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


  1. Analyze and evaluate public health concepts and information for health promotion.

  2. Assess and integrate professional skills necessary for employment in the CHW field.

  3. Evaluate and implement entry-level proficiency in CHW core competencies for working effectively with diverse individuals, groups and communities.

Objectives

  1. Students will demonstrate job seeking skills of resume and cover letter writing, application completion and interviewing.

  2. 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.

  3. Students will be able to identify stressors and coping strategies for managing stress and staying healthy.

  4. Students will be able to develop an advocacy plan, prepare appropriate material and carry out the plan.

  5. Students will identify community resources for clients and be able to prioritize client information into an effective plan or timeline.

  6. Students will employ effective communication skills when collaborating with clients and other members of the service team.

  7. Students will understand HIPAA and ethical aspects of confidentiality in addition to knowing the role of a Community Health Worker’s scope of practice.

  8. Students will be able to communicate orally and in writing and complete required documentation of client visits.

  9. 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

  10. Students will complete 90 hours of community outreach and supervised practical experience.

Topics Covered

Unit 1 The Role of Community Health Workers (CHWs)

  1. Who are CHW and what do they do?

  2. Public Health and Medical Practice

  3. Professional core competencies, qualities and attributes

  4. Role of CHWs in chronic condition management

  5. Scope of practice, personal safety, 911 and 211 services

  6. Professional organizations and the need for continuing education

  7. Stress and Coping strategies for CHWs and clients

  8. HIPAA and confidentiality

  9. Job seeking skills

Unit 2 Health for All: Promoting Health Equality

  1. Health inequalities in the community

  2. Social Determinants of Health

  3. Health inequalities as a catalyst for change

  4. Cultural Humility

  5. Cultural Self-Awareness

  6. Ethical Guidelines and professional boundaries

  7. Behavior change models

Unit 3 Client Interactions

  1. Initial Client Interview

  2. Documentation

  3. Client- Centered Counseling

  4. Motivational Interviewing

  5. Developing an Action Plan

  6. Multidisciplinary Teamwork

  7. Basic Care Management

  8. Community resources

  9. Staying current on Health News

  10. Effective communication skills

  11. Educating others about health promotion

Unit 4 Health Promotion

  1. Stressors throughout the lifespan

  2. Stress management

  3. Chronic Diseases and Health Care Management

  4. Patient Self-Management

  5. Promoting Healthy Eating and lifestyles

  6. Outreach and Advocacy

  7. 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.