(Sharing 12/22/2025)Biweekly CHW Message: Rest, Play, Reflect

Rest, Play, Reflect

As the year winds down, I hope you each get to step back and take a moment. Here are three resources for your own well-being -- see you in 2026!

• Quick Vids: "Monday Minute" video playlist on recognizing and recovering from burnout, from EnvisionCHWs.org (#20 to #24, totaling less than 35 mins). And don't miss their Crisis Survival Kit for CHWs and Allies and collection of self-care toolkits for CHWs and CHW supervisors.

• Online game: CHW Adventure: Mental Health is an old-school keyboard-navigation game developed in collaboration with CHWs and a psychologist. It simulates real-world CHW challenges to raise awareness, support emotional reflection, and promote healthy coping. Choose your character and explore three levels: home, neighborhood, and community center. From CHW Learning Hub (check out their other games here).

• Workbook on Family Well-Being for the Greater Good: With practical lessons, prompts, and activities, this workbook helps you cultivate practices for social and emotional well-being in yourself and the parents and families you serve. Topics: social connection, empathy, mindfulness, compassion, purpose, awe, bridging differences, forgiveness, and gratitude. New from the Greater Good Science Center. Flipbook | Download

Spotlight: Reader Survey

Please fill out a brief survey for me about how you receive and use this email update -- you could win your own glossy copies of Those Who Seek, Find / El que busca, encuentra, a comic about navigating the U.S. healthcare system.  Ten winners will be randomly selected on Jan. 16.

Take the survey

Respiratory Infection Updates

• The CDC’s respiratory virus data channel shows Moderate respiratory virus levels in Texas. Locally, flu and RSV levels are rising. Metro Health dashboard | DSHS dashboard | TexWEB wastewater dashboard | Walgreens Respiratory Illness Index | National wastewater dashboard 

• It's not too late to get a flu shot! Early signs predict a rough flu season. Steps to stay healthy, from the CDC.

Tenant Tips 

• Under a new Texas law (SB38) that starts Jan. 1, it will be much easier and faster for landlords to evict squatters.  The changes do not affect legal tenants, not even tenants without a lease. The most noticeable change for renters will be new lease language about electronic notifications -- be sure to look for it and "decline" if you want physical notices instead. 

• Texas Tenant Advisor hosts this library of useful forms -- set a payment plan, request repairs, ask for your security deposit back, more

• Changing locks, cutting off utilities, or removing tenant property without a court order is usually illegal in Texas. Your rights

• Domestic violence causes homelessness for 1 out of every 6 unhoused people in Bexar County. The attached flyer from Close to Home has domestic violence resources on one side, and explains Homelink eligibility on the other side. 

Upcoming Events and Opportunities  

• NACHW is partnering with Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign to support CHWs helping clients and community members access food resources like SNAP & WIC. They're asking CHWs, CHW supervisors, and employers to complete this brief survey so they can learn more about how CHWs are showing up to help people with food access across the country.

• The Lupus Foundation of America invites applications for the CHW Mini-Grant Program, which provides funding to organizations that employ CHWs, community health representatives, patient navigators, or similar staff to support people with lupus. Webinar Jan. 6, apply by Jan. 31. More info

• Jan. 5, 3:30 PM-5 PM, Grocery Budgeting for Beginners and SA Food Bank cooking demo at Empower House, 801 N. Olive (78202). Register

• Jan. 8, 8:30 AM-11 AM, Texas HPV Coalition meeting. Learn about HPV and HPV-related cancers. Register

• Jan 8, noon-1 PM, National CHW Policy Working Group. Register for calendar invites

• Jan. 9, 12-3 PM (and most other Fridays), Yanawana Herbolarios People's Clinic, Maverick Park, 1000 Broadway (78215). More info

• Jan. 10, 9 AM-noon, Brief Motivational Interviewing training from UT Health's Stacy Ogbeide, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr. (78229). Register

• Each week, Westcare puts out a packed, magazine-format roundup of upcoming community events—read it by clicking here. 

• San Antonio Compassion posts flyers for resources and upcoming events here.

Logistics—How Do I Get…  

VACCINES 

• Uninsured? For recommended childhood vaccines and some adult vaccines, click the green buttons on this page for Texas Vaccines for Children and Adult Safety Net providers.

• Insured? The American Pharmacists Association offers this pharmacy map -- filter by walk-in vaccine access, handicap accessibility, hours of operation, and spoken languages. (No matter what the map says, it still helps to make an appointment.) There is never a co-pay or deductible for recommended vaccines.

• Homebound seniors: Medicare will pay a doctor or other care provider to give flu, COVID-19, Hepatitis B, and pneumococcal vaccines in the home, more info here.

• Everyone is still eligible for COVID-19 vaccines this year, and they are still covered by insurance. Hate the side effects? Look for the non-mRNA formulation (the "protein vaccine" here). 

  • No prescription is required at the major national pharmacy chains.

  • For those without health insurance, this is the best discount coupon I've found ($89 as of December 2025)--still pricey, but cheaper than the treatment pills. 

  • If you are unable to get the vaccine, remember the old standbys of clean air, frequent handwashing, masking, and staying away from others who are sick (and also when you're sick). More info

TESTING

• The federal program for free home tests has ended. Some health insurers still cover these.

• How to Use Home COVID and Flu Tests:

  • Lab tests are preferred for people with symptoms. If you are unable to obtain a lab test, then repeat your home COVID test every 48 hours for a total of at least two tests.

  • If any result is positive, stay home and away from others for at least 24 hours—until your symptoms are getting better and you haven’t had a fever for at least 24 hours (without taking fever reducers).

• Before throwing out an expired home test, see if the expiration date was extended by checking the Expiration Date column of the FDA’s List of Authorized At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests.

TREATMENT 

• Medications must start quickly (within 5 days of symptoms for COVID, within just 2-3 days for the flu)—so don’t delay getting a test and a diagnosis. 

• If you are at risk for complications and need antiviral pills, Low-cost online visits are available. Some people are eligible for co-pay assistance from the drug manufacturer. Learn more.