Live HealthSmart Alabama program wins grant for more community coaches in Selma

The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Live HealthSmart Alabama initiative has been awarded a three-year grant from the Mike and Gillian Goodrich Foundation to expand its Community Coach team in Selma and the Dallas County area. 

Live HealthSmart will use the funding to hire, train and deploy additional Community Coaches who live in the community and work with residents in the schools, churches and gathering places to improve their neighbors’ health, the program said in a statement.

Community Coaches are one of the statewide program's most effective strategies because they offer individualized support, wellness education and help residents navigate appropriate healthcare, nutrition, physical activity, and education that address chronic disease, the statement said.

Community Coaches in Selma have already contributed to expanded participation in wellness events, increased preventive screenings, and improved follow-through with healthcare referrals.

“Community Coaches bring the efforts of LHSA to life in the community; they live in the community and offer a trusted, knowledgeable voice providing a direct link between community members and LHSA’s initiatives,” said Valeta Neal, Expansion Director for Live HealthSmart Alabama. “Our Coaches provide personalized education to ensure that residents understand how their health is impacted by their behaviors.”

Bridget Mills, a Community Coach based in Selma, says the impact of her work is immediate. “Being a Coach means meeting people where they are, hearing their stories, and determining how I can help them in that moment. I’m able to empower people with knowledge that can make their lives better.”

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She added that rural communities like Selma face challenges in accessing care, but as a Coach she helps residents navigate systems and connect to resources, including food, housing, transportation, and healthcare.

Community Coaches also connect residents to a range of LHSA programs available in Selma, including the Pop-up Farmers Market and community/school gardens that improve access to and knowledge about healthy fresh fruits and vegetables. They also help with HEAL United and Healthy Happy Kids that works with the schools.

For those interested in becoming a Community Coach, Mills offered this advice: “You’ve got to be passionate about your community; someone who’s compassionate, who knows the resources, and who’s willing to be the boots on the ground,” she said. “You’re the link between people and the services they need.”

As Alabama continues to rank among the bottom 10 states in national health outcomes, Live HealthSmart says initiatives like the Community Coach Program offer “a hopeful, human-centered path forward to a healthier lifestyle. With the support of this Mike and Gillian Goodrich Foundation grant, LHSA is continuing to make good health simple for all Alabamians.”

Those interested in becoming a community coach can complete this interest form.