Mission

The Community Health Worker (CHW) Collaborative of Pierce County (PC) current goal and value statements are below. The Collaborative is currently working on the development of a Mission or Impact statement, based on the Overall Goal and Values statements.

Overall Goal

The Pierce County CHW Collaborative works together to raise community voice. We aim to advocate for our CHW workforce as having a critical role in health reform, systems change, and community advocacy.

Values

To accomplish this goal we have a critical mass of local CHWs accountable & committed to the overall goal of us as a collective.  We have our own identity validating the community out approach!

Strategic Plan

The Strategic Plan of the CHW Collaborative of Pierce County is still in development but close to being finalized. It will be based on the two core goals the CHWs have identified as essential to their work as individual CHWs and for ensuring health equity of Pierce County. They are also committed to participating on changes to systems and policies that directly impact the health of the Pierce County community.

To meet this goal the Collaborative has prioritized two main objectives: 

1. CONNECT COMMUNITY VOICE TO SYSTEMS REFORM: The Collaborative aims to advocate for the CHW workforce as having a critical role in health reform, systems change, and community advocacy. 

Key strategies to meet objectives: 

  • Collectively have a CHW scope/definition position to represent Pierce CHWs on a statewide CHW Task Force
  • Advocate for authentic community engagement and collective CHW voice in local and regional community needs assessments
  • Support the development of a CHW hub or navigation system
  • Establish “Policy Watch” liaisons from our CHW network to sit on community coalitions that assess and address transportation and housing issues that impact our community member’s health and stability.

 2. CHW SKILL DEVELOPMENT & NETWORKING: The Collaborative aims to share goals, common approaches, and professional connections; share challenges, best practices, and innovative ideas, and to deepen learning to strengthen existing skills to further CHW effectiveness.

Key strategies to meet objectives: 

  • Develop a skills development plan for the Pierce County CHW network based on our key priority areas listed above.
  • Develop a resource directory that highlights CHW skill sets within our network. 

Core Programs and Activities

  • CHW Collaborative of Pierce County monthly regular meetings. Meeting goals:
    • Develop the structure and governance of the Collaborative
    • Develop and finalize a strategic plan
    • Identify opportunities for partnership, funding
  • Connect Community Voice to Systems Reform
    • Participate in statewide CHW Task Force
    • Participate in and bring community voice to Pierce County Health Department’s Community Health Improvement Plan-CHW strategy
    • Identify key partners to engage
  • CHW Skill Development and Networking
    • Provide skills building and professional development at quarterly workshop (including in 2015: Mental Health 101, Policy-Advocacy, Adverse Childhood Experiences)
      • Provide CHWs with support to attend conferences, seminars or trainings (travel reimbursement, conference fees, etc.)
      • Develop a CHW resource directory with CHWs as target audience