Community Health Worker Project

In a partnership with OHSU Knight Cancer Institute Community Outreach and Engagement team, Pink Lemonade Project developed the Community Health Worker (CHW) project to provide cancer education curriculum and training to CHWs across Oregon and Southwest Washington. Until this partnership created this new curriculum, a gap existed in cancer-specific health information for CHWs.

CHWs (including traditional health workers, birth doulas, peer wellness specialists, peer support specialists, and personal health navigators etc.) are recognized as trusted, culturally-appropriate, and responsive community members to deliver health promotion information and facilitate access to health and human services.

In both Oregon and Washington, CHWs are increasingly recognized as key partners to deliver health information and, with more cancer information, can help increase the cancer screening rates. This training will help build capacity, skills, and advocacy among individuals and communities who currently report poorer health outcomes and greater barriers to health access.

Trainings are for Community Health Workers serving regions of Oregon and SW Washington only.

Importance

Due to the effect of the pandemic on individuals accessing regular breast cancer screening, Oregon’s breast cancer screening rate dropped from 74% in 2018 to 67% in 2025, and Washington’s from 76% to 63% (women 40+ years of age, who have received a screening mammogram in two years). Breast cancer is a screenable cancer, and if caught at earlier stages, it could reduce harsh treatments, increase quality of life, and save more lives.

Trainings

Content includes cancer data trends, general risk/protective factors, breast cancer-specific data, and programs/services available. A more in-depth breast cancer training is also available. Interpretation is available. After attending the trainings, CHWs will receive a resource guide.

The training will also include guidance on providing emotional support to a patient waiting for screening results and after a diagnosis.

CHWs may receive:

• Financial stipend for attending the training (depending on available grant funding)
• 1.5 Continuing Education Units
• Certificate of completion

Fall Trainings:

• Spanish: Tuesday, September 2, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
• English: Wednesday, October 1, 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm.

Outcomes

With a more informed CHW network, the outcomes will include stronger connections between the healthcare system and community-based organizations, increased cancer knowledge, and higher use of available breast cancer support programs and services. The long-term outcomes include more informed BIPOC/marginalized communities, improved breast cancer screening rates, more lives saved, and higher quality of life for all breast cancer patients in Oregon and SW Washington.

Other long term outcomes include reducing breast cancer health outcome inequities and lowering the costs for cancer treatment. Breast cancer is a leading cause of illness, short-term and long-term disability, and death, and with improving CHWs’ are critical to improving the communities’ understanding of the importance of cancer awareness and early detection.

Major Partners

• Oregon Community Health Workers Association (ORCHWA)
• Oregon Health Authority – Screenwise
• OHSU Knight Cancer Institute COE Team
• PeaceHealth Kearney Breast Center
• Southwest Washington Accountability of Community Health (SWACH)

Funders