Illinois Kidney Care Alliance Applauds IDPH Grant to Illinois Public Health Association for Advancing CHW Workforce
July 1, 2025
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) recently awarded a grant to the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA) to develop a multi-year campaign supporting and promoting the work of community health workers (CHWs).
This grant will support CHW programs around the state by creating a campaign to improve awareness and understanding of what they do. The grant will also ensure that the CHW workforce is filled with diverse and highly qualified individuals.
“Increasing awareness and opportunities to join the CHW workforce is vital to helping local communities. It is vital that we continue to expand awareness on these different health sectors and I look forward to working with our partners to achieve our goals,” said Elizabeth Lively, Eastern Region Advocacy Director at Dialysis Patient Citizens.
The Illinois Kidney Care Alliance (IKCA) had multiple partners involved in the campaign, including the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois (NKFI) and Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA). CHWs play a vital role in not only public health, but in the fight against kidney disease.
“Community health workers are key to early detection and prevention of kidney disease,” said Monica Fox, Vice President of Government Relations and External Affairs at the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois. “This partnership helps equip them with the tools to connect at-risk communities with life-saving care.”
Last year, IKCA and Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) established the first-in-the-nation training curriculum for CHWs to help fight against kidney disease. The curriculum includes six (6) self-paced online modules designed to educate participants on reducing kidney disease risks, empowering individuals to manage their health, and comprehending treatment alternatives. The other key curriculum partners were the University of Illinois Aging & Diversity Laboratory, the National Kidney Foundation, Baxter Black K.A.R.E and the HAP Foundation.
The hope is that this curriculum will help arm CHWs with vital kidney care information to assist local community members who are vulnerable to kidney failure in acquiring essential health management skills.
“Community health workers are the people on the front lines and are often the link between patients and the care they need. Strengthening this workforce ensures better support for patients managing chronic conditions like kidney disease,” said Tracey Smith, Associate Executive Director for Public Health Practice at Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA).
This initial grant provides up to $25,000 to IPHA to develop a multi-year plan to promote and advance the CHW workforce in the state. Upon development of the plan, IPHA will be eligible for further, non-competitive annual “continuation grants”.
Investing in CHWs will not only help kidney care patients but also help them serve as a bridge between health care, social services, and the community.