Session Description:

PASOs is a community-based organization whose mission is to strengthen South Carolina by providing education, advocacy, and leadership development to Latino families. PASOs utilizes the Community Health Worker (CHW) model, in which bilingual and bicultural CHWs work closely with Latino families to connect them with local health and early childhood services, and to help them overcome social and environmental factors that affect their well-being.

This session will provide an overview of PASOs' work statewide, and a detailed look at the design and impact of our early childhood-focused program, Connections for Child Development.

Objectives – Participants will:

PASOs is a community-based organization whose mission is to strengthen South Carolina by providing education, advocacy, and leadership development to Latino families. PASOs utilizes the Community Health Worker (CHW) model, in which bilingual and bicultural CHWs work closely with Latino families to connect them with local health and early childho

1. Participants will understand PASOS' history, vision, mission and scope of work in helping Latino families take steps toward greater health and well-being in South Carolina.

2. Participants will identify and understand the specific challenges faced by Latino children and families in South Carolina considering the substantial growth of the Latino community in recent years. 

3. Participants will understand the role and impact of the PASOs Community Health Worker model in improving access to early childhood guidance and support, medical care, and social services for Latino children and their families in South Carolina

Presenter

Leslie Roth, Connections for Child Development Coordinator

Leslie Roth is the statewide coordinator of the Connections for Child Development program at PASOs. She has many years of experience working in community-based programs supporting families and children in Central America, New York, Chicago, and South Carolina. Leslie has worked and provided leadership in various settings including child development education centers, home visiting programs, early intervention programs, and public school systems.

She is passionate about advocating for equitable access to education, health care, and community resources for Latino and immigrant communities. She holds a Master of Social Work from Hunter College School of Social Work and a Master of Education from Bank Street College of Education in New York City. She lives in Columbia, SC with her husband and three boys.