245663 Community Health Outreach Network

Monday, October 31, 2011

Kristina Gibson, MS , Health Care for All Program, Kingsley House, New Orleans, LA
Ashley Wennerstrom, MPH , Community Affairs and Health Policy, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
Programs aimed at eliminating health disparities often employ community health workers (CHWs), but their success may not be fully realized when CHWs have limited opportunities to interact with or receive invaluable mentorship from colleagues. CHW networks are a promising strategy for combating professional isolation among CHWs. Networks may also serve as a platform for CHWs to advocate collectively for changes in institutional and local policies that contribute to health disparities. In this presentation we will outline briefly the development of the Louisiana Community Health Outreach Network (LACHON), which has been co-led and co-developed by CHWs since its inception. We will highlight LACHON's early successes in supporting the CHW workforce in Louisiana and developing community health advocacy strategies. We will also share lessons learned for developing a CHW network.

Learning Areas:
Other professions or practice related to public health

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe three ways that community health worker networks can contribute to a reduction in health disparities 2. Identify at least three strategies for developing a sustainable community health worker network.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am co-founder of the community health worker network described.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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