Root of the Iceberg or Tip of the Ice Peak: Two Perspectives on Effective Community Health Work

CHW's play a critical role in keeping people healthy by working with the social determinants of health and preventing disease. A large part of this is cross cultural community building, helping all to see the entire picture, not just one piece of it. This workshop looks at one rural program's lessons learned in providing Walking in Two Worlds, a community health program for new immigrant women. The issue will be presented primarily from the perspective of an immigrant Community Health Worker who sees the root of the ice peak, and secondarily from the organization which sees the tip of the iceberg. Walking in Two Worlds quickly learned that isolation and mental health issues were far larger concerns and barriers for the immigrant population than specific diseases, and often preceeded illness. CHWs will learn things to keep in mind and strategies to proactively address these issues. Organizational staff will gain strategies to support the work of CHWs and use their influence to address community issues facing the immigrant population. Only when we understand the root, the tip and the ice in between can we have the entire picture and create effective solutions,