As April marks National Interprofessional Health Care Month, Bread of Life Academy, a program under the nonprofit Bread of Life Inc. (BOL), hosted a special graduation ceremony on Friday, April 12th, at Bread of Life Inc. in downtown Houston for Community Health Workers (CHWs). The nearly three dozen graduates are fully trained and equipped to begin helping communities in need, at facilities like at Christ Clinic located at 25722 Kingsland Blvd #111, Katy, TX 77494.

CHWs at Christ Clinic help uninsured Katy residents address non-emergency medical needs. They provide non-judgmental, non-coercive provision of services and resources to people who are marginalized or stigmatized, experiencing housing instability or homelessness, injecting substances, live with or are at risk of Hepatitis C Virus or Human Immunodeficiency Virus, and are experiencing greater barriers to entering treatment or recovery services.

“Having a Community Health Worker (CHW) at Christ Clinic to serve Katy has been an incredible blessing,” said Lara Mautz, Executive Director, Christ Clinic in Katy. “A CHW is a real person that can relate to the people in our community, deepen our relationships, and leverage our connections to improve lives beyond healthcare. These kinds of tailored interventions not only improve outcomes, but display love and humanize the healthcare experience.”

Bread of Life Academy is dedicated to providing educational opportunities for underserved individuals in Houston, equipping them with essential skills to enhance their employability in the healthcare sector. The program focuses on training and certifying students as community health workers (CHWs) and phlebotomists, addressing critical shortages in these allied health professions.

"The demand for allied health jobs in Texas has reached unprecedented levels, significantly impacting healthcare accessibility and quality," said Dr. Morgan Rasmus Alfred, Vice President of Education & Director of Bread of Life Academy. "Our graduates play a vital role in bridging this gap, particularly in marginalized communities, where access to healthcare services is often limited."

The graduation ceremony on April 12 celebrated the achievements of 35 students who will receive certificates in phlebotomy and community health work, like Angel Harrison, a dual-certified Community Health Worker and phlebotomy student. “I was homeless and had just lost my job when I enrolled in the programs. When I read up on what a Community Health Worker was, I knew I had to be one because I wanted to be support where I didn’t have support. Bread of Life provides me with the skills, tools and knowledge to conquer life’s barriers.”

The Bread of Life Academy receives support from the Quest Diagnostics Foundation as part of the Quest for Health Equity (Q4HE) initiative. This initiative aims to address health disparities in marginalized communities across the U.S. by providing resources, funding, donated testing services, and education.

In Texas, the shortage of CHWs is a pressing concern, with only 4,139 actively licensed CHWs in the state in 2020, representing a significant increase over the past decade. Despite this growth, Texas still lags behind the national average in CHW per capita ratio, emphasizing the need for programs like Bread of Life Academy.

ABOUT BREAD OF LIFE INC

Bread of Life, Inc. is a Houston-based nonprofit organization committed to addressing barriers with compassion and restoring hope in underserved communities. Since its founding in 1992 by Pastors Rudy and Juanita Rasmus, Bread of Life, Inc. has been dedicated to eradicating food insecurity while improving health outcomes across Houston.