IPHA seeks to advance health equity efforts in communities throughout Illinois, especially through the development of career pathways and training for Community Health Workers (CHWs). CHWs are trusted healthcare messengers and navigators who live and work in the communities they serve. CHWs connect community residents with the resources they need to manage their health, address chronic disease issues, and access available services and resources. Not only do CHWs improve health outcomes, but programs like IPHA’s can facilitate hiring opportunities for trained CHWs, which results in new local economic opportunities and promotes health equity. CHWs are an essential component of Illinois’ coordinated response to increasing access to care among residents of economically and medically under-resourced communities. Over the past decade, Illinois has taken steps to build an infrastructure to increase access to care through the support and advancement of CHWs.
CHW Webinars
Click on the links below to listen to the webinars and view the presentation slides.
CHW Newsletters
| March 2026 | |
| February 2026 | January 2026 |
| November/December 2025 | October 2025 |
| September 2025 | August 2025 |
| July 2025 | June 2025 |
| May 2025 | April 2025 |
| March 2025 | January & February 2025 |
Illinois Community Health Worker Training Program
IPHA, in collaboration with a robust network of partners, will continue to expand on the Illinois Community Health Worker HelpGuideThrive program through this federally funded initiative to recruit and equip Community Health Workers for employment in a broad array of health care settings throughout Illinois, with a focus on providing public health services in rural and underserved communities. IPHA will convene five (5) statewide teams to provide expertise and guidance for curriculum development and alignment, targeted recruitment, implementation, data collection, continuous improvement efforts, and workforce development. The grant provides for continuing education opportunities for CHWs and field placements as well as employment-based services for CHWs and those seeking to enter the field.
For more information, contact Tracey Smith, Associate Executive Director for Public Health Practice.
As part of IPHA's commitment to CHW advancement in the state, IPHA has developed a team specializing in CHW related support, training and education housed in the Community Health Worker Capacity Building Center. Click More to visit the Help.Guide.Thrive CHW information website.