Youth Advocate Specialist CHW Certificate of Achievement

The Community Health Worker (CHW), Youth Advocate Specialist Certificate ofAchievement is part of the Community Health Worker Program. It is designed to prepare individuals for positions working with youth and young adults with community health and social service agencies and programs. CHW Youth Advocate Specialists provide health education client-centered counseling and case management services, and conduct community organizing and advocacy in a wide variety of employment settings. As part of their education, students will complete an internship with a local youth serving agency. The San FranciscoDepartment of Public Health accepts the certificate of achievement to satisfy six out of twelve months of experience that is required as minimum qualification for hiring as a Health Worker 1-3.

The new Youth Advocate Specialist Certificate will become one offive different CHW Certificate options.   We anticipate that the annual number ofcompleters of all five certificates will be approximately 60.  Of these, approximately  8 - 15 are expected to complete the Reentry Specialist Certificate.

 

The estimate is basedon enrollment data for the past two years, Fall 2016 – Spring 2018:

 

Enrollment Data, Fall 2014-2016 Required Courses for the HIV & Hepatitis Specialty Certificate
Course Number	No. of Sections	No of Students
HLTH 201	4	122
HLTH 202	4	80
HLTH 203	4	77
HLTH 64	2	52
HLTH 65	2	44

 

The goal of the YouthAdvocate Specialist CHW Certificate is to provide students with foundationalknowledge and skills required for entry level employment in public health,health care and related settings with an emphasis on promoting the health andwellness of youth and young adults.       

 

The YouthAdvocate Specialist Certificate will be one of five (5) certificate options inthe Health Education Department’s Community Health Worker Program.

 

To enroll in the YouthAdvocate Specialty Certificate, students must either complete a pre-requisitecourse – Health 59: Introduction to the CHW Field – or submit an applicationalong with documentation that they have been working or volunteering for atleast a year as a CHW or in a related position. These are the same requirements for all five of the CHW Certificates.

 

Upon completionof this certificate, students will be able to:

• 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.
• Analyze and apply key concepts and skills for working with youth and young adults.  

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
HLTH 201	CHW Principles and Practice 1	5	S1
HLTH 202	CHW Principles and Practice 2	5	S2
HLTH 203 HLTH 203W	Professional Skills for Community Health Workers CHW Internship Placement	2 2	S2
HLTH 64	Facilitating Trainings	3	S1 or S2
HLTH 65	Youth Development and Leadership	3	S1 or S2

 

Course Number                                  Units               Sequence

HLTH 201: Principles &Practice 1          5                     The first in the series of foundational 

classes            

HLTH 202: Principles & Practice 2          5                     Must be taken after completing H201

HLTH 203: Professional Skills               2                     Concurrently or after completing H202

For Community Health Workers

HLTH 203(W): CHW Internship             2                      Concurrently or after completing H203

Placement

HLTH 64: Health Education                  3                      Any semester

Practice

HLTH 65: Youth Development             3                      Any semester

& Leadership

 

The Youth Worker CHW Certificate was developed over a decade ago in partnership with local employer partners. We are revising the certificate to include a new title – the Youth Advocate Specialist CHW Certificate – and an updated internship placement courses as required by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office. HLTH 203 is being revised to a 2-unit course and new 2-unit HLTH 203(W) field placement course is being added to the certificate. These changes were discussed and approved by the CHW Community Advisory Board in November of 2018.

There are no similar programs at any community college in the wider Bay Area. Students may study similar competencies and complete degrees in public health or health education at the bachelor’s level at San Francisco State University and the University of California, Berkeley.