We are pleased to highlight three grants initiated this fiscal year:

PREFER Community Health Worker Genomics Research Education Program

The Healing Trust Resilient Families Grant

Southeast CHW Network

PREFER Community Health Worker Genomics Research Education Program, led

by the Medical University of South Carolina

PREFER, which is an acronym for PaRtnEring to build understanding oF gEnomics Responsibly, is a collaboration of Community Health Worker associations in four Southern states. Together we are creating a virtual course that will provide CHWs with an opportunity to learn about genetics and how to support community participation in genetic clinical services and research.

PREFER is a virtual course that includes pre-recorded content, live sessions, and a practical applications project. The course covers topics such as family health history collection, hereditary cancers (breast, ovarian, colorectal), sickle cell disease, genetic testing and counseling, navigating genetic resources, and ethical issues related to genetics. The five sites participating in the development of the course are Southern Mississippi University, North Carolina CHW Association, Center for Community Health Alignment (South Carolina), South Carolina State University, and TNCHWA.

The course will be offered five times over the next year. The first two training sessions will be offered this summer, and applications are open now. Follow this link for more information.

The Healing Trust Resilient Families Grant

The Healing Trust is a private, independent foundation formed in 2002 in Middle Tennessee and they provide more than 100 grants annually. TNCHWA received a Resilient Families grant in the Fall of 2024. These grants focus on the well-being of both children and their families, and they also support organizational capacity building. The Healing Trust, committed to health equity, recently expanded their definition of health from clinical health to some social determinants of health. They recognize the significant role CHWs play in addressing these issues. TNCHWA’s funds are focused on our efforts in the five Tennessee counties the Trust supports:  Bedford, Davidson, Maury, Montgomery, and Rutherford Counties. Click this link to learn more about The Healing Trust.

Southeast CHW Network via the Center for Community Health Alignment at the

University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health

The Center for Community Health Alignment (CCHA) at the University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health was awarded funding from Johnson and Johnson’s Race to Health Equity initiative to support CHW workforce capacity in the Southeast. Grants are designed to support CHW associations as they work to strengthen their capacity for growth and stability. In July of 2024 TNCHWA was awarded funding to launch our membership program, update our website, and create a newsletter and social media platforms to inform members and other community health workers throughout the state. Click this link to learn more about the Southeast CHW Network.