HCF Co-Hosts First West Suburban CHW Learning Lab

On July 13, 2022, we teamed up with Community Memorial Foundation, Health & Medicine Policy Research Group, and Sinai Urban Health Institute to co-host the first West Suburban CHW Learning Lab at our new community space at our Riverside office.

We welcomed individuals from Alivio Medical Center, Arab American Family Services, BEDS Plus, Healthy Illinois, Illinois Area Health Education Centers, and Youth Crossroads, who connected with representatives of the CHW Initiative in the western Cook County suburbs—the effort we jointly support with Community Memorial Foundation.  

The West Suburban CHW Learning Lab is a new initiative launched by the group in response to the increased interest from CHWs across Chicagoland earlier this year to build more robust networks and learn how to get involved in broader statewide CHW efforts. 

Read about the IL CHW Policy Update forum we co-hosted in February 2022 that discussed IL’s recent CHW legislature and implications for their work and organizations that employ them.

Throughout the pandemic, CHWs have played an invaluable role in reducing health inequities by increasing knowledge and access to culturally competent health and wellness services within the communities they serve. The West Suburban CHW Learning Lab aims to give local CHWs a space to connect, share areas of expertise, and how to best care for community.  

ABOUT THE CHW INITIATIVE IN THE WESTERN SUBURBS OF COOK COUNTY

Since 2017, Community Memorial Foundation and Healthy Communities Foundation have collaborated to support the CHW Initiative in the western Cook County suburbs, which utilizes CHWs to improve access to care and grow the workforce in the western suburbs of Chicago. The Initiative has gained local and national recognition and continues to evolve and inspire cross-sector partners to integrate CHWs into their health care delivery models.  

Learn more about the CHW Initiative here.

Stay tuned for future opportunities to gather with The West Suburban CHW Learning Lab. If you are interested in learning more or if you want to attend a future convening, please contact Angela Eastlund from our partner Health & Medicine Policy Research Group at aeastlund@hmprg.org.