In the Spotlight
Project Voice WERC
Los Angeles, CA – The Worker Education and Resource Center, Inc. (WERC) addresses shortages in Behavioral Health workers for Los Angeles and Alameda counties with their High Road Training Partnership grant. They have developed a training program for Community Health Workers who specialize as Harm Reduction Specialists. These specialized workers help mitigate the impacts of substance abuse and other risk factors in vulnerable communities by connecting their communities to vital resources.
One component of their project’s work includes developing a Community Health Worker (CHW) – Harm Reduction Specialist training program. WERC partners with L.A. County Harm Reduction Division, community partners, healthcare providers, and advocacy groups to prioritize trauma-informed training. This collaboration ensures the training prioritizes equity in service delivery and employment practices, including culturally responsive training materials, practical role-play opportunities, and bias training delivered through a trauma-informed approach.
Harm Reduction Specialists are needed in the most vulnerable communities. WERC shared, “Harm Reduction Specialists’ work mitigates risks associated with substance abuse, reduces harm, and supports individuals in accessing vital resources. Their contributions to public health, safety, and community well-being should not be overlooked.” WERC continues to build its employer network, advocacy, and education to the Harm Reduction workforce to create resilient communities.
WERC Harm Reduction Specialists have lived experience and reside in the community they serve. It has been critical to the program that trainees have lived experience as it ensures the curriculum remains authentic and relevant.
Micheal Childress Jr.
Harm Reduction Specialist
At a young age, Micheal Childress Jr. was exposed to drugs, alcohol, and a broken home. Self-medicating led him on a path to addiction and eventually prison. While incarcerated, Childress made changes: he completed drug treatment programs, was honored as valedictorian, and earned a humanitarian award.
Upon his release, Childress continued to succeed in his goals and used his lived experience to earn a property management position working with the homeless population. His wages were high, but the company’s instability ultimately left him unemployed, unbenefited, and rejected from other jobs because of his past. He felt uncertain about how he would provide for his family.
At this same point in Childress’s journey, his father became sober and was back in his life. Michael Childress Sr. had completed WERC’s Harm Reduction Specialist training program and invited his son to the graduation. During the graduation, Childress felt that the opportunity was perfect for him. He enrolled in the Harm Reduction Specialist program and connected with WERC’s Engagement & Recruitment Coordinator, Rudy Villalobos. Villalobos’s first impression of Childress left him saying, “Mike just shines, he has a lot to offer, he’s smart, and can make a difference.”
Childress shared his experience in the Harm Reduction Specialist training program as transformative. “I was in a slump, and this program helped me get my confidence back, taught me to believe in myself again, and gave me a second chance.” Childress’s favorite element of the program was the community and instructor. “Our instructor was great; she broke information down and taught us in a way that made sense for what we will do [as Harm Reduction Specialists]. We had a lot of discussions and formed a community where everyone had a voice.”
Childress is now working as a Re-Entry Case Manager, serving the justice-involved population. He copes with life’s challenges by spending time with his family and working toward his dream of running his own non-profit.