Littleton, NH, April 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Over 150 Community Health Workers (CHWs), healthcare providers, social workers, policymakers, and state agencies will come together on April 30, 2024, at the New Hampshire CHW Summit in Concord to spotlight CHWs and their essential role in public health and healthcare system. The Summit – with the theme “Lighting the Future” – will not only provide education about and for CHWs, but also share strategies on how to integrate this critical workforce into clinical and social service practices.
Organized by the NH Community Health Worker (CHW) Coalition, along with the North Country Health Consortium (NCHC) and the Southern New Hampshire Area Health Education Center, the 2024 NH CHW Summit will be held from 8:30am - 3:30pm on April 30 at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, NH. The event includes six keynote speakers, as well as 10 educational breakout sessions and “crash courses.” Topics are focused on the roles CHWs play in a range of services, from supportive care and addressing stigma in marginalized communities, to healthcare for the disability community and administering life-saving naloxone.
CHWs are trained professionals who work in and with the community to coordinate social and health services for individuals, often connecting people to basic needs like food and housing. The state of New Hampshire has provided funding to NCHC to spearhead a statewide initiative to increase access to CHWs. Studies show that interventions utilizing CHWs can reduce the burden on providers, improve health outcomes, and decrease healthcare costs – demonstrating a return (ROI) of up to $3 for every $1 spent.
According to Amber Culver, program manager for CHWs-NH, “We are thrilled to convene partners and allies from throughout the state to train, grow, and deploy this crucial workforce. Our system is facing an extreme crisis. Increasing the availability of CHWs in practices helps address healthcare and behavioral health workforce shortages, inequitable access to care for rural and marginalized populations, isolation for New Hampshire’s increasing aging population, and rising healthcare costs. Those working as CHWs truly are “Lighting the Future” towards a path for better health and well-being.”
Invitation to journalists: Interview opportunities are available with speakers and organizers of the event and media is encouraged to attend. Please RSVP to michelle@confocalcommunications.com or call (207) 329-6767 if you would like to attend and/or to arrange for an interview.
More information about the 2024 NH CWH Summit: https://nhchw.org/event/community-health-worker-summit-2024/
About the CHWs-NH initiative: North Country Health Consortium (NCHC) is a non-profit public health organization funded by the state of New Hampshire to work with partners to implement a statewide CHWs-NH initiative. This initiative works to provide CHW training, build a sustainable CHW workforce, and engage with stakeholders to develop CHW certification and support statewide data collection. For more information about the CHW initiative, go to https://chws-nh.org.
Funding for the CHW initiative is financed under a contract with the State of New Hampshire, Department of Health and Human Services, with funds supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award by CDC/HHS “NH Initiative to address COVID-19 Health Disparities grant #NH750T000031”. The content of this release does not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CDC/HHS or the U.S. Government.”
