The Community Health Workers Training Project is directed by Dr. Steve Picou at the University of South Alabama’s Coastal Resource and Resiliency Center. This $4 million project will work with other GRHOP projects to train Community Health Workers (CHWs) on mental and behavioral health capacity and skills (including “peer listening” techniques), environmental health networking approaches, and primary care capacity. These CHWs will be employed by health clinics in their local communities, with their salary and benefits paid for by the Environmental Health Capacity and Literacy Project, and they will provide educational resources to community partnerships, faith-based and non-profit community organizations, health care providers, and community leaders. 

This five-yea​r investment will develop a network of trained local residents who will help strengthen the health foundation of the community and will serve as community resources for years to come. This will improve the resiliency of the targeted communities and enhance the long-term prospects for thriving, healthy, and sustainable communities.