Throughout history and around the world, community health workers (CHWs) have used a variety of methods to promote connection, health, and wellbeing within and across communities, systems, and sectors. For over 60 years, CHWs in the U.S. have advocated and organized to articulate their professional identity and legacy. NCHWAW was created as both a means of advocacy and as a celebration for CHWs.

This August, we celebrate CHWs, who guide patients through the healthcare system and help to address the social and environmental impacts on patient health. To learn about the importance of CHWs, we interviewed four members of the Mass League’s CHW Advisory Council: Milena Rivas, CHW Trainer at Edward M Kennedy CHC​, Doraliz Vega, Lead CHW at New Bedford Community Health, ​Rosa Felix, CHW at NEW Health Charlestown, and​ Monica Posada, CHW at NeighborHealth​.​

We are also featuring the work of the Mass League Community Health Worker Initiatives, led by Nikki Simpson and Alyson Frigon.

National Community Health Worker Awareness Week

August 24 – August 28, 2026

Learn more about CHW Awareness week on the National Association of Community Health Workers website.

The Importance of Community Health Workers

An Interview with Four Members of the Mass League CHW Advisory Council

Doraliz Vega: As the Lead Community Health Worker at New Bedford Community Health Center, my role contributes to community health and wellbeing by serving as a bridge between individuals, families, healthcare providers, and community resources.

My work goes beyond connecting individuals to services; it is centered on building trust, advocating for patients and families, and addressing social determinants of health such as transportation barriers, food insecurity, housing instability, and access to healthcare.

A key part of my work is building trusting relationships with community members. Because CHWs often come from or work closely within the communities we serve, we are able to understand cultural, social, and economic factors that affect their health. This trust helps people feel comfortable discussing their needs and seeking support.

Through training and education, my role extends beyond supporting internal staff; I also collaborate with community and education partners to increase awareness, promote prevention, and share opportunities for screening, referral, and treatment resources. Through partnerships with organizations and other community-based organizations, we are expanding awareness and strengthening the capacity of CHWs to respond to emerging health challenges.

By empowering CHWs with education, tools, and resources, we support their ability to reach, underserved populations, reduce stigma, connect people to care, and advance healthier communities across Massachusetts.

CHWs are critical in improving community health by serving as trusted partners who connect individuals and families with the information, resources, and support they need to thrive. Their ability to build relationships, understand community needs, and address social drivers of health allows them to identify barriers to care and help create pathways toward better health outcomes.

Monica Posada: I currently operate within the pediatrics department at NeighborHealth to aid in primary care with asthmatic patients in clinic and home visits. The home visits consist of delivery of asthma education, reinforcing medication adherence, and environmental/home interventions while providing supplies with each visit.

In addition to my direct work with patients, I also work with external programs (Breathe Easy, La Colaborativa, and MLCHC-CHW Advisory Council) to aid in program development for the asthma clinic through events such as health fairs and the Boston Asthma Home Visit Collaborative.

Rosa Felix: In my role overseeing the development of the CHW program at NEW Health Charlestown and now supporting the clinical and administrative oversight to the program, the contributions that our CHW team provides to our patients and community are significant.

Milena Rivas: My work focuses on strengthening the CHW workforce through innovative training, collaboration, and the integration of new approaches that enhance the impact of CHWs in healthcare and community settings. As the CHW Trainer for the Gambling Prevention Program, I support the development of CHWs by incorporating evidence informed strategies, public health education, and practical skills that prepare them to respond to evolving community needs.

In addition to training internal CHW teams, I collaborate with external education and community partners to expand awareness, strengthen cross-sector collaboration, screening, and connection to treatment services.

I am also interested in exploring how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and data analytics, can support workforce development and improve our understanding of social drivers of health. Utilizing data can help identify community trends, recognize gaps in services, and guide more targeted interventions that better respond to the needs of diverse populations. When thoughtfully implemented, technology can enhance CHW training, support decision-making, and expand access to resources while maintaining the essential human connection that defines CHW work.

Through collaboration of diverse organizations, I contribute to efforts that strengthen professional development, promote career pathways, and support the continued integration of CHWs as essential members of the healthcare workforce.

Rosa Felix: It has been such a pleasure to support our CHWs gain necessary skills and help them advance professionally. To date, our CHW program has seen 4 CHWs advance to higher learning pursuing degrees such as Master’s in Public Health, Master’s in Social Work, Master’s in Clinical Counseling, Medical and Nursing School.

IHE: Please tell us about how you see CHWs as leaders advancing health equity.

Doraliz Vega: CHWs play a vital role in advancing health equity by bringing the voices, experiences, and needs of the communities we serve directly into healthcare systems and community programs. As trusted members of the community, we are uniquely positioned to identify challenges and connect individuals with support and resources. For me, being a Community Health Worker is more than a profession; it is a calling to serve others with compassion, dignity, and respect while helping individuals and families achieve healthier, more stable lives.

Monica Posada: Community Health Workers are the bridge to advancing health equity, especially as there has been an increase in distrust in healthcare providers and misinformation in the healthcare space. CHWs are there to help educate patients on gaining back their trust and giving them the tools to be better equipped for the future. CHWs can relate to patients as they often come from the same community and/or background as the patient. I have had patients tell me that, because we have similar ethnic background, they feel more comfortable with speaking to me and relaying messages back to a provider or helping them, for example, to fill out a form on their phone, refilling medication, etc.

Rosa Felix: With backing from state and federal government and advocacy for third party payor reimbursement of CHW work, I can see CHWs have a more active clinical role in supporting patient’s health goals, reduce overall costs of medical care, and improve patient trust in the healthcare system.

Milena Rivas: CHWs are leaders in advancing health equity because they bring community knowledge, cultural understanding, and trusted relationships into healthcare systems. Their leadership allows healthcare organizations to better understand and respond to the realities faced by the communities they serve.

CHWs are not only connectors to resources; they are advocates, educators, and change agents who help identify barriers, amplify community voices, and create solutions that are more inclusive and responsive. To continue advancing health equity, it is essential that CHWs have access to ongoing professional development, leadership opportunities, and skill building pathways that recognize their expertise and support their growth.

Through my roles as a CHW Trainer and as a member of the Massachusetts League of Community Centers Community Health Worker Advisory Council, I have the opportunity to support and advocate for the continued recognition and advancement of the CHW profession. By investing in CHW leadership development, we strengthen a workforce that is essential to creating more equitable, accessible, and community-Centered healthcare systems.

Milena Rivas is a Community Health Worker Trainer at Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center and a member of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Center’s Community Health Worker Advisory Council. She is passionate about workforce development and advocating for the CHW profession. She believes that meaningful relationships are at the heart of better health and is committed to empowering individuals and families through compassionate support, culturally responsive care, and connection to the resources they need to thrive. Through her work, she strives to strengthen communities and promote health equity. 

Monica Posada is a Community Health Worker at NeighborHealth. She is also currently in her last year of acquiring her Masters in Public Health with a concentration in health equity from Boston University. Coming from an immigrant community and seeing day to day disparities first hand, Monica was inspired to pursue this additional degree in order to better help her community. She now works alongside her current pediatrician who saw her when she was a week old. Everyone she sees at work inspires her to do better not only for her mom and brother, but also for prosperity within her community so one day all of these disparities amongst people will be at a minimum and not a normal.  

Rosa Felix is a bilingual/bicultural clinical social worker. Dedicated in providing behavioral health treatment to a diverse population in the Boston area. Her clinical interests include trauma focused work, health equity, and community work, and advocacy. She has over 15 years of experience working in healthcare, including MGH and Boston Children’s Hospital. She is a graduate of Boston University and Simmons College. 

Mass League Community Health Worker Initiatives

Led by Nikki Simpson and Alyson Frigon

Their team strives to advance the CHW profession in the following ways:

• Integrate CHWs more effectively into health center medical, behavioral health, and dental care teams.
• Create opportunities for professional growth and innovation within the CHW roles.
• Ensure CHWs are equipped to meet the evolving needs of the communities they serve.

The current internal CHW initiatives include:

• Hosting an 18-hr Behavioral Health Training Program for CHWs: This 18-hour program provides CHWs with the knowledge and skills to best serve their patients who struggle with various behavioral health conditions and techniques to support themselves through this work. This program has been broken down into three main topic areas: trauma, mental health, and substance use.
• Hosting CHW forums on various topics on health-related social needs and resources related to community health work.
• Maintaining an online learning community for CHWs and CHW Supervisors at Community Health Centers with 540 members combined.
• Supporting the CHW Advisory Council: Established in 2022, this council aims to receive feedback and input from experienced CHWs and CHW Supervisors on best practices for CHW programming. Through this work, the team has developed a tiering model for professional growth for CHWs at health centers.

Nikki Simpson: One of the greatest rewards has been watching Community Health Workers find their voice- not only as trusted members of healthcare teams, but as leaders, advocates, and change agents within their communities. Seeing them grow in confidence, champion health equity, and continue to move this work forward has been both inspiring and reaffirming. Their leadership is helping shape stronger systems of care and create lasting change for the individuals and communities they serve.

While there is still much work ahead, I believe we have laid the foundation for a stronger, more sustainable Community Health Worker workforce through advocacy, representation, partnership, and continued support. The opportunity before us is to build on that momentum by strengthening the infrastructure, advancing sustainable funding, and creating systems that recognize, invest in, and sustain the profession for years to come.

Alyson Frigon: I am honored to have dedicated my career to advocating for the Community Health Worker (CHW) profession, particularly those serving at Community Health Centers. CHWs are the living embodiment of the health center mission—breaking down barriers to care and delivering holistic support that nurtures not only the health but also the overall well-being of the communities they serve.

Despite the decades-long legacy of this profession, CHWs continue to face challenges in securing the recognition and funding essential to sustaining their critical work. That is why I am deeply grateful for opportunities like this to highlight and elevate the indispensable contributions of CHWs.

National Association of Community Health Centers

8/16 – 8/18 Community Health Conference

In this session, the speakers explored examples from the field of what we call health center-led science—the body of knowledge that comes from research and evaluation that is built on community health center expertise and leadership for the purpose of remaining responsive to community health needs and improving health and health promoting policies.

Our session highlighted two distinct examples of health center-led science, their processes, and outcomes, presented by the health center leaders on these projects. Caring Health Center will share the processes, results, and reflections from an original qualitative research project that sought to explore how to build strong and effective referral networks to enhance access to substance use disorder care and support recovery. Brockton Neighborhood Health Center and NeighborHealth will discuss a unique partnership in which they engaged in a learning collaborative, working within their health centers and with each other, to create innovative digital screening and population health tools with the goal of improving maternal and child health outcomes.

Health center-led science presents a novel framework that taps into a rich history of community health center engagement in research and science. This session highlights the ways in which community health centers, through their deep community knowledge and healthcare expertise, are well-positioned to engage in research and science to understand, and respond to, evolving community needs. In doing so, health-center led science may open doors for new revenue streams and workforce roles in our ever-changing landscape.

American Evaluation Association

11/16-11/20 Conference 2026

LOOKING Back

Introducing Victoria Bhambhani, MPH

IHE Senior Operations Manager

IHE is delighted to introduce Victoria M. Bhambhani, MPH, our new Senior Operations Manager who joined the team in July.

Victoria is a public health professional specializing in clinical research, health equity, and strategic program management. She holds a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and has an academic background in Biology. Most recently, she supported research and community engagement initiatives at Harvard Medical School, leading the annual New England Science Symposium and fostering collaboration across the biomedical research community.

We are so excited to welcome Victoria to the IHE team and to the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers!

National Health Center Week

8/2 – 8/8 Building Innovative Care Where It Matters Most

Every August, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) sponsors National Health Center Week (NHCW) to celebrate and increase awareness of America’s 1,512 Community Health Centers (CHCs).

Health Center Week is a time to recognize the vital role our member community health centers play in providing high-quality, accessible primary care to individuals and families across the Commonwealth.

This year’s theme, “Building Innovative Care Where It Matters Most,” celebrates how community health centers use creativity and commitment to advance innovative solutions that meet patients where they are and improve primary care delivery, access, and outcomes nationwide.

This commitment and creativity includes partnering with key stakeholders and elected officials to strengthen relationships that support high-quality, patient-centered care in the communities they serve.

Health Center week events and observances took place across Massachusetts, such as the New Bedford Community Health “We Care Community Fair” on August 8th and the “Partners in Public Service Day” also on August 8th.

Learn more about NHCW events at CHCs in Massachusetts.

American Sociological Association

8/7-8/11 Annual Meeting 2026

IHE headed to New York on August 8th to attend the American Sociological Association annual meeting! IHE’s own Jeff Nicklas, PhD, presented on applying community leadership and sociological approaches to community health research and evaluation. The team attended panels and appreciated the opportunity to learn about new approaches to qualitative research and AI in health equity.

Learn more about the ASA 2026 Annual Meeting.