Molina Healthcare of Nevada Marks National Community Health Worker Awareness Week with Ceremony Celebrating Bilingual Program Graduates in Nevada

09/04/2024

LAS VEGAS, September 4, 2024 - In recognition of National Community Health Worker ("CHW") Awareness Week, Molina Healthcare of Nevada ("Molina") hosted celebration ceremonies in Las Vegas and Reno to recognize bilingual graduates of CHW programs sponsored by Molina. The CHW training, made possible through a grant from Molina, is part of Molina's commitment to ensuring Nevadans throughout the state have access to quality health care in their communities.

Close to 40 students were honored for completing fully bilingual training provided by the Nevada Community Health Worker Association ("NvCHWA"). CHWs serve as a liaison between health and social services and the community, facilitating access to services.

"Molina is proud to support our future CHWs with the resources to complete this valuable, bilingual program, as CHWs provide a meaningful difference in the lives of people in our community," said Kim Gahagan, associate vice president of growth and community engagement for Molina Healthcare of Nevada. "We celebrate our new bilingual CHWs as they embark on their journeys into the workforce, and help our fellow Nevadans navigate their personal health paths, by breaking down language barriers."

The students honored by Molina during the ceremony will focus on serving Spanish-speaking individuals in Clark and Washoe counties. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, over 23% of Clark County residents and nearly 16% of Washoe County residents speak Spanish at home. A Pew Research Center study found that 77% of Hispanic adults cited communication problems from language or cultural differences as a reason why Hispanic people generally have worse health outcomes than other adults in the U.S.

The Molina graduating class ceremonies were hosted around the second annual National CHW Awareness Week, held from 8/26 to 8/30. The awareness week was created to encourage community health workers and allies across the country to celebrate, commemorate, and collaborate with each other and to raise awareness of the diversity of the community health worker profession and workforce.

"We are grateful to our community partners like Molina, who support us as we train our future CHWs throughout Nevada," said Cody Wagner, interim program director for Nevada Community Health Worker Association. "We are proud of our very first graduating bilingual classes sponsored by Molina as they embark on their new roles assisting our community as a valuable link in our health care delivery."

The State of Nevada has recognized the role CHWs play in improving service delivery quality and cultural competence. CHWs also help increase health knowledge in the communities they serve through outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support and advocacy.

About Molina Healthcare of Nevada
Molina Healthcare of Nevada, Inc. provides government-funded health care to members in Clark and Washoe counties through Medicaid, Nevada Check Up, Medicare and Marketplace. Through its locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare, Inc., a Fortune 500 company, provides managed health care services under the Medicaid and Medicare programs, and through state insurance marketplaces. For more information, visit MolinaHealthcare.com/NV.

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