CareSouth Carolina's Marek Calhoun named SCCHWA Board Chair

CareSouth Carolina’s Marek Calhoun was recently nominated to become the board chairman for The South Carolina Community Health Worker Association (SCCHWA).

Calhoun — the Director of Social and Community Services, Community Health & Family Support Services at CareSouth Carolina — has served on the board of the association for several years and was nominated by the members of the organization when the position became available.

“This is a great honor,” Calhoun said. “It shows the confidence and commitment that my fellow board members had in me. I’m humbled to have the opportunity to service in that capacity and I look forward to the opportunity to help lead the board work with community health workers across the state.” 

The SCCHWA is made up of Community Health Workers (CHWs) and supporters who are building a healthier South Carolina through the promotion of education, networking, and advocacy for the community health worker profession. The association provides a forum for networking, sharing of strategies and resources, and provides a foundation for the education of CHWs.

The association works to provide many key services to community health workers across the state of South Carolina, including:

• Aligning CHW training in South Carolina with nationally established core competencies, including standardizing the experiential learning component of CHW curriculum.
• Promoting uniform standards and requirements for the training, certification, and continuing education of CHWs and CHW Instructors in South Carolina.
• Educating those working in the health and social service sectors about the role, scope of services, evidence of success, and best practices related to CHWs.
• Developing and enhancing opportunities for building the CHW workforce and its capacity to succeed.

As he moves forward in this position, Calhoun says he wants to continue to build on the work the association has done so far.

“I want us to continue to progress in the work that the board and association has done so far, as well as the previous board chair,” Calhoun said. “The goal will be to increase the footprint of CHWs all across our state and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

In December of 2021, Calhoun was presented with the ‘Award For Excellence’ by the South Carolina Primary Health Care Association (SCPHCA).In March of 2019, Calhoun was awarded a distinguished Master of Advocacy certificate by The National Association of Community Health Centers - Health Center Advocacy Network. The award, which was born out of the Grassroots Advocacy Leadership Program, was given in recognition of completion of the requirements for the Fall 2018 NACHC Advocacy Leadership Program.