THE RESPONSIVE TRUST NETWORK

About

The Responsive Trust Network (RTN) is housed at the University of Houston’s Community Health Workers Initiative (CHWI) dedicated to building a stronger, more supportive, and healthier communities within underserved areas of Houston. With a profound commitment to fostering respect, trust, and support, the network serves as the cornerstone upon which resilient communities can be built through a supportive infrastructure for Community Health Workers (CHWs) built on research, workforce development, and a professional network. The RTN's unwavering commitment to promoting respect, trust, and support in underserved communities has positioned it as a vital force for positive change in Houston. By empowering CHWs and community stakeholders, offering valuable research opportunities, training, and mentorship, and providing a variety of additional benefits, the network not only enhances individual capacity but also elevates the collective well-being of communities it serves. Joining the Responsive Trust Network is not just an opportunity; it's a commitment to becoming a catalyst for transformative change in community health.

Mission

At its heart, the mission of the Responsive Trust Network (RTN) is to establish an environment that uplifts and empowers individuals, primarily Community Health Workers (CHWs) and community stakeholders. The RTN is dedicated to establishing a dynamic research and community platform, where CHWs and other public health professionals collaborate to bolster community engagement. A core focus is given to addressing nonmedical drivers of health through open and bidirectional communication. The RTN aspires to create an empowering space, underpinned by dynamic research, collaboration, and comprehensive professional development, including meaningful partnerships with employers.

Responsive Trust Network: Phase I

Timeline: October 2022 – August 2023

Outcomes:

40 CHWs were trained and certified
20 CHWs hired
9 different communities served
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30 health workshops delivered
385 community members reached

Responsive Trust Network: Phase II

Objective: Enhance the capacity and knowledge base of Community Health Workers
Timeline: September 2023 – currently ongoing

Community Health Worker Listening Sessions:

The University of Houston with the Texas Health Institute held two Community Health Worker Listening sessions, one in English on December 6 th, 2023 and one in Spanish on and January 5 th , 2024. At these sessions we heard about the barriers, needs, and opportunities CHWs see in their communities around mental, emotional, and behavioral health. We also learned about the needs, hopes, and desires for CHWs and what they wanted to learn or understand to respond to these needs in the community. We held a follow-up session on January 11 th , 2024 in both languages where we confirmed the topics discussed in the previous sessions and asked CHWs to help plan our follow-up learning session series and daylong conference in May.

Community Health Worker Learning Series:

These monthly learning sessions were led by CHWs for CHWs and focused on upskilling in behavioral and emotional health. These sessions were aimed to create a peer-to-peer learning environment. 5 monthly sessions were held in both english and spanish on

CHW Responsive Trust Network Meetings
The RTN seeks to build networks with systems by bringing together all CHW interested parties throughout the State of Texas in a shared dialogue and collaboration with CHWs, CHW partners/allies, employers, health systems, and social service systems. In these meetings we will discuss challenges faced by CHWs, best practices, comprehensive training and professional development, and many more things! Please attend and register.