The purpose of this web page and the community health worker(CHW) Cafe' Blog is to engage individuals in conversation concerning their use of the health care system, their experiences within that sytem, and health care needs they experience that remain incomplete. The role of the CHW is to be a spokes person for the community based needs as well as to encourage others to express their experiences and needs.<p> Training CHWs and CHW Instructors is an educational process. In the State of Texas this learning process is defined as 160 contact hours. The purpose of CHW training is to increase and improve the operation of the health care system through expanding the converstaion about the system. <p> The Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) has determined that the CHW curriculum will focus on eight core competencies, i.e., advocacy, capacity building, communication, knowledge, organization, service coordination and teaching. Each of the eight competencies is a 20 clock hours learning block. During each learning period classes provide knowledge, encourage dialogue with the learner based on both knowledge and the learner's experiences. The learning is also interactive. Time is allowed during each learning period for the learner to experience and practice each CHW skill. Practicing the skill is undertaken through cooperation with a neighborhood agency. As the learning pyramid points out, "the best learning takes place when there is immedidate use of the knowledge and the opportunity to teach others. As more CHWs are trained and their effectivenss established, additional agencies are needed to employee these thoughtful and energetic persons. The scope of each CHW practice should be carefully defined by the agency so that the CHW does not become the "gopher" for all tasks others do not wish to perform. Let us hear from you at the CAFE' BLOG about your experiences as CHWs, your learning and educational process and where you are using your experiences as a CHW or CHW Instructor. We are especially interested in your best practices, issues you regard as important and questions you may have about work you are providing as a CHW. Liz Kelly