News

Twenty-two Community Health Workers (CHWs) representing health and community-based organizations across 9 Vermont counties (Bennington, Chittenden, Franklin, Lamoille, Orange, Rutland, Washington, Windham, and Windsor) completed the first ever CHW Core Competency Course offered in the state. The 10-week course was sponsored by the Vermont Community Health Worker Workforce Initiative from Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center (AHEC) with support from the Vermont Department of Health. James Figueirado and Marilyn Gardner, noted trainers/facilitators from the Community Workforce Institute (CWI) in Massachusetts, delivered the training, which culminated in a graduation ceremony held in Montpelier, Vermont.

The following course participants are: Marie Banza, Heather Barry, Kristen Crowley, Heather Cutler, Pam (Spear) Dube, Faith DuBois, Christina Farr, Megan Goulet, Amelia Klein, Lindsay Korsen, Zeynab Kouyate, Jen LeFebre, Maryan Maalin, Tiffany Mason, Bidur Rai, Teresa Robert, Namgay Dema Sherpa, Sophia Slen, and Candice Diallo-Taylor.

Katina Cummings, Project Director, VT Community Health Worker Workforce Initiative, for Southern VT Area Health Education Center (AHEC) summed it up in this way, “This learning opportunity (60-hour course) is the first of its kind offered in Vermont for Community Health Workers to build new skills and advance this unique profession. It has paved the way for future trainings in Vermont to support these essential front-line workers in improving the overall well-being of our most underserved individuals and communities while strengthening our health and human services systems.”

For more information on the Community Health Worker program visit https://svtahec.org/community-health-worker/ .