Community Health Worker Program
Supporting and strengthening the workforce dedicated to empowering vulnerable populations to improve the health of the community.
Mission
To support and strengthen the workforce dedicated to empowering vulnerable populations to improve the health of the community.
Goals
- Expand the public health workforce
- Train new and existing Community Health Workers (CHWs) and health support workers with specialized training and financial support.
- Recruit and train a minimum of 240 trainees over three years.
- Enhance, expand and adapt existing CHW training programs and courses
- Promote health equity and increase the skills of existing CHWs/HSWs and trainees to respond to public health needs and emergencies with an emphasis on the 10 roles of a CHW from the CHW Core Consensus Project.
- Increase CHW employment readiness
- Partner with the CHWCBC to provide field placements and apprenticeship programs that will allow CHWS to support the needs of the populations they represent
- Provide CHWs with employment opportunities that offer competitive salaries and benefits.
What Is A Community Health Worker?
Trusted Health and Social Service Advocate
Community Health Workers (CHWs) are trusted advocates, educators, and navigators of the clients they serve – largely due to their deep understanding of their lived experiences, and of the communities where they reside.
They assist with connections to care and resources to help meet their client’s health and social needs.
Other Titles for Community Health Workers
Community Health Workers have many other titles, among them:
- Patient navigator
- Peer counselor/educator
- Outreach worker
Where They Work
CHWs work in a variety of settings including:
- Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC)
- Health systems
- Schools
- Public health departments
Community Health Worker Shortages in Ohio
- At any given time, 500 CHW jobs in Ohio are unfilled
- Studies have shown that these professionals help reduce the number of hospitalizations and improve clinical outcomes of people living with chronic diseases.
Become a Community Health Worker
