Walter Arrington, MSW, is Director of Grants & Development at Community Health Northwest Florida, where he brings a decade of experience connecting the region’s most vulnerable populations to healthcare, housing support, and social services.
A native of Northwest Florida and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Walter joined CHNWF and quickly became one of its most impactful program builders. He founded the organization’s Unhoused Health Navigation program, helped launch the Mobile Medical Unit, oversaw the CORE program serving individuals with Substance Use Disorder, and most recently led implementation of a HRSA-funded initiative inside Escambia County Jail — connecting justice-involved individuals with healthcare and case management services before release.
In his new role, Walter directs eight grant-funded programs totaling more than $6.5 million from federal, state, and local sources, and has authored more than $15 million in successful grant awards in recent years.
Walter earned his Master of Social Work from the University of West Florida, where he was honored with the Hal Crosby Leadership Award in 2022 and delivered the commencement address for his graduating class in 2023. He was named Student Social Worker of the Year by the NASW Florida Chapter in 2022, recognized as one of InWeekly’s Pensacola Rising Stars in 2023, and received the National AHEC Alumni Advocate of the Year award in 2025.
Walter serves on multiple boards and task forces focused on homelessness, mental health, and community health access, and is widely regarded by peers and elected officials as a leading regional voice on homelessness policy, substance use disorder, and healthcare delivery for underserved communities.