About this Webinar

This one-time virtual training will introduce foundational behavioral health concepts and equip Community Health Workers (CHWs) with practical strategies to support community members experiencing behavioral health challenges. CHWs will gain clarity on their role and how it integrates and differs from peer specialists and clinical providers.

The Session includes real-world case examples and interactive discussions to deepen learning. MCD will provide facilitation by experienced CHW trainers and include CHWs with lived experience working in the behavioral health field to ensure real-world relevance and peer-informed learning.

The Session will align with MCD's upcoming Behavioral Health Specialty Track for CHWs and serve as both a stand-alone learning opportunity and a gateway to deeper training.

What you'll learn

• Define behavioral health and explain its relevance to whole-person care.
• Describe the unique role of CHWs in promoting mental wellness and supporting individuals.
• Understand common mental health concerns and substance use disorders.
• Understand how stigma affects help-seeking behavior.
• Access learning resources and referral tools for continued development.

Subject Matter Experts

• 
  

  Elizabeth Foley
  Co-Director of Public Health 
  MCD Global Health

More
Elizabeth Foley, MCD, U.S. Programs Co-Director, has over 30 years of experience in healthcare and public health, spanning both domestic and international organizations. She has served as an advisor to national and state health improvement efforts, including the Maine CDC's Chronic Disease Programs, the National Health Disparities Collaborative, the Federally Qualified Health Center Network, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and the Robert Wood Johnson Aligning Forces for Quality. As lead content expert and curriculum designer for MCD's eLearning and Workforce Development programs, she and her team develop and deliver in-person and virtual training and technical assistance for thousands of public health professionals, healthcare providers, and community health workers throughout the United States and across the globe. Prior to joining MCD, Ms. Foley worked for the global NGO Partners In Health and the Harvard Medical School Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, designing and facilitating community health worker initiatives in the United States and developing countries.
• 
  

  Cristina Leal
  Senior Program Manager, CHW Initiatives, MCD Global Health

More
Cristina Leal is the Senior Program Manager for Community health worker initiatives at MCD. In this role, she leads the HRSA-funded Community Health Worker (CHW) Training Program-CHWTP and oversees MCD's various CHW programs and team members. She is also responsible for cross-sector partnerships between community-based learning and traditional academic learning. She brings significant knowledge and experience in CHW training and CHW-led programs. Ms. Leal is fluent in English and Spanish, completed her Master's in Public Health at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas in 2024, Bachelor's Degree at the University of Texas-Pan American in 2011, and obtained a Texas CHW Certification in 2016.
• 
  

  Betty St. Hilaire
  Patient Advisory Coordinator, Winthrop Pediatrics 

More
Betty St. Hilaire is a community health worker (CHW), the 2024 CHW Supervisor of the Year, and the current co-chair of the Maine Community Health Worker Initiative (MECHWI). Betty is the founder and board president of The United Community Living Center, a nonprofit whose mission is to provide support for the unhoused community. She is also the Past Chair of the Augusta Emergency Overnight Warming Center Advisory Council. Betty works as a Program manager overseeing the Community Health Worker Program as well as a recovery coach and ABC Parent coach for MaineGeneral Medical Center, the third largest health system in Maine. She sits on the Board of Directors of the Kennebec Valley Community Action Program where she serves on both their housing and executive committees. She has extensive experience in program development and implementation as well as grant and program management. Betty is a 2024 Graduate of the Hanley Center for Health Leadership Program and is a certified Beagle Poverty Coach. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Mental Health and Human Services and a Graduate Certificate in Substance use disorders from the University of Maine at Augusta. Betty has served in previous roles as a clinical-based social worker in a primary care residency practice, a care coordinator managing care plans for MaineCare members and as a Patient Advisory Coordinator, where she convened and led a patient advisory council for a major health system in Maine.

Enrollment and Contact Hours

Select the Enroll button below to register for the course. If you have any trouble accessing the course, contact support@nephtc.org.

Acknowledgement:  This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of award 2 UB6HP31685‐05‐00 “Public Health Training Centers.” The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.
This training was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $400,000 with 100% funded by HRSA/HHS and 0% funded by nongovernment source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

* Yale School of Public Health, Office of Public Health Practice, a New England Public Health Training Center partner, is a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. All CHES credit inquiries are managed by YSPH

Registration

Select the Enroll Me button below to register for this recording. If you have any trouble accessing the recording, contact support@nephtc.org.

About this Workshop

This MACHW interactive workshop series aims to support CHWs as they strive to serve their clients during these challenging times. The workshop formats will include expert panels, Q and A, and case studies on critical issues from across Massachusetts.

Dr. Newman will walk us through the importance of CHWs in the Public Health Workforce, the inequities and paternalism lived through history, and taking action.

What you'll learn

At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Explain how the Social Determinants of Health impact health equity
• Discuss the inequitable trajectory of public health
• Uncover new ways of staying encouraged in the CHW movement

Subject Matter Experts

• 
  

  Johanna Newman, DNAP, CRNA

More
Dr. Johanna Newman is an Associate Professor and Founding Program Director of the Nurse Anesthesiology Program at Mary Baldwin University in Staunton, Virginia. Dr. Newman earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing in May 1999 from William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ; her Master’s of Science, with a concentration in Nursing Anesthesiology, from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. in 2004; and her Doctorate’s degree of Nurse Anesthetist Practice from Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA in 2011. She has been involved in educating nurse anesthesiology students for the past 14 years and practicing anesthesia in a variety of clinical settings for the past 18 years. Her clinical area of expertise is in providing anesthesia to pediatric patients. Dr. Newman has served in various leadership roles at the local, state, and national levels. Most recently, she served as President of the Florida Association of Nurse Anesthetists Board of Directors. Dr. Newman also recently served as Committee Chair and Item Writer of the Continued Professional Certification Examination Practice Committee of the National Board on Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetist. Dr. Newman has published in nationally recognized scientific journals and has presented poster and podium presentations at the state, national, and international levels. Her area of research interest includes mental health and wellness, diversity and inclusion in healthcare, and implementation of Quality Matters in online courses.

• 
  

  Leslie Agyemfra

More
Leslie Agyemfra is an experienced health care professional with over 10 years of experience in both the Human Services and Public Health sectors. Leslie is a graduate of CHEC Lowell, having completed their Comprehensive Outreach and Education Certificate, Leslie became a certified Community Health Worker. With intersectional liberation as her guiding principle, Leslie is also staunch racial equity and mental health advocate. Leslie received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from Worcester State University and is working toward a Master of Public Administration degree at UMass Boston, with a focus on Gender, Leadership, and Public Policy.



Registration

Select the Enroll Me button below to register for this workshop. If you have any trouble accessing the workshop, contact support@nephtc.org.

Acknowledgement_: 
This project is supported by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Acknowledgement: This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of award 2 UB6HP31685‐05‐00 “Public Health Training Centers.” The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

About this Workshop

This MACHW interactive workshop series aims to support CHWs as they strive to serve their clients during these challenging times. The workshop formats will include expert panels, Q and A, and case studies on critical issues from across Massachusetts.

In this workshop, we explore the science of stress and anxiety. One of the impacts of the ongoing stress that many of us are experiencing as a result of COVID-19 is that we may feel like doing nothing, when actually doing something is critical for building resilience. We will explore how our science-based framework, TEB (thoughts, emotions and behaviors) can get us unstuck. We will then explore our science-driven skill “Charge Up” by practicing planning activities that charge up our “batteries” and can help us, and the individuals we work with, improve mental and physical health.

What you'll learn

At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Describe what is happening in our brains when we experience stressful situations
• Describe the difference between healthy and unhealthy levels of stress and anxiety
• Explain how stressful situations can lead to “spinning cycles” of unhelpful thoughts, emotions, and behaviors
• Describe how stressors can cause us to shut down and disengage
• Explain how “Charge Up” can be used to help someone who is overwhelmed with stress and feeling stuck, disengaged, and drained of energy
• List multiple examples of how to Charge Up
• Describe the steps of Charge Up and how those steps could be applied

Moderators

• 
  

  Lisette Blondet

More

Lissette Blondet is the director of the Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers (MACHW). She has dedicated most of her professional life to anchoring community health workers (CHWs) as public health professionals.
In 1993, she founded the Community Health Education Center (CHEC), one of the first training and resource centers for CHWs in the country. CHEC’s standards for CHW curricula and core competencies have been replicated in other states. The program was so successful that in 1997, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health funded its expansion to the northeast region of the state. Both centers, CHEC Boston and CHEC Northeast are still thriving and have graduated over a thousand CHWs.
More recently, Lissette provided technical assistance to the Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund on community health and community health workers. She also previously served as Director of Community Benefits for Cape Cod Healthcare, focusing on making healthcare accessible to the underserved while building her experience in healthcare financing.
As the director of MACHW, Lissette brings all her experience and skills to strengthen the association and strategically position the workforce to seize the many opportunities now available through health care reform, including reimbursement and broad recognition of the attributes and competencies of CHWs.

• 
  

  Jamie Berberena

More

Jamie Berberena is the Southeast Regional Leader and Advisory Board member with the Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers. She is a passionate public health advocate focused on promoting racial equity throughout Massachusetts. With over a decade of experience promoting the health and well-being of diverse communities across Massachusetts by providing direct support and guidance through community-based programs, multi-disciplinary clinical programs and health policy initiatives.

• 
  

  Areliz Barbosa

More

Areliz Barbosa is a CHW and is the Regional Chapter Leader for Western Massachusetts for the Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers.

Moderator

• 
  

  Ylira Pimentel

More

Ylira Pimentel, LICSW, currently works with MGH’s Community Psychiatry Program for Research in Implementation and Dissemination of Evidenced-Based Treatments (PRIDE) which spearheads efforts to bring evidenced-based practices and science-driven skills to organizations and communities. At PRIDE’s Training Institute she is a group coach for its Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) based TEB (Thoughts, Emotions, Behavior) curriculum. She has extensive experience working with diverse populations through administrative, clinical, and consulting roles in organizations such as Vinfen, BayCove, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)-Boston and MGH’s Chelsea Healthcare Center. She is also a part-time faculty member at Boston College School of Social Work, where she teaches Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. She holds an B.A. from Umass Boston, an M.S.W. and a certificate in child and adolescent trauma from Simmons College.

Registration

Select the Enroll Me button below to register for this workshop. If you have any trouble accessing the workshop, contact support@nephtc.org.

_{Acknowledgement:} 

This project is supported by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health

_{This project is/was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB6HP31685 “Regional Public Health Training Center Program”. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.}

About this Workshop

This MACHW interactive workshop series aims to support CHWs as they strive to serve their clients during these challenging times. The workshop formats will include expert panels, Q and A, and case studies on critical issues from across Massachusetts.

Dr. Johnson will present on the 10C’s model he develops for understanding intergenerational trauma, vicarious trauma, diversity, conflict, self and social transformation.  He will share how he use the 10C’s to help individual, groups, communities and organizations, acquire   the knowledge, skills and abilities to challenge internalize and systemic oppression, by being culturally competent while engaging in cross cultural relationships.  The model helps us understand the trauma, that cause the conflicts that are often faced during these experiences, that causes us to recognize and question power differences around race, culture, gender, class, sexual orientation, and other aspects of diversity.  The 10C’s model helps in understand the complex social and political meaning of what we call diversity.

What you'll learn

At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Describe the 10Cs model and how it can help to build cross cultural relationships
• Explain sources, symptoms, and the long and short term effects of trauma
• Discuss epigenetics and the generational passing of trauma
• Recognize Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome and the positive and negative adaptive behaviors that may result from it

Subject Matter Expert

• 
  

  Ulric Johnson
  
  Associate Director of Employee Assistance Program for City of Boston

More
Dr. Ulric Johnson is a community organizer focusing on the impact of “isms” and violence on youth, families, organizations and communities. He specializes in the impact of color, culture, class, character and context on individual and group behaviors, especially as it relates to the prevention, progression and treatment of what he refers to as addictive behaviors.

He runs a private group practice Transformation Awareness Growth Vision. Where he and his associates provide cross cultural, anti-racism, mental health counseling, coaching and consultation, as well as the founder and director of Teens Against Gang Violence, a peer leadership, youth and family program.

He’s the Associate Director for the City of Boston Employee Assistant Program, where he oversees the clinical services that the program provided for over 18,000 employees, and their families.

Dr. Johnson is the former Assistant Dean/Campus Director of Springfield College: Boston Campus School of Human Services, Co-founder of the Peaceable Schools and Community Group, a former faculty member of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and the Lesley College Center for Peaceable Schools and Communities.

Dr. Johnson received his PhD in Cross Cultural Psychology from Southwestern University and his M.A in Psychology from Boston College.

He is a Board-Certified Human Service Professional, Certified Addiction Specialist, Certified AIDS counselor, Certified Forensic Counselor, Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Rehabilitation Counselor, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.

Dr. Johnson is a local, national, and international organizer, presenter, consultant and trainer on Cross Cultural and Multicultural communication and relationship, Gang Violence Prevention and Youth Leadership Development. He is actively involved in his local community in developing coalitions and collaborative work in bringing a multicultural approach to the issues of urban violence from a Public Health perspective.


He refers to himself as an African Trin-Bagonian, because he is originally from Trinidad and Tobago. He presently lives in Dorchester, Boston MA.

Quote: “Commitment is focus, strategy, determination, and consistency driven by love, and grounded in knowledge” From the “10C’s Model of Diversity Awareness and Social Change” By Ulric Johnson and Patti DeRosa

• 
  

  Terry Mason
  
  

More

Theresa (Terry) Mason is an experienced public health and policy researcher, policy advocate and activist based in Boston, Massachusetts. Her graduate degrees are in socio-cultural anthropology. Her studies focused on social and political movements for change and on race, class, and ethnicity in the U.S. For the past fifteen years she has specialized in policy research and development to promote and support advancement of community health workers as part of public health, health care and other community based teams. She began this work while on staff at the Massachusetts Public Health Association where she worked as part of the MACHW -led campaign to successfully pass legislation establishing voluntary state certification for CHWs. She volunteered to prepare CHWs to talk to their legislators and led meetings at multiple MACHW annual CHW advocacy days at the legislature. She also developed a training for CHWs to expand thinking about change beyond the individual to the community level. Terry has worked directly with CHWs in harm reduction work among drug injectors at risk for HIV/AIDs, organized health care providers nationally to advocate for changes in global HIV/AIDs financing, and worked as part of collaborations promoting sustainable financing of CHWs. She is a long-time climate justice advocate and has volunteered on many community and city change initiatives, as well as volunteering on campaigns for city, state, and national candidates who promote equity and social justice.



Registration

Select the Enroll Me button below to register for this workshop. If you have any trouble accessing the workshop, contact support@nephtc.org.

Acknowledgement_: 
This project is supported by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Acknowledgement: This project is/was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB6HP31685 “Regional Public Health Training Center Program.” This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

About this Workshop

This MACHW interactive workshop series aims to support CHWs as they strive to serve their clients during these challenging times. The workshop formats will include expert panels, Q and A, and case studies on critical issues from across Massachusetts.

In this workshop, Sonalis DeLeon will walk us through the importance of wellness and health as public health workers. She will be providing information on The Seven Dimensions of Wellness.

What you'll learn

At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Explain the concept of The Seven Dimensions of Wellness
• Discuss how The Seven Dimensions of Wellness can help motivate and empower
• Identify additional tools that CHW’s can use to enhance their practice
  
  

Subject Matter Expert

• 
  

  Sonalis DeLeon
  Program Coordinator,
  Office of Community Health Workers,
  Boston Department of Public Health

More
Sonalis De Leon is Hispanic and Puerto Rican and is the Community Health Worker Program Coordinator for the Department of Public Health. She has been a CHW for nine years and in the medical field for over 15 years. Her journey started at Baystate Health Systems, and from there, moved to Commonwealth Care Alliance Health Insurance. As a CHW, her passion is to help and improve the lives of those in need in our communities, by addressing their social determinants of health. Her main goal as a CHW is to impact people’s lives in a positive way and help them overcome any barriers to achieve a healthy life. “Diversity is not about how we differ. Diversity is about embracing one another’s uniqueness.” – Ola Joseph

• 
  

  Gail Hirsch
  Senior Advisor,
  Office of Community Health Workers,
  MA Department of Health

More
Gail Hirsch is the former Director, and currently Senior Advisor, to the Office of Community Health Workers at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, where she led state public health efforts to advance the CHW workforce for over 25 years. She is a founding Board member of both the Massachusetts Association of CHWs (MACHW) and the National Association of CHWs (NACHW), and served as Co-Chair of the national CHW Core Consensus (C3) Project Advisory Committee. She is a leader in CHW policy and organizing efforts in Massachusetts and nationally, and serves as an advisor to other states, federal agencies, and regional and national organizations. She is a steering committee member of the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) and has co-authored numerous reports and articles on state policy support for CHWs. She holds a Master’s Degree in Education.



Registration

Select the Enroll Me button below to register for this workshop. If you have any trouble accessing the workshop, contact support@nephtc.org.

Acknowledgement_: 
This project is supported by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Acknowledgement: This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of award 2 UB6HP31685‐05‐00 “Public Health Training Centers.” The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

About this Workshop

This MACHW interactive workshop series aims to support CHWs as they strive to serve their clients during these challenging times. The workshop formats will include expert panels, Q and A, and case studies on critical issues from across Massachusetts.

What you'll learn

At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Describe strategies for CHWs supporting immigration rights at the state/local level
• Find resources about worker rights and access to healthcare regardless of immigration status
• Find housing resources for immigrants
• Describe the current status of humanitarian immigration relief & Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
• Describe temporary Protected Status (TPS) & Reasons for deportation
• Identify an organization to contact if a client experiences discrimination

Moderators

• 
  

  Lisette Blondet

More

Lissette Blondet is the director of the Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers (MACHW). She has dedicated most of her professional life to anchoring community health workers (CHWs) as public health professionals.
In 1993, she founded the Community Health Education Center (CHEC), one of the first training and resource centers for CHWs in the country. CHEC’s standards for CHW curricula and core competencies have been replicated in other states. The program was so successful that in 1997, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health funded its expansion to the northeast region of the state. Both centers, CHEC Boston and CHEC Northeast are still thriving and have graduated over a thousand CHWs.
More recently, Lissette provided technical assistance to the Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund on community health and community health workers. She also previously served as Director of Community Benefits for Cape Cod Healthcare, focusing on making healthcare accessible to the underserved while building her experience in healthcare financing.
As the director of MACHW, Lissette brings all her experience and skills to strengthen the association and strategically position the workforce to seize the many opportunities now available through health care reform, including reimbursement and broad recognition of the attributes and competencies of CHWs.

• 
  

  Jamie Berberena

More

Jamie Berberena is the Southeast Regional Leader and Advisory Board member with the Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers. She is a passionate public health advocate focused on promoting racial equity throughout Massachusetts. With over a decade of experience promoting the health and well-being of diverse communities across Massachusetts by providing direct support and guidance through community-based programs, multi-disciplinary clinical programs and health policy initiatives.

• 
  

  Areliz Barbosa

More

Areliz Barbosa is a CHW and is the Regional Chapter Leader for Western Massachusetts for the Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers.

Subject Matter Experts

• 
  

  Margalit Tepper

More

Margalit Tepper is the Integration Projects Lead at MIRA Coalition, working on initiatives related to education, social integration, and immigrant family wellbeing. She has previously worked in refugee resettlement case management and managed an ESOL program. Margalit holds a B.S. in Human Development from Indiana University, and an M.S.W. with concentrations in child welfare and immigrant and refugee populations from Boston College.

• 
  

  Jessica Chicco

More

Jessica Chicco oversees MIRA Coalition's education and training programs, citizenship program, and federal policy work. Prior to joining MIRA she was the Senior Immigration Attorney at DOVE (Domestic Violence Ended, Inc.) where she represented immigrant survivors of domestic violence. Jessica has wide-ranging experience working with community-based immigrant organizations in the greater Boston area. She holds a JD from NYU Law School and a BSFS from Georgetown University.

Registration

Select the Enroll Me button below to register for this workshop. If you have any trouble accessing the workshop, contact support@nephtc.org.

_{Acknowledgement:} 

This project is supported by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health

_{This project is/was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB6HP31685 “Regional Public Health Training Center Program”. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.}

About this Workshop

This MACHW interactive workshop series aims to support CHWs as they strive to serve their clients during these challenging times. The workshop formats will include expert panels, Q and A, and case studies on critical issues from across Massachusetts.

Community Health Workers are central in supporting the health of the communities they work with, and yet, they are often at risk for burnout themselves due to inequitable work conditions. This workshop will discuss strategies for voice and reflect on how to improve well-being at work.

At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Explore the connection between workers’ voices and their well-being as individuals, and as a collective group.
• Discuss benefits of worker unions and strategies for organizing workers in health and social services.
• Discuss strategies for voicing and improving well-being at work
• Recognize how systemic oppressions and practices impact our work and well being

Subject Matter Expert

To Learn more about the Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers please visit: www.machw.org

About this Workshop

The November 5 workshop is about the end of the eviction moratorium.

This MACHW interactive workshop series aims to support CHWs as they strive to serve their clients during these challenging times. The workshop formats will include expert panels, Q and A, and case studies on critical issues from across Massachusetts. 

Get the resources and skills you need to excel as a CHW during these trying times. A monthly participatory workshop designed specifically for CHWs

What you'll learn

At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Describe the moratorium at the federal and state level and the governor's new EDI initiative
• Describe strategies for advocacy at the local level
• Describe the fair housing framework and discrimination red flags
• Know the two follow up steps: Apply for RAFT and fill out the CDC Order

Moderators

• 
  

  Lisette Blondet

More

Lissette Blondet is the director of the Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers (MACHW). She has dedicated most of her professional life to anchoring community health workers (CHWs) as public health professionals.
In 1993, she founded the Community Health Education Center (CHEC), one of the first training and resource centers for CHWs in the country. CHEC’s standards for CHW curricula and core competencies have been replicated in other states. The program was so successful that in 1997, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health funded its expansion to the northeast region of the state. Both centers, CHEC Boston and CHEC Northeast are still thriving and have graduated over a thousand CHWs.
More recently, Lissette provided technical assistance to the Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund on community health and community health workers. She also previously served as Director of Community Benefits for Cape Cod Healthcare, focusing on making healthcare accessible to the underserved while building her experience in healthcare financing.
As the director of MACHW, Lissette brings all her experience and skills to strengthen the association and strategically position the workforce to seize the many opportunities now available through health care reform, including reimbursement and broad recognition of the attributes and competencies of CHWs.

• 
  

  Jamie Berberena

More

Jamie Berberena is the Southeast Regional Leader and Advisory Board member with the Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers. She is a passionate public health advocate focused on promoting racial equity throughout Massachusetts. With over a decade of experience promoting the health and well-being of diverse communities across Massachusetts by providing direct support and guidance through community-based programs, multi-disciplinary clinical programs and health policy initiatives.

• 
  

  Areliz Barbosa

More

Areliz Barbosa is a CHW and is the Regional Chapter Leader for Western Massachusetts for the Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers.

Subject Matter Experts

• 
  

  Andrea M. Park

More

Andrea M. Park joined MLRI as a Housing and Homelessness staff attorney in 2016. Prior to that Andrea worked as an Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights and Consumer Protection Divisions of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; an attorney at the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau on an innovative foreclosure defense project partnering lawyers and community organizers; and a staff attorney at Community Legal Aid in Worcester specializing in housing, foreclosure, consumer and bankruptcy litigation.
In 2015 Andrea was honored by the Harvard Law and International Development Society and Harvard Women's Law Association in their International Women's Day Portrait Exhibit entitled Women Inspiring Change. Andrea holds a B.A. from Tufts University, an M.A. from the University of Chicago, and a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School, where she served as director of the Indian Child Welfare Act Clinic. Andrea grew up in East Tennessee and is a lifelong musician.

• 
  

  Mary Ellen Natale

More

Mary Ellen Natale is Managing Attorney of South Coastal Counties Legal Services’ (SCCLS) New Bedford, MA Law Office. Prior to joining SCCLS, she was Deputy Director of the Legal Aid Society of Rockland County (NY). Her previous positions include Managing Attorney with Legal Aid of Western Ohio; and Staff Attorney positions with the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, Nassau/Suffolk Law Services Committee, the Legal Aid Society of Rochester, NY and with the Food Research and Action Center in Washington, DC. A graduate of Colgate University and Boston College Law School, she has held faculty positions at the Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and at St. John’s University School of Law.

• 
  

  Kristina da Fonseca

More

Attorney Kristina da Fonseca is founder and Executive Director of SouthCoast Fair Housing (SCFH). SCFH is a non-profit full-service fair housing organization with a mission is to eradicate housing discrimination and increase equal housing opportunities in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. SCFH provides fair housing education and outreach, investigates fair housing complaints, enforces fair housing laws, and advocates for policies that will further fair housing.

Registration

Select the Enroll Me button below to register for this workshop. If you have any trouble accessing the workshop, contact support@nephtc.org.

_{Acknowledgement:} 

This project is supported by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health

_{This project is/was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB6HP31685 “Regional Public Health Training Center Program”. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.}

About this Workshop

This MACHW  interactive workshop series aims to support CHWs as they strive to serve their clients during these challenging times. The workshop formats will include expert panels, Q and A, and case studies on critical issues from across Massachusetts.

In this workshop, we explore the Stress First Aid (SFA) model based on five evidence-informed factors that help people recover from stress and adversity. These include the need for safety, calm, connection, sense of competence or self-efficacy, and hope.

Stress First Aid (SFA) provides a framework for psychological peer support, with a set of supportive actions designed to promote self-care and coworker support. The overarching aim of SFA is to identify and mitigate the negative impacts of stress at work before they impair staff health and well-being.

At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Explore evidence informed strategies to increase self efficacy, promote self care and mental wellness
• Begin to understand and utilize resiliency practices and Stress First Aid
• Define empathy and compassion, how they differ and what gets in their way
• Describe what makes us strong and what makes us vulnerable as caregivers
• Better understand what takes place in our mind and body when we experience stress

Moderators

• 
  

  Lisette Blondet

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Lissette Blondet is the director of the Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers (MACHW). She has dedicated most of her professional life to anchoring community health workers (CHWs) as public health professionals. In 1993, she founded the Community Health Education Center (CHEC), one of the first training and resource centers for CHWs in the country. CHEC’s standards for CHW curricula and core competencies have been replicated in other states. The program was so successful that in 1997, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health funded its expansion to the northeast region of the state. Both centers, CHEC Boston and CHEC Northeast are still thriving and have graduated over a thousand CHWs. More recently, Lissette provided technical assistance to the Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund on community health and community health workers. She also previously served as Director of Community Benefits for Cape Cod Healthcare, focusing on making healthcare accessible to the underserved while building her experience in healthcare financing. As the director of MACHW, Lissette brings all her experience and skills to strengthen the association and strategically position the workforce to seize the many opportunities now available through health care reform, including reimbursement and broad recognition of the attributes and competencies of CHWs.

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  Jamie Berberena

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Jamie Berberena is the Southeast Regional Leader and Advisory Board member with the Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers. She is a passionate public health advocate focused on promoting racial equity throughout Massachusetts. With over a decade of experience promoting the health and well-being of diverse communities across Massachusetts by providing direct support and guidance through community-based programs, multi-disciplinary clinical programs and health policy initiatives.

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  Areliz Barbosa

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Areliz Barbosa is a CHW and is the Regional Chapter Leader for Western Massachusetts for the Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers.

Subject Matter Expert

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  Beth Lown

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Beth Lown, MD Chief Medical Officer of The Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare. In this role she creates scientific content and develops new initiatives, programs and research. She speaks locally, nationally and internationally about empathy, compassion and communication, and teaches these attributes and skills to health professionals across the continuum of learning. Dr. Lown is associate professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA and is a clinician- educator at Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge, MA.

Registration

Select the Enroll Me button below to register for this workshop. If you have any trouble accessing the workshop, contact support@nephtc.org.

_{Acknowledgement:} 

This project is supported by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health

_{This project is/was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB6HP31685 “Regional Public Health Training Center Program”. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.}

About this course

The goal of this course is to train Community Health Workers on Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) and encourage/support them in incorporating best practices, evidence based models, techniques and strategies into their practice at the community level.

What you'll learn

After completing the training, you will be able to...

• Describe the disease model of addiction and a holistic approach;
• Describe the Multiple Pathways of Recovery;
• Describe and Utilize the Stages of Change Model;
• Identify available SUDs resources at the community level; and
• Understand Stigma and their roles in addressing it

Meet the Trainer

• 
  Haner Hernandez, Ph.D., CPS, CADCII, LADCI

  Senior Consultant,
  Bureau of Substance 
  Abuse Services
  Massachusetts Department of
  Public Health
  

Enrollment and Contact Hours

To register for this course, please contact Dawn Heffernan at  dheffernan@schoolph.umass.edu . Once you are registered, you will receive an enrollment key to enter below.

Technical trouble accessing the course? Contact support@nephtc.org

Sobre este curso

Como un promotor de salud en la comunidad, una función clave es proveerles cuidados a poblaciones vulnerables para poder conectarlos con los servicios apropiados. Para lograr esto, los trabajadores en el campo de la salud deben identificar cuando debería realizarse una tarea de alcance y como desarrollar un plan de alcance efectivo.

Qué aprenderás

Tras completar este curso, podrás:

• Describir qué son las tareas de alcance y los componentes del Modelo de Alcance de la Salud
• Identificar las cualidades y características de una población vulnerable y qué inicia el trabajo de alcance
• Conocer tips que te mantendrán seguro en tus esfuerzos
• Describir cómo seleccionar métodos y estrategias de alcance efectivos
• Listar los elementos de un plan de alcance efectivo

Experta en el Tema

• 
  Dawn Heffernan, RN, MS, CDE

  Directora
  Western Massachusetts
  Public Health Training Center

Horario de Registro y Contacto

El Certificado de Realización incluirá la duración del módulo. Generalmente 50-60 minutos equivalen a 1 hora de contacto. Las horas de contacto pueden utilizarse para cumplir con los requisitos de ciertas credenciales. Confirme con su ente acreditador para verificar si este tema cumple con sus requisitos de educación continua.

¿No puedes acceder al curso? Contacta a support@nephtc.org

Reconocimiento:

Este Proyecto ha sido/fue subsidiado por la Administración de Recursos y Servicios de Salud (HRSA) del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Sociales de los Estados Unidos (HHS) bajo el número de subsidio UB6HP27877 “Programa Centro Regional de Entrenamiento en Salud”. La información, contenido y conclusiones son propias del autor y no deben considerarse como la posición o política oficial del HRSA, HHS o del Gobierno de los Estados Unidos.

About this course

By the nature of their role, community health workers manage sensitive information about clients and communities. Community health worker practice relies on laws and protocols to guide their decisions about how to handle client information. One of the most important laws established to protect the privacy and confidentiality of health information is commonly referred to as HIPAA, also known as Health Insurance Portability Act. Note: If working in a HIPAA covered organization this training is only an introduction and you may still be required to attend HIPAA training through your employer. Not all organizations are HIPAA covered entities.

What you'll learn

After completing this course, you will be able to...

• Define HIPAA
• List key components of protected health information
• Identify at least three circumstances where CHWs apply HIPAA during their workday
• Recognize one circumstance when you have an obligation to report HIPAA covered information

Subject Matter Expert

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  Dawn Heffernan
  

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Dawn Heffernan is a nurse and a public health professional who has supervised and trained community health workers for over a decade. Ms. Heffernan is passionate about community health and education. In addition to developing training for the New Public Health Training Center, she is currently working for Partners in Health as a case investigator for the corona virus pandemic.


Enrollment and Contact Hours

Select the Enroll button below to register for the course. If you have any trouble accessing the course, contact support@nephtc.org.

Acknowledgement:


This project is/was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB6HP31685 “Regional Public Health Training Center Program.” This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

About this course

As a community health outreach worker, a key function of the role is providing health outreach to vulnerable populations in order to connect them with the appropriate enabling services. In order to do so, community health workers must be able to identify when outreach should occur and how to develop the most effective outreach plan.

What you'll learn

After completing this course, you will be able to...

• Articulate what outreach is and the components of the Health Outreach Model
• Identify qualities and characteristics of vulnerable populations and what triggers outreach
• List tips to keep you safe in your outreach efforts
• Describe how to choose effective outreach methods and strategies
• Outline the elements of an effective outreach plan

Subject Matter Expert

• 
  Dawn Heffernan, RN, MS, CDE

  Director,
  Western Massachusetts
  Public Health Training Center

Enrollment and Contact Hours

Note there are two different options for enrolling in this course highlighted in the table below.

The Certificate of Completion will include the length of the module. Generally 50 – 60 minutes is equivalent to 1 contact hour. Contact hours may be applicable towards continuing education requirements for certain credentials. Check with your credentialing body to verify if the topic meets its continuing education requirements.

Having trouble accessing the course? Contact support@nephtc.org

Acknowledgement:

This project is/was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB6HP27877 “Regional Public Health Training Center Program”. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.