The Department of Public Health with assistance from the Institute for Disability Studies at The University of Southern Mississippi, supported by the Boston University Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health, MHP Salud, and Community Resources LLC, announces Unity Conference 2019: The 20th Anniversary of the National Conference For and About Community Health Workers. Unity 2019 will be held at the Las Vegas Flamingo Hotel and Casino on April 14-17, 2019, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Unity 2019 is a national conference designed for and about community health workers, community health representatives, and promotores.

The theme for this year’s conference is “Community Health Workers: Unlocking the Door to Healthier Communities.”

Unity 2019 will address the role community health workers play in creating access to care, reducing care costs, and promoting healthy and happy communities. The conference will stress the importance of community health workers reducing health disparities; promoting social justice; shaping policy and practice; return on investment; and methods of overcoming barriers to CHW program success.

In addition, the official launch of the National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW) will take place during the Unity 2019 Conference. NACHW’s mission is to unify the voices of community health workers and strengthen the profession’s capacity to promote healthy communities. The organization has been under development for over two years, and Unity 2019 will provide the opportunity for CHWs from across the country to join as founding members. Unity 2019 will include plenary, breakout, poster, skill-building, and roundtable workshop sessions. Community health workers are strongly encouraged to attend. The conference is an opportunity for community health workers to share knowledge, information, and expertise with other community health workers, colleagues, and policy makers.

Please go to https://unityconf.org/19/ to view the call for conference abstracts.

The call for conference abstracts closes on October 22, 2018, and organizers are actively seeking innovative and engaging presentations. For more information on the call for abstracts, please contact Devin Bellman at (228) 214-3301 or via email at devin.bellman@usm.edu.

For more information on the conference, please visit our website https://unityconf.org/19/ to register, submit an abstract, or learn more about the conference. For any questions about Unity 2019, contact Dr. Susan Mayfield-Johnson at (601) 266- 6266 or susan.johnson@usm.edu.

The Flamingo Las Vegas hotel is an all-in-one casino and resort offering a tropical wildlife habitat, Caribbean-style water playgrounds, and select rooms with fabulous views of the 550-foot-tall High Roller. It is located at the center of the Strip and adjacent to The LINQ and High Roller. Recognized all over the world, the famous Las Vegas Strip is a place where individuals can enjoy a walk in the warm desert evening or take a stroll downtown and view dazzling light shows that span entire streets. Las Vegas tourism offers top quality entertainment, including headliner shows and concerts, attractions, shopping and world-renowned resorts.

Be sure to mark your calendars now to join us in Las Vegas for Unity 2019.

MHP Salud has over thirty years of experience implementing CHW programs and training organizations looking to start and/or strengthen their own CHW programs. For more information about MHP Salud, our services, and how we can help you, please email us at info@mhpsalud.org