CHW competencies to prepare individuals to serve as CHWs. All training components are required to earn a certificate of completion!

Requirements:

• 100 Training Hours
• 30 Hours - Live, virtual Zoom sessions
• 70 Hours - Self-paced online modules
• 80 Hours Field Experience

June 16, 2026, 9:00 – 10:00 AM: IPHA is hosting a virtual Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) training series. The next session will be on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 from 9:00 – 10:00 AM. Carri Stevens, M.Div, with Advocate Aurora Health, and Emily Inman, MPH, with IPHA, will be presenting on MCH ACEs, caregiving for children with special needs, the role of chaplaincy, and evidence-based models of care.

June 17, 2026, 9:00 AM– 1:00 PM: The Illinois Community Health Workers Association (ILCHWA) and Richard J. Daley College, Arturo Velasquez Institute (AVI) are hosting a CHW Skill-Building Summer Bash on June 17 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM CT at the Arturo Velasquez Institute Conference Center in Chicago. This will be a day of learning, networking, resource sharing, and empowerment for CHWs.

June 30, 2026, 10:00 – 11:00 AM: Tracey Smith, with IPHA, Gregory Scott, with Carle Health, and Payton Langen, with the Christian County Health Department, will provide an overview of current Medicare billing pathways for CHW services, including eligible activities, documentation requirements, workflow considerations, and strategies for program sustainability.

Lake County Community Health Workers: Connecting Lake County to Better Health

By Megan Donahue

You thought the medical practice accepted your insurance. They don’t.

The clinic is open on Wednesdays and Fridays, but the provider who speaks your language is only there every other week.

You might qualify for Medicaid, but applying on the website is confusing.

Accessing healthcare can be a challenge for many people in America. Additional barriers like finances, transportation, language, education, and cultural differences can make it even more difficult. Systemic racism and the historic abuse of some communities by the medical system adds yet another layer of complexity when seeking care.

Tracey Smith with the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA) saw the scale of the problem when she was working in healthcare in the early 2000’s. She noticed a major misalignment with complex patients, who were utilizing the emergency department often, but were missing out on other available resources. 

The more she spoke with these patients, the more she realized that while they did need access to healthcare, “...they didn't necessarily need what people were saying they needed, like another clinic on another corner closer to them. What they needed was help to get to those places, help to understand, help to be comfortable sitting in the doctor's office or finding a doctor that connected them, and getting information to help providers provide the care needed.”

They needed a Community Health Worker.

What is a Community Health Worker?

The American Public Health Association defines a Community Health Worker as: “a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of and/or has an unusually close understanding of the community served. This trusting relationship enables the worker to serve as a liaison/link/intermediary between health/social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery. A community health worker also builds individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities, such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support, and advocacy.”

As Venoncia Bates-Ambrus, Executive Director of the Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County, and a former CHW herself, explains, CHWs are different from other healthcare professionals. “As a community professional with expertise on community networks, community needs, community resources, challenges, barriers, and assets, they have all of that unique community-situated knowledge, or they develop it through the course of their work.” This expertise, and the trusted role they hold within the community makes it possible for the CHW to serve as liaison or ambassador, connecting the community to healthcare. 

While CHWs are most often found in healthcare and public health settings, a variety of organizations employ CHWs, including libraries, schools, and more. Sometimes known as promotoras de salud, patient navigators, outreach workers, or peer health counselors, CHWs go by many titles, but all of them describe an important role in reducing health disparities.

What a Community Health Worker Does

The specific role and responsibilities of a CHW vary depending on their community and organization, but Venoncia identifies two areas where CHWs are especially important: overcoming stigma and navigating access to care.

“In certain cultures and communities, there may be a feeling of taboo,” she explains. “[CHWs] really help to address barriers around accessing the healthcare because they address stigma, which can be associated with why people don’t actually ask for help or utilize resources when they're available,” she says.

CHWs are also helpful partners in figuring out the available resources and explaining information.  “Organizations or sectors may have jargon, they may have different ways of communicating that aren't always understood by others outside of that sector,” says Venoncia. “So CHWs are uniquely situated to be able to transfer that knowledge back and forth between community and organizations.”

Andrea Barba is a Community Health Worker at Mano a Mano Family Resource Center in North Chicago. “What we do is mainly education and outreach. We have a group of eleven promotoras, and we educate the community on various health topics like cancer, diabetes, and mental health. We mainly do preventative education,” she says. The CHWs give presentations on health topics and have a weekly live stream. “Every week, we have a different guest to talk about a health topic or resource. We’re always trying to look for a way to reach as many people as we can to provide education and empower them.”

The community is an important part of Andrea’s life. “I’m an immigrant myself. When I saw Mano a Mano, I saw all the things that they were doing, and I always liked how the community, when I came here, embraced me. I really felt like I belonged to the community, and I wanted to do something for them as well.”  When she learned about the role of CHWs, it resonated with her. “Something that came up a lot was being the bridge to fill the gap between the community, the people, and the systems that don't always include them. I wanted to do that to help people integrate and be a part of the community.”

Next Steps for Community Health Workers in Illinois

Community Health Worker education and workforce development have become the center of Tracey Smith’s career in public health. Once she learned about CHWs and saw the potential, she was committed to the model. “Many other countries have had community health workers at larger levels for a number of years, and we'd had it in the United States, but it would come and go in different decades and have different approaches, never well organized.” She implemented a CHW program, then became very involved in Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) conversations about CHWs. Soon, she was connecting with other states that had CHWs, “it just kind of became a snowball ripple after that,” she says. 

Now, in her work at IPHA, Tracey is very focused on launching a state certification for CHWs, with a primary goal of enabling CHWs to bill Medicaid and Medicare in the state, potentially creating more stable funding for CHW work.

This work is necessary. As Tracey explains, “When we think about a continuum of health, I have different people I reach out to when I need some assistance. So many people don’t. But that’s where CHWs can fill so many spaces. They don’t have to be experts in the disease process or anything else. It's really about having someone to listen, to be able to connect, and when the route gets a little crooked or a little uncomfortable, being there to hold people up and to continue down the process.”

Lake County CHW Learning Collaborative

The HAP Foundation was selected by the Hunter Family Foundation, the Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County, and the Steans Family Foundation to lead the Lake County Community Health Worker (CHW) Learning Collaborative and Medicaid Assessment Initiative. This project will further HAP’s collaborative efforts with the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA) and the Illinois Primary Health Care Association (IPHCA), each of which will provide their expertise as partners in this grant-funded initiative that reflects a shared commitment to strengthening the CHW workforce and advancing sustainable financing approaches that support long-term community health and well-being.

The HAP Foundation held a Stakeholder Kickoff Meeting for the Lake County CHW Learning Collaborative on April 22, 2026. The participants were asked in a survey, following the meeting, “What was the most valuable part of the meeting?” A few of the responses are below.

• “Knowing that there are more people who do the work I do.”
• “The validation of the role of a CHW, and the knowledge that someone cares about me while I am doing what I am passionate about: helping my community.”
• “To learn about the initiatives currently underway, as well as the impact that CHWs are making in Lake County, in addition to the valuable collaborations taking place between CHWs and other professionals who share common goals.”

Click here to read more about the Lake County CHW Learning Collaborative.

Illinois CHWs and Immunizations Initiative

The IPHA CHW Team and the Immunize Illinois Coalition recently put out a survey asking Illinois CHWs to provide feedback on the work being done by CHWs surrounding immunizations. We asked four questions and received some great responses. Below are the questions and some of the responses to each. Thank you to those who provided feedback already! This will help us guide future work with CHWs and immunizations. We hope it gives you some insight and ideas as well.

What strategies have you found most effective to have productive and meaningful conversations about immunizations with your community?

• “I have found that building trust first and listening to people's concerns without judgment is most effective.”
• “We host pop-up tables providing info about immunizations. We partnered with our local public health department to help with those conversations and answer questions that we can’t.”
• “I have found that the most effective strategy is building trust and establishing a relationship first and approaching conversations with respect and understanding. I listen to families’ concerns without judgment and acknowledge their perspectives, which helps create a safe space for open dialogue. I try to focus on providing clear, accurate, and culturally responsive information about immunizations, using language that is easy to understand. When needed, I connect families to trusted resources and providers so they can make informed decisions.”
• “People don't care what you know until they know you care. If we have someone experiencing vaccine hesitancy, it’s best to lean into the relationship first, then bring up the discussion. It helps when we talk about contact diagrams, and even if they don't travel to places with those active viruses, many do.”

Can you share any successes or positive experiences you’ve had in helping people feel more comfortable or confident about getting vaccinated?

• “A few years ago, I worked with a mom who had stopped vaccinating her child. She had begun following her family’s approach to raising children. She did not have a personal reason that guided her decision but instead was influenced by her aunts and sisters. I provided information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with my own knowledge and experience, in a nonjudgmental way. This allowed her to view the situation from a different perspective. By the end of the program year, her child was able to take advantage of the services we provided and became up to date on immunizations through the health van that visits the school.”
• “One of my positive experiences with a patient was educating the patient about the Shingles vaccine. They didn't understand the explanation given by their primary care physician. I was able to educate the patient in layman's terms about Shingles.”
• “We have offered clinics and on-site vaccines. It helps with any barriers, such as transportation. Additionally, offering other services on-site helps regulate and normalize the process. A few of the positive experiences were families finally being vaccinated when facing transportation difficulty and students being prepared to start a school year without the expense of meeting a private provider for basic necessities.”

What additional support or tools would help you be more effective in promoting immunizations?

• “Access to more multilingual educational materials.”
• “Additional support that would help me be more effective in promoting immunizations includes access to updated, culturally responsive educational materials that can be easily shared with families. Having resources from trusted organizations, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in multiple languages and formats would support clearer communication and understanding. Ongoing training and professional development opportunities would also be beneficial, as they would allow me to stay informed on current guidelines, address common concerns, and strengthen my confidence in having these conversations. Additionally, increased collaboration with healthcare providers and access to on-site or mobile services, such as health vans, would help reduce barriers for families and improve follow-through. These supports would enhance my ability to provide accurate information, build trust, and connect families to the services they need.”
• “I think it would be good to have videos of real people who have been or know someone close who has been affected by these preventable conditions. Something short with pictures, ideally.”
• “I feel like having accurate statistics available to eliminate doubt is my best tool. I need up-to-date information at all times.”
• “More educational material that is written so everyone can understand it.”

Can you share why you choose to vaccinate or how vaccinations have positively impacted you, your family, and/or your community?

• “I have witnessed how vaccines have helped over the years. I've seen chickenpox go from everyone having it to hardly anyone having it. I use this point when speaking to parents. Polio is another example.”
• “Vaccines are a significant disease and discomfort deterrent! We work toward the health of our populations we serve, and I am always a proponent.”
• “Vaccines are important because they protect individuals from severe illness or death and build community immunity for vulnerable populations. I choose to vaccinate to protect not only my children and grandchildren but others’ families as well.”
• “My spouse is immunocompromised with several chronic illnesses. I vaccinate because I want to keep him safe. I am around a loved one whose immune system is unable to protect itself, so I help by vaccinating myself.”
• “For me, it's about freedom, and as a parent, not living with the what-if. My oldest kid was hospitalized with RSV (prior to us having a vaccine) and, since then has had pneumonia three times. I would have felt terrible if I knew at that time and hadn’t said yes to a vaccine. He wouldn't have had that experience and compromised lungs. Some people discount vaccines because "the children still live," but they don't think about the impacts of the illness over that child's life.”

Click here to complete the survey if you have not already.

May is Hepatitis Awareness Month

May is Hepatitis Awareness Month in the United States, with a special emphasis on National Hepatitis Testing Day, observed annually on May 19. The observance is dedicated to increasing public knowledge about hepatitis A, B, and C, and highlighting the importance of vaccination, screening, and timely treatment.

Hepatitis A infection usually causes a mild, short-term illness. Symptoms could include fever, joint pain, and yellow skin or eyes (jaundice). There is no specific treatment for hepatitis A. Vaccination is the best way to prevent infection.

Hepatitis B is a serious liver infection caused by the Hepatitis B virus (HBV). It spreads through contact with infected blood, semen, or other body fluids. While infections are often short-term, some become chronic, leading to severe long-term complications like cirrhosis or liver cancer.

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that affects the liver. Hepatitis C is spread through contact with infected blood. Symptoms can include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, and yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice). There is no vaccine for hepatitis C, but it can be treated and cured with antiviral medications. Early detection and treatment can prevent serious liver damage and improve long-term health.

Millions of Americans are living with chronic hepatitis B or C, and a significant percentage of them are unaware they are infected because the diseases often progress silently for years. If left untreated, chronic hepatitis can lead to severe health consequences, including cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. Both hepatitis A and hepatitis B are completely preventable through safe and effective vaccines. Hepatitis C is now highly curable with prescribed, direct-acting antiviral medications.

To learn more, attend the CHW Lunch & Learn session this Friday, “Hepatitis B 101 for Community Health Workers”. Click here to register.

Resources:

• CDC Hepatitis Awareness Month and National Hepatitis Testing Day
• Hepatitis Awareness Month Social Media Toolkit
• Hepatitis B Foundation Resources
• NACCHO Hepatitis Awareness Month Blog
• National Hispanic Hepatitis Awareness Day
• World Health Organization I Hepatitis

Diagnostics (Dx) Your Way is offering up to 200 Free HIV and STI testing kits to Public Health Departments, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), and Clinics. The test mix can be customized to include HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Syphilis. All kits and two-way postage are provided at no charge as well as a white-labeled platform to manage patient orders/registrations and case management.  Full patient instructions in both English and Spanish are available. The public health department/CBO/Clinic would only be responsible for the cost of lab analysis.

To apply, email info@dxyourway.com.

 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.