CA NEW PATHS History

The Commonwealth of Virginia chartered the National Workers Association in September 1975, as a non-stock organization. The association was founded by eligibility workers in Norfolk, Virginia who felt that their needs were not being addressed by professional organizations. They believed that individuals in the eligibility field needed an association through which they could express their positions on policy issues and promote professionalism.

What began with a small group of workers in a local agency has grown to a national organization which includes members from all levels of the profession, from around the country. What they envisioned had come to fruition. National Eligibility Workers Association (NEW PATHS) has gained recognition and credibility with administrators and legislators on a local, state and federal level. As a professional, members are considered essential and relevant.

The California State Chapter of NEW was established in Fresno, CA on June 10, 1989, by twenty-one national members from nine California counties. The Chapter was founded in the belief that eligibility professionals needed an association through which they could express their positions on policy issues and promote professionalism in their field, in the State of California. The Chapter was founded for the improvement of knowledge, skills, and overall professionalism of the Eligibility Professional. The Chapter was charted August 1989 by the National Association in St Louis, Missouri.

Many local chapters have been formed in California, such as our State Chapter, the others include:

Alameda County,  Kern County,  Sacramento County,  San Joaquin County,  and Stanislaus County

California's Humble Beginnings


"The CA Chapter of NEW is the largest chapter in the USA. It has over 600 members and over 12 Counties Chapters within the State. The CA Chapter has provided a State Training Conference, modeled after the National Annual Training Conference for the past 12 years. But how did this "giant chapter" begin?

In January of 1989 at a Western Regional Conference held in beautiful Monterey, a sign up list was circulated, asking if anyone was interested in helping to form a California State Chapter. I put my name down and promptly forgot about it. A few months later I received a letter in the mail calling an organizational meeting in Fresno, CA. My best friend Adela Brower, and I took off for this meeting in June 1989. Twenty-one Eligibility Professionals from nine different counties met in a small room at the Picadilly Hotel in Fresno and this chapter was born. Some preliminary work was already done by Miriam Parker, former National Board member (1 retired from work in 2002). She brought a draft of By-laws for our group to work through and approve, and best of all, she brought some art work for us to choose an appropriate State NEW logo.

The meeting was quite long and most of us did not know each other, but by the end of the day we had adopted our By-laws, elected a Board of Directors and chosen our officers.... we were all intents and purposes A CHAPTER. Of course, the latter was accomplished by asking those present to volunteer, stand up, sit down, step forward or backwards, but it all got done. We were all very excited and we spread the word that once our By-laws were approved we would "meet each other in St. Louis". We received our charter at the National Conference held in St. Louis, MO two months after this organizational meeting, and have been celebrating ever since!"
—  Christeen Hamson   
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NEW PATHS - California State Chapter