(MiCHWA) Michigan Community Health Worker Alliance

Exciting News from MiCHWA! Please join us in congratulating Kareem J Baig, LSSBB, on his appointment as MiCHWA’s new Executive Director! Kareem has been an incredible leader during his time as Interim Executive Director, and we’re thrilled for him to officially step into this role. His dedication to advancing the Community Health Worker (#CHW) profession and his vision for a more equitable future make him the perfect person to lead MiCHWA forward. Read more: https://bit.ly/4eLz3cC

On Thursday, we were thrilled to host an amazing group of Community Health Workers, organizations that support and deploy CHWs, and MDHHS representatives for a focus group at the Health Fund?office in Lansing.? ? CHWs are a powerful force for improving community health, increasing access to care, and addressing health related social needs. The focus group helped our staff learn more about challenges organizations face in sustaining CHW services, along with opportunities for the Health Fund to work with partners to address those challenges. Huge thanks to our guests for sharing their experiences and wisdom with our team! Michigan Department of Health & Human Services, Michigan Primary Care Association, Henry Ford Health, Access of West Michigan, (MiCHWA) Michigan Community Health Worker Alliance, Michigan Health & Hospital Association

October was a blur with 3 climate conferences in one month! MiCHWA and members of the Climate Impacts Team (myself, Dr. Christine Carmichael from Fair Forests, @rebecaguzman from DHD, and Kareem J Baig, LSSBB) had an amazing time presenting about creating our climate change education curriculum and micro-credential at the American Public Health Association 2024 annual conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota! Thank you to Nicole Olweean, Dr. Dori Pynnonen Hopkins, @angelkeyes, (MiCHWA) Michigan Community Health Worker Alliance, and the @kresgefoundation for their unwaivering support!

What an inspiring start to the American Public Health Association 2024 conference! I am proud to stand alongside the (MiCHWA) Michigan Community Health Worker Alliance team as we shared our insights, best practices, and advocacy efforts over the past 2 days! Our first presentation, "Obtaining Sustainable Funding and Medicaid Recognition of Community Health Workers in Michigan," elevated the voices of CHWs, CHW Employers and Allies from across Michigan, discussing the journey towards CHW recognition as credentialed providers in Michigan and reimbursement of CHW services through Medicaid. From tackling barriers to highlighting key advocacy efforts, Miranda Bargert gave a genuine reflection on what advancing health equity requires. Our second session, "Merging Climate Change and Health Equity in CHW Education: A Participatory Approach," opened up exciting dialogues about the intersections of climate and health equity in CHW training. Our phenomenal Climate Change Impacts team shared innovative strategies to equip CHWs to address these interconnected issues, further energizing and validating the need for this type of forward-thinking in our field! Looking forward to the continued learning, collaboration and sharing of this phenomenal space with fellow CHWs from Statewide CHW Associations, National Association of Community Health Workers, CHW Employers, and Allies! PS: Be sure to join us tomorrow for a poster session as the team shares insights from Michigan’s 2023 CHW survey (https://lnkd.in/eBKsMiQG), as well a roundtable discussion addressing a participatory approach merging climate change and health equity in CHW education (https://lnkd.in/enWe2h35)! #APHA2024 #MiCHWA #CommunityHealthWorkers #HealthEquity #ClimateAndHealth #MedicaidReimbursement #CHWSustainability #CHWWorkforce

It was an amazing opportunity to present our Climate Change & Health Education project along with Rebeca Guzman, MSW and Dr. Christine Charmichael at the 2024 (MiCHWA) Michigan Community Health Worker Alliance Annual Meeting and meet so many of my current and former students! With generous support from from the @kresgefoundation and collaboration with Dr. Dori Pynnonen Hopkins at MPHI and Nicole Olweean, PhD Candidate at the University of Galway, MiCHWA has taken the lead to educate CHWs in health equity and environmental justice. We will be taking our show on the road next week to present at APHA in Minneapolis on 10/28 & 10/29, so let me know if you will be in attendance! You can also purchase Christine’s new book Racist Roots on Amazon: https://a.co/d/8r9CS8H to learn more about how racism has affected our trees.

We’re thrilled to share the results of our 2024 CHW Employer Survey! ?? This year, we gathered insights from employers across the state, revealing key trends and opportunities in the Community Health Worker (#CHW) sector. From workforce challenges to best practices, our findings illuminate the critical role CHWs play in enhancing community health. You can take a deeper look on our website: https://lnkd.in/geVNy72Z

?? Sponsor Spotlight: Wayne State CHW Academy! ?? We are excited to announce that the Wayne State Community Health Worker (CHW) Academy is a key sponsor of our 12th Annual Meeting and Conference! Their dedication to empowering community health workers is instrumental in promoting health equity and access in our communities. Join us in recognizing their impactful work and commitment to improving health outcomes. ?? Discover more about the CHW Academy and its contributions to community health. We look forward to connecting with everyone at the conference! #SponsorSpotlight #WayneState #CHWAcademy #HealthEquity #MiCHWA #CommunityHealthWorkers #PublicHealth

? Sponsor Spotlight: #HAPCareSource! We are excited to highlight HAPCareSource as a Champion Sponsor of our 12th Annual Meeting and Conference THIS FRIDAY! ?? HAPCareSource is dedicated to enhancing healthcare access and improving the quality of life for communities throughout Michigan. Their unwavering support for community health workers and commitment to fostering collaboration is making a significant impact. Thanks to their generous sponsorship, we can unite passionate individuals to share knowledge, inspire change, and advance health equity. A heartfelt thank you to HAPCareSource for being a true champion for our communities! ?? #SponsorSpotlight #HAPCareSource #MICHWA #PublicHealth #CHW

?? Enhance Your Skills with the CHW Foundations in Behavioral Health Micro-Credential! Are you ready to make a difference in your community? The 64-hour micro-credential program prepares Community Health Workers (#CHWs) to bridge gaps in behavioral health care and provide crucial support to those in need. ?? Training Schedule: November 5 - November 29, 2024 ?? Classes: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 AM - 4:30 PM (Virtual) ?? Cost: $600 ?? Certification: Receive a certificate from #MiCHWA upon completion! Topics Include: ?? Mental Health First Aid ?? QPR - Suicide Prevention ?? ACES - Adverse Childhood Experiences And much more! ?? Limited Seats Available! Enroll now: https://bit.ly/FBH_Nov2024

?? Sponsor Spotlight: Henry Ford Health As we prepare for our 12th Annual Meeting and Conference next Friday, we want to shine a light on our esteemed sponsor, Henry Ford Health. Known for their commitment to exceptional patient care and innovative healthcare solutions, Henry Ford Health plays a vital role in enhancing the health of communities. We can’t wait to see you on October 11th! #AnnualMeeting #SponsorSpotlight #HenryFordHealth #HealthcareExcellence #MiCHWA #PublicHealth