June 2025

IHS National Clinical and Community Workforce Summit Recap: CHRs Learn New Strategies to Better Promote Their Programs​​​​

The Indian Health Service (IHS) National Community Health Representative (CHR) Program led a series of sessions during the National Clinical and Community Workforce Summit in Seattle, WA, in May. These sessions focused on helping CHRs strengthen their communication strategies, including social media, program integration, CHR documentation services, and billing and reimbursement. 

The morning pre-conference session guided CHRs through key steps of developing and carrying out a program’s communications effort at the local level. Grounded in Priority 1 of the National CHR Strategic Plan—Awareness and Advocacy—the session offered real-world tools and examples to help CHRs: 

• Design newsletters
• Create social media content
• Use templates and resources
• Engage their communities through powerful storytelling​​​​​​

The afternoon pre-conference session focused on building a CHR program’s social media presence. Participants learned best practices for platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter), explored how to create simple graphics, and discussed ways to promote local success stories.

“These sessions really highlighted the power of communication. The participants had the opportunity to view our 2024 newly created CHR videos, newsletters, and social media,” said Michelle Archuleta, IHS CHR consultant and program lead for IHS. “We shared with them the production processes resulting in our national program’s branding guide to help them better share their own local program stories.”

On day 1 of the main conference, the CHR Integration session was designed to help CHR programs strengthen partnerships with health care teams across IHS, tribal, and urban Indian health settings. This session focused on how to:

• Build or strengthen team-based care models
• Clarify CHR roles within care systems
• Improve communication and referrals between CHRs and providers 

On day 2, attendees were provided with a brief session on how CHRs are documenting health services, and it highlighted the advocacy they provide to the community. An afternoon session followed on CHR roles, billing, and reimbursement, emphasizing the whole CHR scope of practice that creates opportunities for navigation, education, and care management.

All sessions provided CHRs with practical tools they can take back to their communities, helping them promote local programs, strengthen partnerships, and raise awareness about the important role CHRs play in tribal health care.

Pictured: Michelle Archuleta, IHS CHR consultant and program lead, and communications session attendees gathered for a photo after a presentation during the National Clinical and Community Workforce Summit.

Pictured: National Clinical and Community Workforce Summit attendees discuss ways to implement better communication about their local CHR programs during a breakout session.
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CHR VIDEO: “We Talk It, We Live It, We Speak It” 

In April, the Indian Health Service (IHS) National Community Health Representative (CHR) Program released a new educational video series. Last month, we shared the first video—this month, we’re highlighting the second part: Community Health Representatives as Cultural Liaisons: “We Talk It, We Live It, We Speak It.” 

CHR programs help bridge health systems and the communities they serve, while working to keep cultural traditions strong. In American Indian and Alaska Native communities, CHRs bring language, cultural practices, and deep community ties into every part of their work. 

“Our bridge for our culture is pretty much there the moment we wake up,” shares Charnel Talashoma, a CHR for the Hopi Tribe in Arizona. 

Each video in this series is intended for public health professionals, partners, and others interested in learning more about CHRs and their services. 

Read more about the video series in IHS CHR Consultant and Program Lead Michelle Archuleta’s blog on the IHS website, and watch how CHRs serve as cultural liaisons in Part 2 of our CHR video series.
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May 2025: National Women’s Health Week​​​​

In case you missed it, National Women’s Health Week in May reminded us that women’s wellness is about more than just checkups—it’s about connection, culture, and trusted support. 

From home visits to health education, CHRs are key to women’s health in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Learn how CHRs help build wellness.