Community Health Worker
Course Overview
This course is the senior capstone course for the Health Careers Pathway. Community Health Workers (CHW/Promatoras) are frontline public health workers who are trusted members of and/or have an unusually close understanding of the community they serve. CHWs also build individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support, and advocacy.
Throughout this course, students will develop an understanding of the community’s social networks as well as its strengths and special health needs. Students will develop the skills necessary to build a trusting relationship and to serve as a liaison/link/intermediary between health, social services, and the community. Students will learn how to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery. Activities in this course include work-based learning opportunities such as internships, projects, guest speakers and mentors that connect students to industry and the local community.
Program Requirements
Maintain a 2.0 overall GPA
Earn B or better in the Community Health Worker Course and participate successfully in a 90 hour Internship in order to be certified
Perform 40 hours or more of medically related community service
Participate in the Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Promotion Advocacy Project including the Health Fair
Student Learning outcomes
Analyze and evaluate public health concepts and information for health promotion.
Assess and integrate professional skills necessary for employment in the CHW field.
Evaluate and implement entry-level proficiency in CHW core competencies for working effectively with diverse individuals, groups and communities.
Objectives
Students will demonstrate job seeking skills of resume and cover letter writing, application completion and interviewing.
Students will be able to describe the scope of practice for a Community Health Worker and demonstrate the ability to identify the needs of the community and methods to apply to connect with the community.
Students will be able to identify stressors and coping strategies for managing stress and staying healthy.
Students will be able to develop an advocacy plan, prepare appropriate material and carry out the plan.
Students will identify community resources for clients and be able to prioritize client information into an effective plan or timeline.
Students will employ effective communication skills when collaborating with clients and other members of the service team.
Students will understand HIPAA and ethical aspects of confidentiality in addition to knowing the role of a Community Health Worker’s scope of practice.
Students will be able to communicate orally and in writing and complete required documentation of client visits.
Students will be able to advocate for health promotion in the following areas: diabetes, CPOD, Asthma, cancer, depression or other mental health conditions, substance use, arthritis, Communicable chronic conditions, chronic kidney disease, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis
Students will complete 90 hours of community outreach and supervised practical experience.
Topics Covered
Unit 1 The Role of Community Health Workers (CHWs)
Who are CHW and what do they do?
Public Health and Medical Practice
Professional core competencies, qualities and attributes
Role of CHWs in chronic condition management
Scope of practice, personal safety, 911 and 211 services
Professional organizations and the need for continuing education
Stress and Coping strategies for CHWs and clients
HIPAA and confidentiality
Job seeking skills
Unit 2 Health for All: Promoting Health Equality
Health inequalities in the community
Social Determinants of Health
Health inequalities as a catalyst for change
Cultural Humility
Cultural Self-Awareness
Ethical Guidelines and professional boundaries
Behavior change models
Unit 3 Client Interactions
Initial Client Interview
Documentation
Client- Centered Counseling
Motivational Interviewing
Developing an Action Plan
Multidisciplinary Teamwork
Basic Care Management
Community resources
Staying current on Health News
Effective communication skills
Educating others about health promotion
Unit 4 Health Promotion
Stressors throughout the lifespan
Stress management
Chronic Diseases and Health Care Management
Patient Self-Management
Promoting Healthy Eating and lifestyles
Outreach and Advocacy
Student Internship of 90 hours
Patient Care Standards
Recognize the integrated systems approach to health care delivery services: prevention, diagnosis, pathology, and treatment
Recognize and practice components of an intake assessment relevant to patient care.
Communicate procedures and goals to patients using various communication strategies to respond to questions and concerns.
Apply observation techniques to detect changes in the health status of patients.
Implement wellness strategies for the prevention of injury and disease
Adhere to the roles and responsibilities, within the scope of practice, that contribute to the design and implementation of treatment planning
Research factors that define cultural differences between and among different ethnic, racial, and cultural groups and special populations.