Community Health Worker

The Certificate of Achievement for Community Health Worker (CHW) will prepare the student to assist individuals in accessing health care services, recognize the specific needs of the community, collect community data to improve health education efforts, and network with public health, clinical, and social service agencies. The student will learn to interpret and monitor community health data for improvement in population well-being, explore possible environmental or systemic causes of adverse health conditions, identify need for changes in policies to improve the health and safety of the community, and investigate legal and regulatory actions for greater understanding of services.  Students will be able to assist specific populations in communities by improving access to health care services, increase access to health screenings, assist the community members to better understand the health and social service system, facilitate communication between community members and health providers, work to improve adherence to health recommendations, and help to reduce the need for emergency and specialty services.

Rio Hondo College and Cypress College offer a Certificate of Achievement for Community Health Worker (1261.00) with similar curriculum. We estimate that 20 students will complete the certificate. Two of the courses in the Community Health Worker program are offered as part of a dual enrollment with ABC Unified High School District. We are hoping to integrate the Community Health Worker Certificate with one of their ROP programs.

20 students projected annually

Community Health Workers are communicators between organizations and community members. They serve as frontline health and social service workers and are often a first contact with a community member. There is an increasing need for community health workers since the Affordable Health Care Act and the COVID 19 pandemic. Members within the community are struggling to fulfill basic needs, such as employment, housing and food insecurities, and access to healthcare. Many individuals are facing a decrease in physical and mental health status and limited financial resources. Upon completion of the required courses and work experience, the certificate of achievement for Community Health Worker will prepare the student to develop the basic skills and essential core competencies required to enter the workforce. The student will learn to understand and monitor community health data to improve population well-being, explore possible environmental or systemic causes of adverse health conditions, identify need for changing in policies to improve health and safety of community, and investigate legal and regulatory actions for greater understanding of services. Students be able to to assist specific populations in communities by improving access to health care services, increase access to health screenings, help the community members in better understanding the health and social service system, facilitate communication between community members and health providers, provide increased use of health care services, work to improve adherence to health recommendations, and help to reduce the need for emergency and specialty services.

According to the COE for Labor Market Research, there is a prediction in Los Angeles/Orange County of a 14% increase through 2024 of the number of jobs related to these occupations. They also reported 1,507 online job postings related to middle-skill community and social service occupations listed in the past 12 months. There will be nearly 3,600 job openings per year through 2024 due to job growth and replacements.

Program Requirements

Certificate of Achievement Students will complete the required 20 units 

Y1/S1 or S2

Required courses	Title	Units	Semester
HED 100	Contemporary Health Problems	3 (required)	S1
HED 102 or HO 102	Introduction to Public Health	3 (required)	S1
MATH 112 or PSYC 210	Elementary Statistics	4 (required)	S1
HED 110 or KIN 110	Community First Aid and CPR	3 (required)	S2
HED 201	Community Worker in Health Education and Promotion	3 (required)	S2
HED 202	Health Systems and Perspectives	3 (required)	S2
HED 204	Occupational Work Experience in Community Health Worker	1 (required)	S2

Recommended Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
HED 101	Stress Management	3 (optional)	Y1/S1 or S2
HED 103 or WGS 103	Women, Their Bodies and Health	3 (optional)	Y1/S1 or S2
HED 104	Introduction to Health and Society	3 (optional)	Y1/S1 or S2
HED 200	Nutrition for Health, Fitness and Physical Activity	3 (optional)	Y1/S1 or S2
MA 161	Medical Terminology	3 (optional)

None

Rio Hondo College, Cypress College, East LA College

20 students