The Community Health Worker Initiative in West Suburban Cook County, Illinois is expanding beyond its three-year pilot stage at a pivotal moment for the development of CHW legislation and workforce in the State of Illinois.

Designed as a learning collaborative, the West Suburban Cook County CHW Initiative is the first of its kind in the country and now serves as a model for other communities seeking to provide CHWs with ongoing education and support from experts in public health and social services. The collaborative unites 12 CHWs from five community organizations serving diverse populations, and is facilitated by Health & Medicine Policy Research Group (Health & Medicine) and Sinai Urban Health Institute (SUHI) with funding from Community Memorial Foundation and Healthy Communities Foundation. Read the full newsletter here.