Date: Thursday October 8th and Friday October 9th, 2026
Location: Campus of Minnesota West Community and Technical Collage | Worthington, Minnesota
Theme: Hands On, Hearts In: Practicing the Skills That Power Rural CHW Work
Learning Objectives:
- Practice hands‑on skills that power rural CHW work. Attendees will engage in hands‑on, interactive learning to practice core Community Health Worker skills—such as motivational interviewing, suicide risk assessment, deep listening, and trauma‑responsive communication—rooted in the realities, relationships, and resource contexts of rural communities.
- Showcase CHW‑informed best practices that strengthen program implementation. Attendees will advance understanding and discussion of CHW‑centered programs and practices that empower CHWs to co‑create initiatives, influence program design and implementation, and integrate lived experience and community knowledge through supportive organizational structures.
- Strengthen the big tent of CHW work through inclusion and belonging. Attendees will be able to recognize and affirm the full scope of the CHW workforce, ensuring this conference reflects, values, and is for everyone doing heart‑centered community health work including certificate‑holding and non‑certificate‑holding CHWs, Community Health Representatives (CHRs), Promotoras, and related community‑based roles.
Presentation Propsoals:
We are now accepting presentation proposals for the 2026 Rural CHW Conference! The open application period is from May 1st 2026- June 30th 2026.
Sponsorship and Conference Exhibition
MNCHWA relies on conference sponsorships and exhibiters to ensure that the cost of the conference does not prevent any CHW or CHW ally from attending. We greatly appreciate any organization who is excited to sponsor this conference!
Conference sponsorship and exhibiter information can be found here.
Thank you to our sponsors!
