A Community Healthcare Worker (CHW) complements clinically-trained health care teams comprised of physicians, physician assistants, and nurses, among others. CHWs carry out a broad range of responsibilities that facilitate access to health care services and help support patients to achieve goals in their care plans.

CHW Responsibilities include:

• Positively connecting to the community
• Helping others find access to healthcare and social services
• Managing cases and coordinating care
• Delivering home-based support services
• Coaching and promoting good health

Program Objectives

• Analyze health issues and inequalities from public health and cultural perspectives.
• Summarize the process of community organizing, advocacy, and policy development as appropriate to the scope of practice for community health workers.
• Discuss and demonstrate non-clinical health assessment, advising, and service coordination planning, and client-centered counseling.
• Assess and apply professional skills, including the establishment of goals for internship placement, ethics, the scope of practice, professional boundaries, cultural humility, and self-care practices.
• Evaluate health care delivery systems, including eligibility and community resources in order to provide appropriate linkage services to clients.
• Describe and demonstrate mastery of cultural humility principles and practice in working with diverse clients and communities.
• Design, prepare and facilitate a group health education training or presentation demonstrating effective group-level teamwork and conflict resolution skills.