The Top CHW Conferences of 2020

Every year more people become community health workers across the United States, and every year there are more conferences to support them. Conferences, workshops, annual meetings, and symposiums are excellent opportunities to brush up on your skills, learn new skills, and hear from the experts and thinkers in the community and public health industry. They’re also great for meeting and networking with peers in the community health community if you want to start your CHW training program.

Last year we researched and gathered a list of the top CHW conferences, and we’ve done it again. Here’s this year’s list, ordered by date. Pull out your calendar, scroll through this list, and find some that sound exciting. We’ve arranged these events by date and state. This will be updated regularly, so check back often.

Contact us if you would like to add a CHW conference to this list. To be considered, please send us a message containing all details including the conference name, dates of the event, location, and a link to the event’s website.

Top CHW Conferences of 2020

  1. CHW Employer Event – “CHWs and Sustainability in RI” (North Providence, RI)
  2. Western Forum for Migrant and Community Health (Sacramento, CA)
  3. Northwest Rural Health Conference (Spokane, WA)
  4. CCHF (Christian Community Health Fellowship) Conference 2021 (Cincinnati, OH)
  5. Indiana CHW/CRS Annual Conference (Plainfield, IN)
  6. The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+) (Baltimore, MD)
  7. MNCHWA Conference (Plymouth, MN)
  8. Annual Rural Health Conference (Online)
  9. Kansas Community Health Worker (CHW) Symposium (Online)
  10. ACHI 2020 National Conference (Cleveland, OH)
  11. South Carolina Community Health Worker Annual Conference (Columbia, SC)
  12. Community Health Workers: Taking Action and Changing the Community
  13. Florida Community Health Worker Coalition Summit (Orlando, FL)
  14. Visión y Compromiso’s 18th Annual Conference (Los Angeles, CA)
  15. Community Health Institute & EXPO (San Diego, CA)
  16. APHA’s Annual Meeting (Online)
  17. TGCCPA Annual Conference (Houston, TX)

CHW Employer Event – “CHWs and Sustainability in RI”

Date: January 31, 2020
Location: North Providence, RI
Cost: Free

This event brings together employers, insurers, and other healthcare/social services stakeholders in Rhode Island to discuss progress and plans for making the Community Health Worker workforce more sustainable in our state.

  • Learn lessons from a Massachusetts health sector innovator on forging collaboration among Medicaid, state DOH, Accountable Care Organizations (AOs) and Community Partners
  • Understand better what your CHWs and Peer Recovery Specialists do by getting a special training on supporting employees recovering from substance use disorder
  • Enjoy lunch with partners doing the same work
  • Discuss ways the Community Health Worker Association of RI can best help you to secure CHWs with the appropriate and most current training and to supervise them effectively

Western Forum for Migrant and Community Health

Date: February 19-21, 2020
Location: Sacramento, CA
Cost: $150-$350

The Western Forum is a regionally celebrated and nationally recognized conference known for innovative content, expert speakers, and a diverse audience from various disciplines. We look forward to hosting another engaging and vibrant conference. We hope to see you at our annual conference.

Northwest Rural Health Conference

Date: TBD
Location: Spokane, WA
Cost: N/A

Conference goals are: Highlight rural health public policy issues, – Identify changes in the delivery of and access to rural health care, – Identify ways that data & technology are improving health in rural communities, – Examine issues that impact rural hospitals and – Collaborate with peers on innovative models for rural health care delivery.

Who should attend? – Rural hospital leadership and Board of Directors – Rural clinic administrators & staff – Quality managers ~ Risk Managers – Public health officers – State and local leaders – Policy makers – EMS staff – Home health staff

CCHF (Christian Community Health Fellowship) Conference 2021

Date: March 25-27, 2021
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Cost: $95-$325

Hundreds of practitioners and students from all over the United States gather annually at the CCHF conference to share knowledge, skills, and experiences, and spend time worshipping and seeking God. If you’re serious about domestic medical missions, this conference is a must. Scholarships are available for medical students and residents.

Indiana CHW/CRS Annual Conference

Date: April 21, 2020
Location: Plainfield, IN
Cost: Webinars available online

The Indiana CHW/CRS Annual Conference is an opportunity for Community Health Workers and Certified Recovery Specialists to connect and network with other helping professionals and learn knowledge and skills beneficial to the important work that they do.

To make sure Community Health Workers and Certified Recovery Specialists across the state still received relevant education that can help them be more effective in their communities, Mental Health America of Northeast Indiana, in partnership with the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction, converted all conference sessions into webinars.

Recordings from most of these webinars can be accessed below.
CHW/CRS Annual Conference

The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+)

Date: November 4-8, 2020
Location: Baltimore, MD
Cost: $115-$165

Oncology navigators and care providers gather to advance the development, implementation, utilization, and metrics of multidisciplinary oncology navigation. It is designed to address the questions of navigators, social workers, physicians, and administrators in regard to cancer care, and offer practical solutions from experts and peers in implementing effective programs and measuring their outcomes.

2020 MNCHWA Conference

Date: Canceled
Location: Plymouth, MN
Cost: N/A

The Annual Minnesota Community Health Worker Alliance Statewide Conference brings together community health workers, supervisors, educators, providers, payers, policy makers and many others from across the state for a day of learning, exchange, networking and charting action on next-stage work.

Roles and Boundaries of CHWs

This 45-minute on-demand training includes topics like the differences between CHWs and other health staff, common roles, and boundaries for supervisors and managers who want to add CHWs to their team.


Annual Rural Health Conference

Date: Jun 16-19, 2020 and on demand
Location: Online
Cost: $368-$735

NRHA’s Annual Rural Health Conference is the nation’s largest rural health conference, created for anyone with an interest in rural health care, including rural health practitioners, hospital administrators, clinic directors and lay health workers, social workers, state and federal health employees, academics, community members and more.

NRHA’s 43rd Annual Rural Health Conference, the nation’s largest gathering of rural health professionals, is the Association’s first virtual, online-only event occurring live June 16-19. The entire event will be available on-demand afterward.

Kansas Community Health Worker (CHW) Symposium

Date: June 11, 2020
Location: Wichita, KS
Cost: Free

Provide a venue where all stakeholders can better understand the progress and barriers associated with CHWs specific to Kansas. Offer an opportunity for networking among the CHWs and their organizations across the state. Focus on designing CHW infrastructure and systems rather than skill building. The long-term goal of the CHW Symposium is to help reduce health disparities and increase access to care through CHWs in Kansas.

ACHI 2020 National Conference

Date: Canceled
Location: Cleveland, OH
Cost: N/A

The Association for Community Health Improvement’s National Conference convenes over 700 population and community health professionals to learn from experts and exchange the latest tools, approaches and ideas from the field. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in interactive workshops, site visits, breakout and plenary sessions.

In light of the latest COVID-19 developments and CDC recommendations, the American Hospital Association has canceled the ACHI National Conference scheduled for June 15-17 in Cleveland, as well as all affiliated events. Please see: ACHI 2020 National Conference

South Carolina Community Health Worker Annual Conference

Date: Fri, August 14, 2020 – 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM EDT
Location: The River Center, 5605 Bush River Road, Columbia, SC Cost: $25-$45

Florida Community Health Worker Coalition Summit

Date: September 10-11, 2020
Location: Orlando, FL
Cost: N/A

Florida Community Health Worker Coalition is a statewide partnership dedicated to the support and promotion of the CHW profession through collaboration, training, advocacy and leadership development. The Summit is for CHWs/promotores de salud, outreach workers, allies, employers, insurers, clinical staff, academic centers, community organizations, state and local leaders from across the state. We hope to see you at our annual conference! For more information, please contact us at 850-888-2495 or via email at [email protected].

Visión y Compromiso’s 18th Annual Conference

Date: October 1-3, 2020
Location: Los Angeles, CA Cost: N/A

The goal of the conference is to create a space where experiences and ideas can be exchanged among promotores and other participants that foster the learning of new skills, knowledge and advocacy for our communities. The annual conference for promotores and community health workers is organized by Visión y Compromiso in collaboration with a planning committee that is comprised of promotores and other leaders in the community and organizations.

2020 Community Health Institute & EXPO

Date: Canceled
Location: San Diego, CA
Cost: N/A

The NACHC Community Health Institute (CHI) and EXPO is the largest annual gathering of health center clinicians, executives, consumer board members, along with State/Regional Primary Care Associations and Health Center Controlled Networks. The conference August 30-September 1, 2020 is scheduled to kick off in San Diego, CA, at a time when health centers are charting a new course in a rapidly changing health environment and being called upon to assume a larger role in the nation’s health care system.

APHA’s Annual Meeting

Date: Oct. 24-28, 2020
Location: Online
Cost: N/A

Violence and the threat of violence limit the ability of individuals, families and communities to have healthy, whole lives. Yet research and practice have demonstrated violence is not inevitable and can be prevented. Public health must work with other sectors to prevent violence in all of its forms and across the lifespan. Using a public health approach, we can address the structures and root causes that contribute to this burden and work to change these underlying conditions in homes, schools and communities. We must continue to implement prevention efforts that help provide the opportunity for all to live their lives to their greatest potential.

As the COVID-19 pandemic changes how we connect, live and learn, we continue to plan for a streamlined in-person meeting Oct. 24 – 28 in San Francisco, with a virtual component to enable our attendees, presenters and exhibitors to participate and connect with the largest audience possible. This hybrid meeting will feature the scientific sessions, presentations and networking so essential to the public health workforce. Safety is our key concern, and planning decisions are being guided by science-based recommendations from health officials.

Registration and housing will open on July 1.

TGCCPA Annual Conference

Date: 2020
Location: Houston, TX
Cost: N/A

The Texas Gulf Coast CHW/Promotors Association (TGCCPA) is a nonprofit association with a mission to meet the needs of the diverse CHW workforce throughout the Texas gulf coast by improving communication, providing access to resources, and improving job opportunities. The TGCCPA has established chapters of the association to accommodate CHWs in various metropolitan areas. Who Should Attend: Community Health Workers / Promotores de Salud; CHW Instructors; Prospective CHW Employers; Community-based organization representatives. CEUs: Combination of DSHS-certified and non-certified CHW and CHW-I CEUs.

The 14th Annual CHW Conference of Houston, TX will be coming up in 2020.

Originally published Jan. 14, 2020; updated June 23, 2020.

Roles and Boundaries of CHWs

This 45-minute on-demand training includes topics like the differences between CHWs and other health staff, common roles, and boundaries for supervisors and managers who want to add CHWs to their team.