Community Health Workers Take Center Stage this August

Community Health Workers (CHWs) are trusted neighbors, connectors, and guides — helping people find their way to the care and resources they need. This month, we're celebrating the West Suburban CHW Initiative, spotlighting a new regional report on CHWs as trusted messengers, and marking National CHW Awareness Week.

Seven Years of Impact | The West Suburban CHW Initiative

In 2026, the West Suburban CHW Initiative is celebrating seven years of improving community health and an impact that keeps growing.

In the last year alone, the Initiative nearly doubled the number of clients served, growing from 4,900 to 8,964. That's not just a number — it's nearly 9,000 people who had a trusted neighbor and knowledgeable guide in their corner while navigating health and social services.

The Initiative's success is due in large part to the growing role of the CHW Learning Lab, a convening space facilitated by Health & Medicine Policy Research Group, where CHWs across Cook County gather to share strategies, solve problems, and support one another.

Eighty-five percent of Learning Lab participants report relationships with CHWs outside their own organization — a sign of the cross-organizational trust and collaboration the Initiative has helped build.

Community Memorial Foundation is proud to support the West Suburban CHW Initiative along with our partners at Healthy Communities Foundation and Coleman Foundation, and is grateful to our partnering CHW agencies — Aging Care Connections, Alivio Medical Center, BEDS Plus, Healthcare Alternative Systems, and Mujeres Latinas en Acción — for making this work possible.

New Report Highlights CHWs as Trusted Messengers in the Health Information Ecosystem

A new report from Health Management Associates (HMA), developed with support from Michael Reese Health Trust, examines how health information reaches, is interpreted by, and flows through community health workers in Cook County.

The assessment, Enabling Trusted Messengers within the Community Health Information Ecosystem, confirms what many in our network already know: CHWs are among the most trusted sources of health information in their communities, and they do far more than simply relay messages. They validate, translate, and adapt information to make it meaningful and actionable — often while navigating fragmented systems and inconsistent guidance.

The report identifies opportunities to strengthen the systems that support this work, particularly as Illinois rolls out new procedures to enable Medicaid billing for CHWs and builds out its statewide Social Health Care Network.

Join us to hear the findings firsthand.

Webinar | Advancing Community Health Through CHWs: Research, Recommendations, and Action

HMA will present recommendations for strengthening health information systems, elevating the value of the CHW workforce, and advancing partnerships that support equitable, community-centered care. The session will also highlight opportunities for state agencies, funders, health systems, and community organizations to apply these findings to policy, funding, and practice.

Wednesday, August 26 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m. CT

Celebrating National CHW Awareness Week — August 24–28

Mark your calendars: August 24–28 is National Community Health Worker Awareness Week!

This week — and every week — we're grateful for the Community Health Workers who build trust and break down barriers to care.



Thank you! Gracias! شكرًا لك! Dziękuję!