Community Health Workers

Community Health Workers (CHW) are members of the community who have an understanding of health systems, chronic conditions, disease prevention and community resources. CHWs can help any member of the community to navigate the Health Care System; they can help you finding resources in multiple areas, they can advocate on your behalf, set up doctor’s appointments, help you understand your diagnosis and treatment plan, help you establish patterns and behaviors that will keep you healthy.

CHC of Wyandotte County believes in the ability of Community Health Workers (CHWs) as agents of lasting change. According to APHA, CHWs “build individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support, and advocacy.”

In addition to their health knowledge, Community Health Workers have intimate knowledge of the community they work in and can provide unique insight to the strengths, weaknesses, and needs of those they serve.

What are Community Health Workers?

Interested in Becoming a Community Health Worker? Learn more in this video from MARC

Connect With Our Community Health Workers

Community Health Workers (CHWs) serve as a link between a patient and health or social service agencies, working to improve health outcomes by improving access to services and quality of care. CHWs are trusted members of the community and have a close understanding of the community they serve.

This trusting relationship enables the worker to serve as a link between health and social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery.

Community Health Worker Core Competency Training

Community Health Council of Wyandotte County offers a Community Health Worker Core Competency Training Program for both Kansas and Missouri. Our CHW class meets the requirements to become credentialed in Missouri with the MO Credentialing Board, and certified in Kansas with the KS CHW Coalition. The MO CHW Credential application can be accessed here CHW-C Application – Missouri Credentialing Board the KS CHW Certification KSCHW Certification.

We use the Foundations for Community Health Workers text book version 3

The CHC course is offered several times a year with an in person format for $1,395.

To learn more about the CHW curriculum that CHC uses- please go here https://kschw.org/core-competency-education
To learn more about the MO Association of CHWs https://chwam.org/
To learn more about the KS CHW Collation https://kschw.org/
To learn more about the KC Regional CHW Collation https://www.marc.org/aging-health/community-health-workers
To learn more about CHWs in the nation, please go here https://nachw.org/ & https://www.apha.org/apha-communities/member-sections/community-health-workers

The completion of this training allows the participants to seek a CHW Credential through the Missouri Credentialing Board or a CHW Certificate through the Kansas CHW Coalition.

2024 Community Health Worker training cohort

Community Health Worker Course Trainers

  • Mariah Chrans, IBCLC, PhD, Programs Director of Maternal Child Health and Community Health programs. Mariah has 20 years of experience in maternal child health, public health, and with Community Health Worker programs in: the development of community-based initiatives, collective impact, and human centered design, facilitating and convening a diverse group of co-conspirators, strategy development and implementation. Her body of work includes pushing the boundaries of public health and healthcare, saying out loud what is said quietly, advocating for the inclusion, safety, and well-being of all individuals within healthcare systems, including Rare Diseases and intentionally neglected and disinvested communities.

    Mariah holds elected positions to the Kansas City Health Collaborative, Kansas Maternal Mortality Review Committee,, KC Regional Community Heath Worker Collaborative, and CMH CMRI Research Board.

  • Brian Perez is a dedicated community advocate and Program Manager for the AdHoc Group Against Crime. With a strong background in Crime Prevention Through Economic Development (CPTED) and trauma recovery. Brian works tirelessly to support residents affected by gun violence in Kansas City, Kansas. As a certified Community Health Worker (CHW) Train-the-Trainer, he empowers others to become frontline health leaders in their own neighborhoods. Brian brings a creative and compassionate approach to community engagement, rooted in lived experience, service, and a commitment to healing generational trauma.

  • Santa's Mexican American roots have uniquely positioned her as the primary advocate for her family, later translating those skills to community advocacy. Throughout her upbringing, Santa has been involved with her church and community. Santa has predominantly worked for and with Hispanic/Latinos using her bilingualism to further advocate for her community. In June 2021, Santa began her journey as a Community Health Worker (CHW) at The Community Health Council of Wyandotte County (CHC). In January 2023, she transitioned to a CHW Supervisor. In September 2024, Santa was promoted to the Education and Events Coordinator as part of a new role at CHC. As of December 21st, 2024, Santa has been selected as the new CHW Program Manager at CHC. Santa currently focuses her efforts on providing health education opportunities to the community through the Healthy Heart Ambassador and Diabetes Prevention Programs and teaching the CHW core competency class at CHC. Santa hopes to continue supporting the community as best as she can.

  • Damon Daniel is the President and CEO of AdHoc Group Against Crime, an organization that for some serves as the trusted bridge between the community and criminal justice system, and for others the emergency room for social services. He answered the call to come to AdHoc in 2015. Mr. Daniel is a native of Kansas City, with a wide range of experience within the field of social justice that spans 25 years. He holds a degree in Urban Affairs from the University of Missouri Kansas City.

    Under Damon’s leadership at the AdHoc Group Against Crime, thousands of families in the Kansas City Metropolitan area impacted by violence have received much needed mental health and victim services.

    He loves serving his community. Mr. Daniel’s has served on County and City Commission’s ranging from Ethics, Human Relations, and Citizens Complaints Commission, and Health Commission. Damon also serves on the Kansas Governors Grants Program Advisory Board.

    Damon can also be heard every weeknight on Carter Broadcast station KPRS Hot 103 Jamz, bi-weekly on Gospel 1590 AM and 106.1FM where he makes public announcements about various public safety and social issues.

  • Guadalupe Tredway is a Supervisor of Community Health Workers at The University of Kansas Health System, overseeing a CHW program across primary care clinics in Kansas and Missouri. With nearly a decade of experience, she is dedicated to addressing barriers to care and promoting comprehensive, community-centered health. Guadalupe is also a CHW instructor and an active member of the KC Regional CHW Collaborative Advocacy Subcommittee, where she champions the CHW role and amplifies the voices of her community.