St. Johnsbury, VT.- May 8, 2025 – In March, Community Health Workers from around the nation converged on Washington D.C. to connect, educate and advocate on behalf of the communities and people they serve. The 3rd Annual Capitol Hill Visit with National Association of Community Health Workers was held on March 10-12, attended by over 100 Community Health Workers (CHWs) and allies from 31 states and Puerto Rico.
Attending the event from Vermont were Deborah Locke-Rousseau, the Interim Board President of the Vermont Association of Community Health Workers (VTACHW) and NVRH Community Health Team Lead and CHW Supervisor, along with Maddie Ruth, Interim Board Secretary and Community Health Lead with University of Vermont’s Home Health & Hospice Longitudinal Care Program.
Attendees had a chance to convene and network with community health leaders from across the U.S., participate in in-depth training sessions, and join a rally on Capitol Hill to advocate for greater support and funding for community health. The attendees from Vermont had the chance to meet with staffers from the offices of Senators Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch and U.S. Representative Becca Balint.
“Our meetings with the staff members from Sanders’, Welch’s and Balint’s offices were very engaging and rewarding,” says Locke-Rousseau. “They were interested in hearing about the work that CHWs do to improve community health and how it impacts their constituents in Vermont—they were very supportive.”
Community Health Workers play an increasingly important role in health care, helping people in need navigate the often complicated healthcare and social service systems. Lack of access to reliable transportation, healthy food, or a safe place to live often contribute to poor health outcomes. Long-term studies show that CHW’s can help improve patient health while reducing costs by helping people manage and improve chronic conditions like diabetes, asthma, and hypertension.
NVRH has long recognized the importance of community health workers as a way to build trust with and improve access for patients. The four full-time Community Health Workers at NVRH’s Community Connections department are experts in pivotal areas like health coaching, substance misuse, health insurance navigation, and motivational interviewing. The services provided by Community Connections are offered free of charge.
“Community Health Workers bridge the gaps across health and social service resources,” says current NVRH VP of Marketing and Community Health Improvement Diana Gibbs. “Healthcare services meet specific clinical needs, and when paired with adequate social supports, patients often experience better outcomes.”
The Capitol Hill Visit culminated in a Congressional briefing where attendees showcased the inspiring work of CHWs and advocated against cuts to Medicaid and for increased funding for community-based health care. The Association urged legislators to support an upcoming resolution to recognize August 25-29 as National CHW Awareness Week and to pass the Community Health Worker Access Act, increasing access to CHW services for Medicare and Medicaid enrollees and improving reimbursement for the CHW workforce.
To learn more about the VT Association of CHWs, email vtachw@gmail.com. To learn more about Community Connections, visit nvrh.org/community-connections or call 802-748-7526.