Community Advancement and Resources
Recovery Equity Videos: Video Series by Hazelden Berry Ford Foundation
Welcome to the Recovery Equity video series, a space for us to reflect on hard truths, consider promising initiatives and imagine new possibilities. We hope you will join our conversations and our commitment to learn together, listen openly, appreciate diversity, amplify unheard voices, think differently, challenge the status quo and take action to effect change.
Asthma Podcast: Health Chatter
Health Chatter podcast hosts Stan Shanedling and Clarence Jones chat with Dr. Gail Brottman about asthma. Dr. Brottman is the Director of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center, and a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Brottman has been involved in pediatric asthma since 1992, as a clinician, researcher and program facilitator at Hennepin Healthcare. In addition to these roles, she has been a member of the Minnesota Department of Health’s Asthma Advisory Committee since 2018, and serves on the Camp Superkids Medical Board, and the American Lung Association in Minnesota. Dr. Brottman is a physician champion and is committed to Patient-Centered Care. “I work with patients and families to help them understand what is happening with their lungs and feel confident in controlling their asthma.”
Professional Development
Advocacy Training for CHWs
The course is intended for CHWs and CHW Supervisors. Learners will have the ability to access and download videos, reading materials, and reflection exercises on the following topics:
- The history and background of CHW programs.
- How to advocate for improved health care and working conditions.
- How to tell personal stories to advocate for change.
- How to use technology tools to participate in global conversations.
Click here to access the course.
Minnesota Department of Health Education Center
The learning center is designed to support local public health agencies, hospitals, clinics, communities, institutions, and others by providing access to both in-person and online educational opportunities on a broad array of topics.
If you don’t already have a free account, click here.
Certificate Programs
About CHW Certificate Programs
Community Health Worker (Fully ONLINE)
As a community health worker, you will provide the first line of support for people in need of assistance with health care and social services. NTC’s Community Health Worker program will prepare you to serve in a variety of health care organizations. You will gain the knowledge and skills needed to help your community increase and improve access to health care, improve access to health care for racial and ethnic minorities, improve quality of care for the chronically ill, promote healthy communities and educate families about access to and use of health care coverage. Community health workers perform a broad range of health-related functions and play an important role in bridging the gap between cultures and health care systems.
Gerontology & Aging Care Program (Fully ONLINE)
Beginning in spring 2021, Northwest Technical College will address unprecedented growth in life expectancy and aging populations with a new online Gerontology & Aging Care program. Students who complete the program will be well-trained eldercare specialists with knowledge and expertise in the field of aging and associated issues. Graduates of the program will possess the knowledge and skills needed to provide seamless quality service to the aging population and their families. Career pathways include a wide variety of service and leadership opportunities related to psychology, economics, health and wellness, public policy and advocacy and service.
Northwest Technical College is now offering an 18 credit, 2-semester Certificate program in Gerontology. Click here to learn more.
Health Sciences Field Associate of Science (Fully ONLINE)
The Health Sciences Broad Field Associate of Science (AS) degree may be the perfect place to start if you’re planning to pursue a four-year degree or double major in Northwest Technical College programs such as nursing, dental assisting or medical office technology. The program, which is offered online or on campus, provides a flexible path of study for you to explore career options in health and human services. Graduates who want or need to work can use the AS degree to be qualified for employment as a nursing assistant before deciding whether to further their studies. Most graduates eventually advance their studies with another NTC degree or transfer to a baccalaureate program within the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. Students completing the Health Sciences Broad Field will work closely with advisers to plan their academic and career path in the high-demand health and human services fields.
Grants Management
Training and Other Resources
4/9-4/30: Minnesota Health Equity Networks: April Regional Gatherings
Sponsored by: Minnesota Department of Health – Minnesota Health Equity Networks
Join the Minnesota Health Equity Networks for the April Regional Gatherings. Learn about advancing health equity through connection, capacity building, and hearing from local organizations about their health equity work. To view regional gathering dates and to register, visit the MN Health Equity Networks website: https://www.health.state.mn.us/equitynetworks
4/16/24: Mind in Harmony: Strategies for the Well-being of CHWs
We will be offering yet another free, virtual training as part of our CHW Training Wheel: Addressing Health Disparities in Our Communities! Join us for an insightful training on the wellness of our CHWs. This opportunity is open to all CHWs/CHRs/Promotoras(es)!
- Title: Mind in Harmony: Strategies for the Well-being of CHWs
- Date: Tuesday, April 16th, 2024
- Time: 2 PM – 3:30 PM
- Via Zoom & FREE
Register Now! Don’t miss out!
4/16/24: Empower Yourself: Educating CHWs on Diabetes Mellitus
We are pleased to invite you once again to our 7th session “Coping with the Emotional Aspects of Diabetes” from our series “Empower Yourself: Educating CHWs on Diabetes Mellitus.” This event is tailored to offer valuable insights and practical guidance on managing diabetes and mental health, a critical area of concern and challenge for many in our communities.
- Date: Tuesday April 16th, 2024
- Time: 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM MST
- Via Zoom
Participation is free, but registration is required to secure your spot. Please find the registration link attached below:
4/16: Exploring strategies to strengthen civic participation for communities’ health
Sponsored by: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
3:00 PM Eastern. Healthy communities depend on a culture where everyone has the power to make change and to have a say in the decisions that affect them. Join our April webinar to learn about strategies that make it easier for residents to participate. We hope to see you there.
4/16: Transportation and Aging: Challenges and Opportunities in Rural Communities
Sponsored by: University of Minnesota Center for Healthy Aging and Innovation; University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies
10:30 AM Central. This is an interactive webinar on the topic of transportation and aging, with attention to challenges and opportunities in rural areas. This interactive event will feature a main speaker, Dr. Lisa D’Ambrosio, who is a Research Scientist at MIT Age Lab, and three panelists of diverse professional backgrounds from MN who will share their experiences and recommendations regarding transportation for older adults in rural areas.
4/18: 4th Annual Wisconsin Black Maternal & Child Health Summit
Sponsored by: Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness; Black Maternal and Child Health Alliance of Dane County; Dane County Health Council
Join the Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness and the Black Maternal and Child Health Alliance of Dane County for the 4th Annual Wisconsin Black Maternal & Child Health Summit. Wisconsin leads the nation in racial birth disparities impacting Black women and babies, and is among the top in the nation for Black infant mortality. Black mothers in Wisconsin face a 3x’s greater maternal mortality rate than our white peers, and simultaneously face social, economic, and healthcare barriers that place their health and well-being at risk. Yet, Black women continue to pioneer solutions to address this problem, from positions of community, systems, and policy. Black Doulas, birth workers, non-profit and community leaders, grassroots activists, healthcare professionals, business owners, policy makers, and Reproductive Justice advocates are doing the work and driving new critical visibility, accountability, and solutions to turn the tide. Join us as we celebrate Black women’s work, and create new synergy to drive change in Wisconsin’s first-in-the-nation racial birth disparities. We will prevail!
4/22: Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences: Virtual 101 Training
Sponsored by: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO)
1:00 PM Eastern. This upcoming training will educate participants about adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and address risk and protective factors in their communities. During the 101, jurisdictions will consider their agency’s current ACEs prevention efforts and where they want to head.
4/25/24: Empower Yourself: Educating CHWs on Diabetes Mellitus
We are pleased to invite you once again to our 7th session “Diabetes and Other Health Systems“ from our series “Empower Yourself: Educating CHWs on Diabetes Mellitus.” This event is tailored to offer valuable insights and practical guidance on managing diabetes and mental health, a critical area of concern and challenge for many in our communities.
- Date: Thursday April 25th, 2024
- Time: 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM MST
- Via Zoom
Participation is free, but registration is required to secure your spot. Please find the registration link attached below:
4/25-4/26: MPHA 2024 Annual Conference ” Communicating and Navigating Public Health Intersections” (Hybrid: Saint Paul with virtual option)
Sponsored by: Minnesota Public Health Association (MPHA)
Early Bird registration is open until March 18, 2024, at 11:59 PM CT. The Minnesota Public Health Association (MPHA)’s Annual Conference will be held April 25 – 26, 2024 in-person at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, MN. A virtual component will also be available. The conference will run Thursday, April 25 from 9 am – 4:30 pm and on Friday, April 26 from 8 am – 2 pm. The conference theme “Communicating and Navigating Public Health Intersections” will examine how public health professionals are acting on some of the most urgent challenges of our time. Public health is charged with making sure people can connect with the resources needed to be healthy. Successful messaging in public health requires voices and points of influence within communities. Without trusted messengers as experts in community spaces, our valuable public health messages will not be heard.
Audience: The MPHA annual meeting gathers public health professionals at every level – students, mid-career professionals, retired experts – from around the state to exchange information and create a healthier Minnesota through effective public health practice and engaged citizens.
4/27: Free Lupus Training for All CHWs
Hello Community Health Workers (CHWs). We have a free training on Lupus for all CHWs. All are welcome! Please join us on April 27, 2024 from 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM in person in North Minneapolis. Lunch will be provided to those who register to join us on that day. We are excited to bring this training to everyone in the community. You can click on the Title “Free Lupus Training for All CHWs” and you can register for the event. If there are questions, please email nurse@excellencehealthcareer.org. Hope to see everyone in person soon!
4/29: Integrating and Uplifting Individuals and Communities with Lived Experience into Refugee/Immigrant Mental Health Service Innovation and Delivery
Sponsored by: Boston Children’s Hospital – Trauma and Community Resilience Center
12:00 PM Central. The aim of this event is to highlight the value of non-specialists with lived experience in the refugee and immigrant mental health field, explore the obstacles faced by these community health workers, and propose solutions to these barriers in order to strengthen the presence of these individuals in the mental health service system.
4/30: The Rare Disease Community in Minnesota: Finding and Caring for the Zebras
Sponsored by: Pediatric Care Coordination: Community of Practice
12:00 PM Central. Erica Barnes (she/her), Executive Director of the MN Rare Disease Advisory Council and advocacy and non-profit leader. During this session you will: Learn about the features of the rare disease community Learn the priority areas of focus to improve care Learn of tools and resources for meeting the needs of the community.
Audience: Care coordinators, public health educators, doctors, nurses, partners or caregivers, caser works in hospitals or schools, and anyone looking for tools or resources on the topic.
4/30: Cultivating Community Health Worker (CHW) Well-Being: Healthy Relationships
Next week on Tuesday, April 30th, 2024, we will be offering yet another free, virtual training as part of our CHW Training Wheel: Addressing Health Disparities in Our Communities! Join us for an insightful training on the wellbeing of our CHWs. This opportunity is open to all CHWs/CHRs/Promotoras(es)!
- Title: Cultivating Community Health Worker (CHW) Well-Being: Healthy Relationships
- Date: Tuesday, April 30th, 2024
- Time: 2 PM – 3:30 PM
- Via Zoom & FREE
In this session, we will delve into the essential components of fostering well-being among community health workers, with a particular emphasis on nurturing healthy relationships.
4/30: LGBTQ+ Health in Hennepin County: Data, Resiliency, and Action (In Person)
Sponsored by: Hennepin County Public Health
Hennepin County Public Health invites you to LGBTQ+ Health in Hennepin County: Data, Resiliency, and Action. This event will be a community data forum focused on the unique health experiences and needs of LGBTQ+ youth and adults in Hennepin County. There will be opening remarks from HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Rachel Levine (by recording) and MDH Assistant Commissioner of Health Dr. Halkeno Tura. Attendees are highly encouraged to attend in person to participate fully and engage in the networking and discussion opportunities that will be available. Morning refreshments will also be provided.
5/1: When Law, Ethics & Medicine Collide: Considering Medical Aid in Dying
Sponsored by: UMN Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment and the Life Sciences
The Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences is hosting a virtual Lecture Series titled “When Law, Ethics & Medicine Collide.” The first webinar in the series, “Considering Medical Aid in Dying,” will be Wed., May 1, from Noon to 1:30pm Central time. Registration is free. The webinar will feature three international experts on the law, ethics, and clinical realities of medical aid in dying, both in the U.S. and Canada — Thaddeus Mason Pope, JD, PhD (Mitchell Hamline School of Law); K. Sonu Giand, MD (University of Toronto); and Nancy Berlinger, PhD (The Hastings Center). They will bring different perspectives and disciplines to this important debate.
5/2: Canvas Health Suicide Prevention Conference (St. Paul) – In Person
Sponsored by: Canvas Health
8:00 AM Central. Join us for a full day suicide prevention conference hosted by Canvas Health and funded by the Minnesota Department of Health. The conference is free to attend, and breakfast and lunch will be provided. This conference will be packed with incredible learning opportunities and resources as well as opportunities to network with others working in the fields of mental health and suicide prevention. This event is free to attend, but registration is required to ensure accurate counts for meals and session attendance.
5/13-5/17: Fungi Magic: An exploration of historic and current roles of mushrooms in health and preventing diseases of humans, animals, and the environment (Minneapolis) (In Person)
Sponsored by University of Minnesota School of Public Health
This course will examine the historic, current, and future value of fungi in personal and public health, and in advancing the collective health of humans, animals, and the environment. Students will learn about historical and present day uses of fungi as medicine, specific promising use of psilocybin to mitigate mental health problems and effects of trauma, the role of fungi in “one health”, and related public health practice and policy implications. A tour of the fungi grow lab on the St. Paul campus is part of the class experience.
5/13-5/31: Public Health Institute (Hybrid: Minneapolis and virtual)
Sponsored by: University of Minnesota School of Public Health
The Public Health Institute features over 20 interdisciplinary, engaging, and interactive courses for students and practicing professionals in public health and related fields. Build or expand your professional expertise and explore a new area of interest in our courses! Learn more and view our course offerings on our website.
5/16: Moving Upstream! Northern Minnesota Suicide Prevention Training (Baxter) – In Person
Sponsored by: Carlton County
9:00 AM to 3:00 PM Central. Are you looking for tangible strategies for suicide prevention and mental health/well-being promotion for yourself or the people you serve? Attend this in-person training to add local resources to your toolkit as a provider, prevention specialist or community member! Topics will include Minnesota Suicide Prevention Regional Coordination updates, upstream suicide prevention strategies with the aging population, artificial intelligence (AI), and suicide prevention help seeking. Location: Arrowwood Lodge at Brainerd Lakes, 6967 Lake Forest Road, Baxter, MN 56401. This event is free to attend, but registration is required to ensure accurate counts for meals and session attendance. For more information contact Meghann Levitt at meghann.levitt@carltoncountymn.gov
5/16: Mycelial Leadership: Trauma-Informed Approaches for Thriving Team Ecosystems (Minneapolis)
Sponsored by: University of Minnesota School of Public Health
In PUBH 7200: Mycelial Leadership, students will establish a foundational understanding of the neurobiology and physiology of trauma. Students will apply this foundational knowledge to practice effective communication strategies and interventions as leaders in team environments. This course focuses on experiential learning activities to apply the principles of a trauma-informed approach to fostering healthy and healing team ecosystems through effective communication and to caring for one’s self in a sustainable, trauma-informed way.
5/28-5/31: Concepts in Disaster Behavioral Health
Sponsored by: University of Minnesota School of Public Health
May 28 – 31 (1 p.m. – 5 p.m.) 15 CE contact hours Disaster events leave an immediate, short term and long-term footprint that has not been recognized by many disciplines involved in response and recovery. This course will be divided into four sections that look disaster behavioral health from a trauma-informed planning perspective. First, we will work to develop an understanding of how disasters impact individuals and communities and the importance of creating a disaster behavioral health plan. We will discuss the importance of collaboration in disaster response and recovery and review individual and community disaster assessment and intervention strategies. We will also discuss the long-term behavioral health impact of disasters on communities, and how to mitigate that impact. Lastly, we will discuss the importance of self-awareness and self-care for responders during disaster response and recovery efforts.
5/28-5/31: American Indian Health and Wellness, Understanding and Applying the “Other Public Health System”
Sponsored by: University of Minnesota School of Public Health
As sovereign nations, American Indian Tribes are responsible for the overall health and well-being of their members along with the land and environment of their tribe. In this course students will learn about the legal responsibility of the United States to provide health services to American Indians. Students will examine the public health issues facing American Indian communities; review historical implications, analyze legislation, apply specific financing requirements, and gain an understanding of the unique American Indian public health system and the complex set of services, activities, collaborations and stakeholders that varies by tribe and region. Additionally, Indigenous knowledge will be shared that offers a focus on historical holistic views and programs for health and wellness that emphasizes assets, resilience, and cultural humility. This knowledge is applicable for all populations throughout the World. PUBH 7200 Section 115 Class #87105
5/29/24: Register for the “Creating a Culture of Health” Webinar Series
The Minnesota Department of Health Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) is introducing a six part series to share the U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being. This framework lays the foundation for workplaces to examine and take action to change culture within their organizations.
Join MDH for one hour every two weeks this spring and summer to learn more about the framework and each of the foundational elements. You’ll receive an overview of each element and learn practical steps to introduce this information to your wellness committee and/or leadership team. You will also receive a leader’s guide with six PowerPoint presentations (15-20 minutes long).
Dates: The first webinar will be held on May 29. Future webinars will be on June 12, June 26, July 10, July 24, and Aug. 7.
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Register for the Creating a Culture of Health Webinar Series here.
7/18-7/19: MN CHW Rural Health Conference
SAVE THE DATE: Thursday July 18 (3pm) – Friday July 19th
Event: MN 2024 Rural CHW Conference
Theme: Bridging Community Gaps in Rural Minnesota with CHW Workforce!
Location: Minnesota West Community & Technical College (Worthington)
More information and registration: flier is attached
Stakeholders Conference Sponsorship Opportunities: flier attached
Contact Roxanne Hayenga, roxanne.hyenga@mnwest.edu