(Sharing 8/18/2026) Biweekly CHW Message: Supporting Others, Sustaining Yourself

 Supporting Others, Sustaining Yourself

• Here's a timely message for CHW Awareness Week, Aug. 24-28: "You are not expected to carry every client’s hardship alone. Trauma-informed work is sustainable through boundaries, support, and shared responsibility" -- from the attached tipsheet, originally for those who help newcomers but translatable to all our work (Switchboard). 

Spotlight: Executive Order on Immunizations

• It's been an eventful National Immunization Awareness Month. Measles cases hit a 35-year high, and the White House issued a confusing order. What to know:

  • Vaccines recommended through this "Ask, Learn, Protect" page are still available and still covered by insurance. Please share the attached flyers from The Immunization Partnership to help parents advocate for their kids' health.

  • Standalone vaccines for measles and mumps are neither FDA-approved nor available in the U.S., with the combo MMR in use since 1971.

  • The recommended timing of doses gives peak protection at the periods in our lives when we are at highest risk. 

  • Each state sets their own vaccine schedules, so that's where this battle will be fought next.

Infectious Diseases In the News

• "When can we eat lettuce again?" San Antonio cyclospora rates this year are pretty similar to last year's -- Texas wasn't that affected by the Taylor Farms recall. On the other hand,  jalapeños and jalapeño-containing products recently were recalled because of salmonella (info).

  • While there's no 100% safe raw produce, we can make safer food choices (CDC) while continuing to enjoy the overall health benefits of fruits and veggies. 

• A Hays County resident recently came down with West Nile Virus, and we do have West Nile-positive mosquitoes in Bexar County (test results). Prevent bites (CDC).

• Since my last update, the U.S. added 195 measles cases for a total of 2,566 in 2026, with 0 deaths.

• New World Screwworm cases are slowing down. Texas has 44 confirmed animal cases, none in Bexar County (Screwworm.texas.gov).

  • NEW! Interactive guide for people moving animals or carcasses out of affected zones, from Texas A&M.

• Ebola: No known cases in the U.S. at this time. Public health is monitoring and preparing this concerning outbreak.

• Wastewater monitoring suggests that Texas-wide COVID levels are rising. (Dashboards: CDC | DSHS | TexWEB wastewater | Walgreens Respiratory Illness Index | National wastewater.)

Navigation Resources of the Week

• From Settle In: How to Find Housing and Apply for Jobs Online -- a step-by-step walkthrough. English | Spanish | Haitian Creole | Dari | Russian

• West Avenue Compassion created this Community Resource GPT so people can find local resources by just typing in their question or problem, in any language. Requires a free ChatGPT account.

• For people experiencing serious pregnancy complications, the "Asking for A Mom" website and flyers explain the Life of the Mother Act passed by the 2025 Texas Legislature. Asking for A Mom is backed by a coalition that includes the Texas Hospital Association.

• For  employers of CHW navigators: For the first time, CMS is proposing a standing Medicare Part B payment pathway for health and well-being coaching that names CBOs. Learn more at a webinar Aug. 18, 1 PM, from the Partnership to Align Community Care and Freedman's Health Consulting. Register

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

• Advocates want Congress to pass a CHW Awareness Week Resolution. Written by and for CHWs, the resolution had 6 cosponsors in 2023, 21 last year, and a goal of 30+ this year, including 3-5 Republicans. Learn about HR 1187, what's happening with federal CHW funding, and how to get involved with the CHW Policy Coalition here: Slides | Meeting notes 

• Aug. 17, 8 AM-11 AM, pop-up Metro Health vaccine clinic outside the brick-and-mortar clinic, 210 Mel Waiters Way (78202). Available vaccines

• Aug. 17, 9 AM-4 PM, postpartum wellness event for moms with babies up to 3 months old, with brunch, haircuts, chair massage, health education, screenings and more, from the Health Collaborative, 2300 W. Commerce (78207), flyer attached. Registration required, here

• Aug. 18, 8 AM-2 PM, diabetes education class, food and diaper distribution and more at West Avenue Compassion, 10715 West Ave (78213)

• Aug. 18, noon-1 PM, Student Spotlight: Extreme Heat, Outdoor Activity, and Texas Children's Health. Webinar, register

• Aug. 18, noon-1:30 PM, Housing As Healing webinar from AHEC East Piney Woods, non-DSHS-certified CE available. Register

• Aug. 18, 3 PM-6 PM, All for Them and UH vaccine clinic with Healthy Futures, 10148 Culebra Rd. Register for adolescent vaccines

• Aug. 19, 9 AM-noon, CHW Series: Adolescent Friendly Practices, a Cardea training offering 3 hours of DSHS-certified CE. Register

• Aug. 19, 10 AM-11:30 AM, Recognizing and Responding to Financial Trauma, a previously recorded webinar (no CE) from the Institute for Trauma Informed Care. Register

• Aug. 19, 9 AM-3 PM, Communicare women's health mobile unit at Impacto Communitario, 211 N. Park Blvd. (78204),  appointments preferred, call 210-233-7199

• Aug. 19, 11:30 AM-1:30 PM, Healthy Start Parent Talk on breastfeeding, Las Palmas Library Community Room, 515 Castroville Rd. (78237), flyer attached

• Aug. 19, 6 PM-7 PM, online fentanyl awareness training from SACADA. Register.

• Aug. 20, YWCA mammogram event, 503 Castroville Rd. (78237). Contact Arlene Mora or Barbara Garcia, 210-433-9922 x212 or x243, amora@ywcasa.org or bgarcia@ywcasa.org

• Aug. 20, 8 AM-noon, Metro Health vaccine clinic at the Resource Center at Villa Coronado, 11030 Ruidosa (78214). Vaccines offered

• Aug. 20, 8 AM-2 PM, CommuniCare women's health mobile unit at Coker Methodist Church, 14630 Wurzbach (78216)

• Aug. 20, 11 AM-1 PM, virtual Health Confianza train-the-trainer session on preventive health and the five new roadmaps. Info and registration

• Aug. 20, 11 AM-noon, HIV Foundations for Community Health Workers Module 1: HIV 101, virtual, 1 non-DSHS-certified CEU. Info 

• Aug. 20, 1:30 PM-4:30 PM, Methodist Healthcare Ministries safety and health fair, Wesley Health and Wellness Center, 1406 Fitch (78211)

• Aug. 20, 2 PM-3 PM, Corazon Ministries mobile medical unit with wound care, glucose tests, STI testing, harm reduction services at the Central Library, 600 Soledad (78205). Info

• Aug. 20, 3 PM-4 PM, Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) suicide prevention training online through the Prevention Resource Center. Register

• Aug. 22, 1 PM-7:30 PM, 210 Rise Summit: Ready, Set, Safe!, focusing on youth safety, family support, human trafficking prevention. Info and registration

• Aug. 22, 9 AM-noon, Vaccines Veggies Votes health fair from Good Health Wins including produce, water, snack packs, more, Gardopia, 619 N. New Braunfels (78202). Flyer attached

• Aug. 25, 10 AM-2:30 PM, Latched Community Resource Day for people who are pregnant or have children under 3 years old, 8102 Midcrown (78239). Register

• Aug. 26, 8 AM-11 AM, pop-up Metro Health vaccine clinic outside the brick-and-mortar clinic, 210 Mel Waiters Way (78202). Available vaccines

• Aug. 26, 9 AM-2 PM, South Texas Family Planning women's mobile health bus at the YWCA, 2318 Castroville Rd (78237), contact vds@ywcasa.org or 210-956-6943.

• Aug. 26, 9:30 AM-10 AM, community based family advocacy session from ChildSafe. Register

• Aug. 27, 9 AM-noon, back-to-school vaccine clinic from Christus and Methodist, Northern Hills Ministry, 4306 Naco Pass (78217), appt required, call 210-954-3764. Flyer attached

• Aug. 27, 9 AM-3 PM,  CommuniCare women's health mobile unit, SA Hope Center, 321 N General McMullen (78237), appointments preferred, call 210-233-7199

• Aug. 27, 10 AM-11 AM, Los Sueños de Mamá plática virtual de Healthy Start en español, folleto adjunto. Enlace

• Aug. 27, 2 PM-3 PM, webinar on Witnessing: Understanding the Effects of Overexposure to Stories of Suffering and Trauma, Migrant Clinicians Network. Register

• Aug. 28-29: Pathways to Hope 2026 mental health conference at the Tobin, 100 Auditorium Circle (78205), free. Flyers attached. Agenda

• Aug. 28, 9 AM-1 PM, Ventanilla de Salud mammograms at Second Baptist Church, 3310 E. Commerce (78220)

• Aug. 29, 9 AM-noon, Catholic Charities Caritas legal services, Notre Dame Catholic Church, 909 Main St., Kerrville (78028)

• Aug. 29. 10 AM, health fair and grand opening of the Center for Health Empowerment in South Texas (CHEST), 419 Lovett (78211)

• Sept. 4, 9 AM-4 PM: Texas Gulf Coast CHW/Promotores Association 2026 Conference, in Houston. Info and flyer

• 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? Use a pharmacy--it's fast and no-cost to you. 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.) 

• 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 vaccines this year, and it is 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 ($79 as of July 2026)--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, 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’ve haven’t had a fever for at least 24 hours (without taking fever reducers). What to Do If You Feel Sick (CDC)

• 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 just 2-3 days for the flu, 5 days for COVID)—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.