What is the Community Health Worker Program?
At Lake Chelan Health we have two trained Community Health Workers (CHW)to connect with our community and patients. Through a brief social determinate of health screening form, CHWs will connect with patients seen in the Emergency Department, Primary and Express Care clinic.
What Services do CHW Provide?
- Navigation for state insurance
- Informal counseling
- Care management
- Screening and referral services
- Health education
What does a CHW do?
Our Community Health Workers (CHWs) are here to support patients beyond the exam room. After a provider referral or a screening form, a CHW will spend a few minutes talking with patients about their overall wellbeing.
These conversations don’t just focus on medical needs — they also help uncover things like:
- Everyday challenges at home or in the community
- Youth and adolescent wellbeing
- Barriers to healthcare access
- Social or family needs
- Access to temporary medical equipment (crutches, walkers, shower chairs etc.)
Depending on what comes up, CHWs may share educational resources, offer informal counseling, or connect patients with services that can help.
CHWs do their best to follow up within 48 hours, or at a patient’s next scheduled visit, to check in and provide additional support.
By looking at the whole person — not just their medical chart — CHWs help ensure patients feel heard, supported, and connected to the care they need.
Give us a call!
Contact George Rohrich:
509-682-3300 ext.5917 or
Email: rrohrich@lcch.net
Chanel Venegas:
509-682-3300 ext. 5918 or
Email: cvenegas@lcch.net
Chanel Venegas, CHW
Mother of three and loving wife, Chanel has a rich background in helping others. She has worked as a Caregiver/Activity Director in a mental health facility, Chemical Dependency Counselor in a duel diagnosed facility, Paraeducator at our local school working with disabled middle/high schoolers. Chanel graduated from WSU with a BA in Social Sciences with an emphasis in Human Development and Psychology. Chanel enjoys quality family time, painting, aromatherapy, and cooking shows.
George Rohrich, CHW
George was born in Turkey and has been an avid traveler since then. He graduated with his BA in International Development with a focus on building healthcare equity. He worked in behavioral health for youth and adults for Providence in the Portland area before moving on to St. Vincent’s Emergency Department. He returned to Turkey in 2013 to work as primary school English teacher and case manager working with refugees from the Syrian civil war for the next 6 years. He obtained his MA from the University of Kent in the UK in 2021 and since then has been employed with Lake Chelan Health’s EMS services as a community health worker and EMT. In his spare time, he loves hiking in Washington’s backcountry, gardening, and traveling.