Since the CHW training program's inception, has received funding from organizations who support the importance of community health workers affecting health.
HealthPath Foundation of Ohio
is a grantmaking organization dedicated to improving community health outcomes. Founded in 1999, HealthPath awards prevention-focused grants to nonprofits and government agencies within its 36-county service area.
In 2021, HealthPath awarded a $265,000 three-year grant to the Kent State College of Public Health to expand the impact of Community Health Workers (CHWs) to the Mahoning Valley, Ohio. Thanks to a partnership with the at Trumbull (Warren, Ohio), Mahoning County Public Health, Trumbull County Combined Health District, Mercy Health and Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley, and other partners, the College of Public Health trained 30 CHWs by December 2024 to increase the CHW workforce in the Mahoning Valley. Read about a CHW profile here.
The goal of the College of Public Health’s efforts in the Mahoning Valley was to help to improve the health of Mahoning Valley residents by increasing neighborhood-based community health and outreach services such as chronic disease screening and prevention.
“HealthPath Foundation of Ohio has made an indelible impact on the health of the Mahoning Valley and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to fully train 30 new CHWs through this grant, bringing 3,900 hours of service to the community,” says Sonia Alemagno, Ph.D., dean, College of Public Health.
“Since 2022, Mercy Health stewarded 9 students successfully through the Kent State Community Health Worker program and became certified by the State of Ohio Board of Nursing,” states Leigh Greene, director of community health at Mercy Health. “Our CHWs are a bridge to the Mahoning Valley's most underserved populations, including the Hispanic and Latino community. Thanks to the skills and competencies learned during the College of Public Health's training program, our CHWs provide health screenings and services to people who would otherwise not receive them. I am beyond grateful to Kent State and to the HealthPath Foundation for their support.”
Read about our CHW alumni making a difference in the Mahoning Valley
MetroHealth Medical Center – HRSA
In 2023, Kent State joined the collaborative led by MetroHealth Medical Center to train 240 community health workers over the next three years. Cleveland-based MetroHealth is bringing together a that includes Better Health Partnership, CHW training programs at , Cuyahoga Community College, and Cleveland State University, and other county and community partners and health systems throughout Northeast Ohio.
CHWCBC is a three-year federal grant of nearly $3 million from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to increase the number of front-line public health professionals who serve as a key link between health and social services.
“We absolutely see the value of this important collaborative, as do our community partner agencies. Kent State has been providing the CHW certification since 2020, including partnerships with Akron Public Schools, and dozens of community partners,” says Alemagno. “Funding allows educators and care providers in Northeastern Ohio the opportunity to greatly expand the number of trained individuals to help make an impact on community health,” continues Alemagno.
Since 2023, Kent State has trained nearly 75 students through the MetroHealth HRSA CHWCBC and nearly 20 other students started their training in January 2025.
“Kent State has been a valued partner to the collaborative,” says Katie Davis Bellamy, MSN, RN, PHNA-BC, executive director, Community & Corporate Health at MetroHealth. “We meet regularly to brainstorm and break down any barriers to success for the program and our students”.
To learn more about creating a CHW cohort with your agency, contact publichealth@kent.edu.