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Health Justice Now Webinar Series Part 6: The Path to Sustainable Financing for Community Health Workers

06.23.2022

This is part 6 of the Health Justice Now series.

Community Health Workers (CHWs) have a long, rich history of improving health outcomes, particularly within underserved communities. They have been especially involved in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response by providing essential public health education and delivering health services in resource-constrained areas. Despite the power and promise of CHWs, the public still lacks an understanding of their role and value in the healthcare system. This is directly related to the absence of long-term, sustainable funding needed to appropriately support and sustain the CHW workforce. This webinar provided attendees with the opportunity to hear from CHWs and other stakeholders who shared their thoughts on the current financing landscape, including what works and where there may still be gaps in the public health workforce. The webinar also includes time for Q&A with attendees.

Presenters:

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Click the download button below to view the Slide Deck.

Lemus is the founding Executive Director of Visión y Compromiso, an organization dedicated to a healthy and dignified life for all by supporting the transformational work of promotoras, community health workers and other grassroots community leaders in immigrant communities, low-income communities, and communities of color. These leaders are local community experts and trusted relationship builders who have an innate ability to listen to and engage with residents, their families, and their neighbors. Since 2000, Visión y Compromiso has provided the promotor and community health worker workforce with leadership, capacity building and advocacy through its Network of Promotoras and Community Health Workers—which now represents over 5,000 promotoras and community health workers associated with clinics, hospitals and diverse community-based organizations in rural and urban communities across California and Nevada and throughout the U.S., Mexico, and Guatemala.

Representing Vision y Compromiso, Lemus is a member of numerous local, state, and national steering committees, workgroups and coalitions including the National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW) and California Coverage and Health Initiatives (CCHI). She is the recipient of numerous awards and recognition including a California State Assembly Recognition Resolution. She resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Shannon is a Michigan native who loves spending time with her family outdoors in Northern Michigan. She has spent the past 22 years serving the most vulnerable community members through outreach, education, health policy and advocacy. Passionate about community impact, Shannon is a strong advocate in supporting the expansion of Community Health Workers, assisting those who are experiencing homelessness and helping to eliminate food insecurity. She is the CEO at Everyday Life Consulting & Founder of The Rural Community Health Worker Network. EDL is a consulting firm that focuses on building individual, organization and community capacity to address social determinants of health through clinical-community linkages and CHW sustainability.

Richard Medina is a linkage to care specialist/community health worker at the Montefiore Health System in New York. In his role, he has acted as an educator, advocate, and navigator in patient and community-facing scenarios. Mr. Medina is an expert in linkage to care and he has presented at national conferences and developed educational materials for both patients and training physicians. Mr. Medina’s passion for improving the health of others drives his work and is seen in the way he showcases empathy and compassion for his clients.

Mar Velez is State Policy Senior Manager at the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California. In her role, Mar leads LCHC’s policy agenda to address the social determinants of health, ensure healthcare access for California’s Latinx and vulnerable populations, and incorporate community voice in all policy initiatives.

Mar’s expansive experience in advocacy, research, and local, state, and federal government provides her with unique insight to advance equity, justice, and accountability for public good. Previously Mar was a Congressional Aide to Congresswoman Barbara Lee where she oversaw the criminal justice, Latinx, and women’s rights district issues portfolio. Additionally, she has worked with grassroots leaders and organizations, particularly in the criminal and youth justice field, to pass and promote public safety measures at the state and local levels for positive health and life outcomes for youth.

Mar holds a dual Master’s degree in Public Health and City Planning from the University of California, Berkeley. She led a community-based participatory research project using the PhotoVoice method with Oakland youth used in advocacy and movement-building strategies to center youth’s voice in policy. As a daughter to immigrant parents from Mexico who has had to overcome systemic barriers, it is Mar’s passion to undo cycles that lead to negative life and health outcomes.