2024 Year In Review: Recap & Reflection
CHWs, Health Equity, QC4 UpdatesIt has been a year of growth and collaboration for the Community Health Worker Initiative (CHWI) as we reflect on 2024. Through our workgroup, Queen City Community Connect Coalition (QC4), we partnered to support and elevate the vital role of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in Mecklenburg County by creating opportunities for professional development, strengthening partnerships, and advancing health equity. This year highlights our collective efforts by setting the stage for continued progress in the years to come.
January: New Leadership for QC4
Starting in January, QC4 began holding interest meetings for the upcoming Governing Board Elections, engaging CHWs in a process that generates enthusiasm for leadership opportunities within the coalition. In April, QC4 held its Governing Board elections, ushering in a new cohort of 100% CHW leaders committed to empowering CHWs and serving Mecklenburg County. Dequia Rainey, a CCHW II with over 13 years of experience, was elected as Chair, bringing in her passion for advocacy and community health. Yalanda Williams, Co-Chair, adds over 15 years of expertise addressing social determinants of health. Special Advisors Avril Cabaniss and Tamika Williams also bring valuable perspectives to guide QC4’s mission. This leadership team exemplifies the power of CHWs in leadership roles by fostering professional development and advancing equity in Mecklenburg County communities.
March: Resource Roundup Sessions
In March, QC4 introduced Resource Roundup sessions to foster resource-sharing and collaboration among CHWs. These interactive sessions provided a space for CHWs to share valuable resources and express their needs, further strengthening the collective knowledge base. This initiative empowered CHWs to enhance their work, streamline information flow, and better serve their communities.
Learn more about how we empower CHWs through Resource Roundups!
May: Advocacy & Awareness for CHWs
In May, the CHWI wrapped up a partnership with South Piedmont AHEC and the Center for Community Health Alignment to host the CHW N’ Action Webinar Series. With over 100 attendees, the series featured three modules focused on defining the CHW profession, advancing health and racial equity, and addressing social determinants of health. Six QC4 CHWs served as panelists, sharing their expertise with attendees.
The recordings are available for you if you missed the sessions!
Also, Tamika Williams, QC4 Special Advisor, represented our coalition and the CHW community by meeting with legislators to advocate for HB1026 funding. This funding supports training, certification, and the mobilization of the CHW workforce. As a CHW Ambassador for the North Carolina Community Health Worker Association (NCCHWA), Tamika and others brought significant Mecklenburg County representation to the forefront of state-level discussions, further highlighting the importance of advocacy and awareness for CHWs.
August: National CHW Awareness Week
During the month of August, the CHWI celebrated National CHW Awareness Week, honoring the invaluable contributions of CHWs in bridging gaps between communities and healthcare systems. This week was a time to reflect on the critical role CHWs play to improve public health and advocate for policies that support their work. To close out the week, we proudly released the CHW Workforce Awareness Toolkit, designed to educate stakeholders and promote CHW professional development.
October: CHW Professional Development & Action Plan Completion
Another objective of QC4 is to convene CHWs in a collaborative forum that fosters workforce and professional development opportunities. During October’s bi-monthly meeting, we hosted a CHW Professional Development Training Series, which featured two impactful sessions. The Leveraging LinkedIn mini workshop provided a practical guide for CHWs to enhance their professional online presence. Meanwhile, the CHW Professional Development workshop focused on identifying skill gaps by aligning their opportunities for growth with core CHW roles based on the CHW Core Consensus Project (C3 Project). Participants conducted a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Barriers (SWOB) assessment and a Skill Gap Analysis, exploring growth opportunities through our newly released action plan, Cultivating Community Change Together. These sessions empowered CHWs to advance their skills by fostering ongoing professional growth.
Read the blog post about Leveraging LinkedIn: How To Guide for CHWs
Additionally, October marked the completion of Cultivating Community Change Together: Mecklenburg County’s Community Health Worker Initiative Comprehensive Action Plan to Improve Access to Care. This involved finalizing and prioritizing outcomes and developing strategies in a collaboration with Mecklenburg County’s CHW Stakeholder Advisory Collaborative (SAC) and QC4. Key milestones included the development of a Systems Map video, which discusses CHWs’ role in reducing health inequities in Mecklenburg County, and the identification and dissemination of updated indicators and data sources. A Qualtrics survey was also sent to SAC workgroups to gather further insights for evaluation. This comprehensive action plan will be instrumental in advancing health equity and strengthening the CHW workforce in Mecklenburg County.
November: 2024 Movers & Shakers CommUNITY Forum
On November 15th, the CHWI hosted the 2024 Movers & Shakers CommUNITY Forum, formerly known as the CHWI Biannual Forum. This full-day event brought together partners from Mecklenburg County’s CHW ecosystem, featuring keynote speakers Janeen Bryant from the Community Building Initiative, and Honey Yang Estrada from the North Carolina Community Health Worker Association (NCCHWA). Attendees engaged in an interactive gallery walk showcasing Cultivating Community Change Together that explored strategies to strengthen the CHW workforce by working to improve health outcomes in Mecklenburg County.
December: Giving Back to the Community
In December, nine of our QC4 CHWs came together to serve lunch at Roof Above, supporting their mission to end homelessness in the community. This event addressed the needs of our unsheltered Mecklenburg County residents, further demonstrating QC4’s commitment to improving health outcomes and strengthening our community.
Acknowledgements
As we close out 2024, we are grateful for the incredible work of our CHWs and the continued support of our partners. Together, we’ve made significant strides in advancing health equity, professional development, and the recognition of CHWs. We look forward to continuing our efforts in 2025 and beyond, further creating lasting impact and positive change in Mecklenburg County.