RI CHW VOICES�September 22, 2025

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• Welcome & Icebreaker
• National CHW Awareness Week Recap
• CHW Voices Charter Mission & Vision
• Goals for 2026
• Resources / Share your resources or upcoming event
• What’s Next

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Life is a rollercoaster—during hard times, let’s lift each other up, care for ourselves, and support one another, just as we do for those we serve

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What is your favorite way to bring in the Fall?

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2025 National CHW Awareness Week Feedback

Increase awareness on how to connect community with CHWs

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Cranton HEZ does Pizza and Paperwork events to help parents with all the back to school forms

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More collaboration with multi-lingual organizations in multiple languages

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Connecting with national conversations

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Understanding Medicaid rules and develop a guidance document to help those billing

CHW Voices Network

About Us

RI CHW Voices is a statewide network of Community Health Workers (CHWs), leaders, and advocates united by lived experience, community wisdom, and a shared commitment to equity, healing, and systems change.

We are not a program or a formal organization—we are a living, breathing network grounded in the voices and experiences of Rhode Island CHWs.

If you are a CHW—or someone who champions the health and healing of communities—this space is for you.

You are RI CHW Voices.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to unite, support, and elevate CHWs as catalysts for health equity, social justice, and community empowerment.

We convene CHWs across Rhode Island to:

• Build leadership and professional capacity
• Share peer knowledge and resources
• Strengthen our collective voice
• Shape policy rooted in lived experience and care

Through a peer-led, equity-centered approach, we create brave spaces where CHWs are empowered to advocate, organize, and transform systems—together.

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CHW Voices Member Survey

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Member Survey Link

CHW Voices at APHA 2025 this year!

Washington D.C - November 2-5, 2025

The session is to show how CHW networks like CHW Voices, LatinX group, RIICHW, help improve communities and drive change�

• Can you share times you have been a part of or seen an increased CHW representation in state agencies and decision-making spaces?
• Do you have any data on the impact and work you are doing?
• How have any of these networks supported your work?

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Focusing on Growing the �Role, Agency, and Leadership of CHWs

Ideas to support CHW Agency in 2026?

• Develop guidance on how CHW PD is different from other professionals.
• Public Speaking - Practice speaking up as an expert and not feeling like an imposter.
• Developing partnerships to expand our role.
• How to have conversations with supervisors about what CHW leadership looks like.
• Networking and Advocacy - like Affinity Groups with resources on CHW Voices page.
• Developing public statement demanding funding put aside to support these efforts.

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Last year we focused on:

• Integrating CHWs into decision-making tables
• Building awareness of our roles, and
• Supporting the growth of CHWs in supervisory positions

CHW Voices developed and delivered �the 3rd Annual CHW Conference!

Look out for Conference planning survey coming out soon via CHWARI!

• Ideas: Bigger space + invite CHWs outside of RI and National partners

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CHWARI works closely with community members to remain relevant and updated.

Please share events, highlights, resources, trainings with Laura Blackwell at: CHWARI@LAURABLACKWELL.COM

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Vision y Compromiso

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What type of support do you need from �your CHW family today?

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Training Options��Latinx CHW Support Group

�CHWARI Advisory Council

Michela shared housing updates and links that will be shared via CHWARI

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Check out: kids.ri.gov

Prenatal to Pre-K Resources

Go to Site

Behavioral Health Resources

Go to Site

Upcoming Meetings

CHW Strategy Team meets virtually (55% CHW involvement)

CHW Voices supports subgroups:

• CHW Leadership and Agency (at this mtg.)
• Community Coordination (2nd Wednesday/month at 1:30)
• Email: James.Day@Health.RI.GOV to get the meeting link.

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HEZ Learning Community Tuesday, Sept. 30 from 10:30 -4:30�Sign up for the HEZ newsletter to get the Registration link

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Next Month

Editor in Chief from The Providence Eye will be joining us to talk about opportunities for CHWs to share their stories and become authors!

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We will explore the clothing closets in RI and invite speakers.

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We are our greatest resource!

�Stay connected, and never hesitate to ask�

—your fellow community colleagues may have valuable insights or know of available resources to support you.

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WWW.FINDHELP.ORG

RI Community Resource Group

THANK YOU &

TAKE CARE

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Need more time �to discuss strategies?�

Join the �CHW Strategy Team

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Find this PowerPoint and other resources �on the CHWARI CHW Voices page

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Post-Session Notes

• Alliance for CHW Employers - RIPIN
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