Celebrating Five New Community Health Workers

Health Care Access Now (HCAN) proudly celebrated the graduation of five new Community Health Workers (CHWs), marking an important step in expanding health care access and strengthening communities through compassion and lived experience.

We congratulate our graduates: Antonia Barrow, Essence Craig, Bobbi DePriest, Dyshidia Stegall, and Lonnie Stith. This graduation also welcomed IV-CHARIS as HCAN’s newest Hub partner agency.

HCAN’s CHW Certification Program includes two additional certifications. Mental Health First Aid prepares students to support individuals experiencing a mental health crisis using the ALGEE steps. A four-week Nutrition Certification, taught by Chef Pamela Tramble-Johnson in partnership with The Ohio State University, focuses on budgeting, label reading, and live cooking demonstrations, with graduates earning a certification, cooking utensils, and recipes.

This program means more to me than just a certification. It represents resilience, growth, and a commitment to serving others from a place of lived experience and compassion. - Graduate