PPMW Promotoras program awarded Montgomery Co. Underserved Communities Projects (UCP) grant to advance health outreach
Summary
The curriculum, developed by Bilingual Program Manager Karen Gomez Morales, focuses on building a sense of trust and openness between Promotoras and their community members. "Now, thanks to the UCP grant, the PPMW team will take the program to the next level by converting it into a state-accredited Community Health Worker program, which upon completion makes the Promotoras eligible for certification through Maryland State," explains Andrea Augustine, Assistant Vice President of Education and Community Engagement at PPMW.By creating a new opportunity to access this formal certification, PPMW hopes to strengthen the public health workforce of the DC metropolitan region and increase Latinx representation in the area of community health. At the same time, PPMWs Promotoras will access the necessary skills and credentials to pursue careers in this field.In year one of the grant, the PPMW education team will use the UCP funding to enhance the existing Promotoras program, ensuring its alignment with the accreditation standards for Marylands Community Health Worker Certification Training Program and completing the accreditation process.In year two, once accreditation has been secured, PPMW will pilot (and continue to refine) the enhanced Promotoras program and will work to connect graduates with employment opportunities. This will prepare PPMWs Promotoras de Salud program for an official launch as an accredited Community Health Worker Certification Training Program in year three, and will enable PPMWs Promotoras to turn their passion for peer education into careers in community health, having an even greater impact. "Promotoras de Salud are essential for the overall health of communities because they directly connect people to the services they need," says Gomez Morales.