HEALTH 201 - CHW Principles and Practice 1
Course Information
Course Description: Health Education 201 is a required course for the Community Health Worker, Elder Advocate, Reentry Specialist, HIV and Hepatitis Navigation, and Youth Advocate Certificates. This course prepares students for frontline Community Health Worker (CHW) positions in public health, health care and social services. It provides public health and social justice perspectives on the causes of illness and health, as well as inequalities in rates of illness and death among different communities. It is designed to teach and enhance core competencies for working CHWs including client-centered concepts and skills for peer education, care management and counseling/coaching. The course provides a trauma-informed approach designed to prepare CHWs to support the healing and recovery of survivors of violence and other traumatic events. Key professional skills necessary for career success are emphasized including resume development and job interviewing skills, code switching, and skills in providing and receiving constructive feedback and conflict resolution.
THIS IS A HYBRID COURSE, AND ALL MATERIALS ARE ONLINE. Please note that course materials, including readings, videos, and assignments, will be posted in advance on CANVAS, the CCSF online educational system. You will need to access the course in the online system at CCSF (called Canvas), using your college ID (RAMID). To locate information about your RAM ID and how to log on to Canvas please go to the main CCSF webpage (ccsf.edu) and Click on the “MyCCSF” link towards the top right side of the website. Here you will find information about your RAMID, Distance Learning and Canvas. To watch an introductory video about Canvas, click on this link: https://community.canvaslms.com/videos/1124.
Required Textbook: Foundations for Community Health Workers, 2nd Edition (with the purple cover), Berthold. Textbooks can be purchased at the CCSF Bookstore or online through Jossey-Bass or Amazon. Copies of the textbook are also available to read in the LINK Center located in MUB 301, and at the Rosenberg Library on the Ocean Campus. Depending upon availability, a copy of the textbook may also be available to borrow from the Health Education Department for the duration of your study. The textbook must be returned to the Department if you drop the class or when you complete Health 202.
Health Education 201 is open only to students who have successfully completed Health 59 or is currently working in the CHW profession and have gotten approval from the CHW Program Coordinator to waive Health 59.
The Student Learning Outcomes are:
Analyze health issues and inequalities from biomedical, 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, service coordination, planning and client-centered counseling.
Assess and apply professional skills including: establishment of goals for internship placement, ethics, scope of practice, professional boundaries, cultural humility, and self-care practices.
Demonstrate job readiness including resume development, job interviewing skills, and ability to work on a health care team.
Location: Ocean Campus, Multi-Use Building (MUB), room can be found in the class schedule for the semester
Important Dates
STUDENT REQUIREMENTS:
Professional Standards for CHW Conduct and Participation: This class is designed to prepare you for employment as a CHW, and therefore aims to meet the same standards of professional conduct necessary for career success. Students are expected to:
Attend class on time (including returning from breaks on time;
Meet deadlines for submitting required assignments including in-class quizzes and take-home exams and other assignments;
Come to class ready to discuss assigned readings and to actively engage in classroom discussions and activities, while leaving space for the participation of colleagues;
To appreciate different experiences and opinions in both the classroom and professional workplace;
Be able to work with and learn from other with respect;
Be able to provide and receive constructive feedback in a respectful manner.
Complete the assigned readings prior to class. Each week, all assigned readings and videos, along with questions for reflection will be posted to Canvas. I ask that you come to class prepared to discuss these questions and topics. The main chapters of the Foundations textbook to be assigned and discussed in detail in HLTH 201 are Chapters 1-4, 6-11, 12-14, 16 and 18. If possible, get a head start reading these chapters.
Class begins each Wednesday at 5:10 PM. Students should arrive by 5:00 pm ready to begin at 5:10 pm.
Absences: To pass this course and remain eligible to continue in the CHW Certificate Program, you can miss no more than 3 classes, for any reason. A student who misses 4 classes may be dropped from the course and the program and receive a grade of “F.” Please note that being more than fifteen (15) minutes late to class (or leaving more than 15 minutes early) three times will count as an absence. While these policies may seem strict, they are designed to prepare you for success in the professional environment where missing or showing up for work late can result in disciplinary action including termination or the loss of employment.
If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to follow-up with classmates for key information and materials. You should also check your syllabus and the class resources on Canvas. The instructor is not responsible for providing students with materials from classes they miss unless a student has made prior arrangements for a special circumstance.