Monthly News & Updates | April 2025

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🎉 Celebrating the Growth and Impact of Community Health Workers

Rhode Island continues to strengthen its Community Health Worker (CHW) workforce thanks to strategic funding and collaborative partnerships. As RI wraps up a four-year CDC grant supporting CHWs, more than 75 stakeholders gathered to celebrate the program’s success and impact.


The funding helped expand and sustain the CHW workforce across clinical and community settings, integrate CHWs into primary care teams, and open new billing pathways. With continued collaboration and sustainable funding, CHWs are can and should remain a vital part of our state's health system.


"...CHWs must be considered part of the fabric of comprehensive team-based care. Once CHWs are part of care teams, it’s impossible to imagine caring for patients without them," ––Linda Cabral, CTC-RI Senior Program Manager, involved with the CHW project since its inception

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🔎 Spotlight: Making a Difference in the Northern RI Community


As we celebrate the success and growth of the CHW workforce, we connected Dakota Gadson, CHW at Connecting for Children and Families, dedicated to serving Woonsocket and northern Rhode Island by providing community-centered support for families navigating the health care system and beyond.

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🎤 CTC-RI Presents Pharmacy Initiative Success at National Conference


In April, CTC-RI's successful quality improvement project to expand professional Continuous Glucose Monitoring (proCGM) in primary care was showcased at the 2025 Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Annual Meeting in Houston. Led by Dr. Kelley Sanzen, the pharmacist-driven initiative improved blood glucose levels for over 400 patients and enhanced care team well-being. Funded by UnitedHealthcare and the RI Department of Health, the project was presented by Stephen Kogut and Natalya Salganik.

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📢 Updates, Successes, and Developments

Dr. Nelly Burdette Leads Training on Equity-Focused Communication in Cancer Navigation


CTC-RI’s Dr. Nelly Burdette recently led a powerful Project ECHO session on equity-focused communication in cancer care navigation, co-sponsored by the RI Health Center Association and the Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island.

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CTC-RI Work on Resilient Healthcare Teams Took the National Stage


Nelly Burdette, Psy.D., represented CTC-RI at the Art & Science of Health Promotion Conference recently held in Arizona. Dr. Burdette co-presented “Building Resilient Healthcare Teams” alongside Kristin David, Psy.D. They presented CTC-RI’s innovative work to strengthen the foundation of team-based care and support the emotional well-being of healthcare professionals. 

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đź’» Missed It? Recent CTC-RI Learnings!

Your hub for recent CTC-RI programs, learning sessions, and highlights!

Find recaps and links to presentations, resources, and recordings from our most recent work.

Click here to catch up on missed content or revisit a session.

đź’ˇ Practice Resources and Information

RI World Diabetes Day 2025 Call for Speaker and Panel Proposals

This event, scheduled for November 13, attracts a wide array of speakers and attendees in healthcare, from physicians to social workers, to nurses to dietitians, to pharmacists, students, and others. Apply by May 23. Learn more.


Apply by April 30: RIHousing to Support $500,000 in Health and Housing Initiatives

RIHousing’s Health and Housing Pilot Funding, with $500,000 available for 2-3 projects over three years, seeks proposals by April 30 for programs partnering housing developments with healthcare organizations to improve resident health and housing stability.


Focus Group Opportunities for Providers, CHWs, and Community Members

RIDOH, RI Public Health Association, and RI Geriatric Education Center are hosting focus groups to better understand the benefits and barriers to health programming throughout the state and ways to address these issues through the Community Health Network. Details.

đź“° In The News


Providence Business News: McKee, RIDOH announce grant funding to boost primary care training capacity

March 30, 2025

PROVIDENCE – Gov. Daniel J. McKee and the R.I. Department of Health recently announced the state will make up to $90,000 in grant funding available to primary care sites to train and mentor more students. The program – RIDOH’s Primary Care Training Sites Program – is accepting applications and is supported by $2.7 million in state general revenue funding. Read more.


Boston Globe: To bolster primary care workforce, R.I. offers grants to train next generation of doctors

March 27, 2025

PROVIDENCE – With hopes to combat the state’s persistent shortage of primary care providers, Rhode Island officials have launched a new grant program to support training the next generation of doctors, nurses, and physician assistants. Read more.


Governor's Office Press Release: Governor McKee, RIDOH Announce Funding to Bolster Primary Care Training Capacity

March 25, 2025

Governor Dan McKee and the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) announced today that in the coming weeks, the State will be making up to $90,000 in grant funding available to numerous primary care sites to support their work to train more students and mentor Rhode Island's next generation of physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. Read more.

🗓️ Upcoming CTC-RI Meetings and Learning Opportunities


Stay informed on key learnings, collaborative meetings, and peer exchanges by exploring our upcoming meetings and opportunities calendar.