How We’re Making a Difference

Our Impact

Investing in Community

The Seniors Community Fund, a partnership between the Community Health Commission of Missouri (CHCM) and Deaconess Foundation, is a community-led initiative dedicated to improving services for seniors in Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois.

Since its launch in October 2023:

The Seniors Fund has distributed a total of $700,000 to 20 organizations that address critical needs in transportation, safety, and health navigation for residents aged 55 and older.

 

Empowering the next generation of advocates

The Youth Ambassador Program brought together 25 young leaders from across Missouri, spanning 8th to 12th grade, to develop advocacy skills, build confidence, and strengthen connections within their communities.

Through 5 months of hands-on training, participants learned about policy, leadership, and the impact of trauma and toxic stress on their communities, equipping them to drive meaningful change.

Activating Communities to Heal

Over the last 18 months,

CHCM has facilitated over 130 Community Empowerment Workshops across the state of Missouri.

These interactive workshops help participants explore how trauma impacts individuals, families, and neighborhoods. Designed for community members, grassroots leaders, and local organizations, the sessions equip people with practical strategies to promote well-being, foster collaboration, and lead positive, community-driven change. 

Reimagining Access to Care: Centering Lived Experience

For years, the Regional Health Commission (now CHCM) produced the Access to Care Data Book—a trusted, annual resource that tracked our region’s progress in strengthening the healthcare safety net.

In partnership with the University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL) Community Innovation and Action Center (CIAC), we are reimagining how we understand and communicate about access. Instead of relying solely on charts and statistics, we’re embracing storytelling and experiential data—centering the voices of those most directly impacted by Missouri’s health and social systems 

Impact Areas

Our work centers around creating a healthier, more equitable Missouri.  Explore each of our impact areas to learn how we’re driving change with and for our communities.

Policy and Advocacy

Advocacy is a key strategic priority at the Community Health Commission of Missouri (CHCM). We use advocacy as a tool to drive policy and systems change that improves access to care, strengthens health outcomes, and eliminates health disparities. 

Health and Wellness

We believe every Missourian deserves equitable, trauma-informed care. From protecting Medicaid access to improving health outcomes and addressing chronic pain, we break down barriers to create healthier communities and a more just healthcare system.

Training and Technical Assistance

Our Training and Technical Assistance supports the implementation of Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Care (EC-TIC). Systems change begins by equipping individuals, institutions, and communities with the tools to foster healing, resilience, and equity.

Community Initiatives

Our community initiatives are designed to support healing, equity, and resilience through training, research, and advocacy. Explore our wide range of programs to learn how we’re building trauma-informed, inclusive communities across Missouri—and how you can get involved.

By Region

St. Louis Area

In St. Louis, CHCM fosters healing and equity by providing equity-centered, trauma-informed training, community engagement programs, and support for systems-level change. Our work spans health care, education, legal advocacy, and youth development—always rooted in the voices and experiences of those most impacted by trauma. 

We offer community empowerment workshops, healing circles, and professional development designed to shift culture, build capacity, and promote wellness across the region. Our data and research partnerships, including those focused on access to care and equity in collaboration with institutions like UMSL, are helping inform smarter strategies and more responsive services. 

CHCM also advances policy and advocacy efforts that address structural inequities and elevate community priorities, including support for participatory budgeting processes like those used in our Seniors Community Fund pilot. Together, these strategies are reshaping how St. Louis responds to trauma—through healing, shared power, and justice-focused systems change. 

Kansas City Area

CHCM’s work in Kansas City focuses on integrating trauma-informed practices within public systems, schools, and community-based organizations. From schoolwide transformation to service provider coaching, our efforts help create environments rooted in safety, connection, and belonging.

Through training series, healing circles, and equity-centered workshops, we’re supporting the city’s movement toward collective healing and sustainable systems change. Kansas City continues to be a key site for innovation in trauma-informed education and cross-sector collaboration.

Learn more about our work in Kansas City.

Southeast Missouri

In Southeast Missouri, the Community Health Commission of Missouri (CHCM) leads equity-centered, trauma-informed efforts across Dunklin, Scott, Stoddard, New Madrid, Cape Girardeau, Pemiscot, and Mississippi counties. We partner with schools, health systems, and community organizations to shift culture toward healing and build resilience in the face of systemic trauma like poverty, racial injustice, and substance use.

Through Community Empowerment Workshops, Healing Circles, and professional development for service providers, CHCM equips communities with tools for reflection, connection, and change.

Learn more about our work in Southeast Missouri.

Breaking Through Trauma in Southeast Missouri

Heal Bootheel

Our goal is to educate communities on the profound impacts of trauma while fostering a cultural shift toward healing, well-being, and equality. We are committed to transforming systems and creating lasting pathways to resilience and recovery.

 

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What We’ve Built, Learned, and Shared

Guides, Reports & Resources

Click below to download key resources that guide and document our approach.

Theory of Change

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Training and Technical Assistance Menu

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CHCM Health Equity Policy Screen

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