Community Health Worker, HIV and Hepatitis Navigation Specialist

The Community Health Worker, HIV and Hepatitis Navigation Specialist Certificate of Achievement is part of the Community Health Worker (CHW) Program.  This certificate is designed to prepare individuals for positions working with people and communities impacted by HIV and Hepatitis in community health and social service agencies and programs. CHW HIV and Hepatitis Navigation 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 agency. The San Francisco Department of Public Health accepts this certificate of achievement to satisfy six out of the twelve months experience required to meet the minimum qualifications for the Health Worker 1-3 job classification. For more information, go to www.ccsf.edu/chw.

The new CHW HHN Certificate will become one of five different CHW Certificate options. We anticipate that the annual number of completers of all five certificates will be approximately 60. Of these, approximately 12-15 are expected to complete the new HIV and Hepatitis Navigation Certificate. Course Enrollment Fall 2016-Spring 2018 HLTH 201- 122 HLTH 202- 80 HLTH 203 -77 HLTH 66 -28 HLTH 67 -36 HLTH 91C - 81 HLTH 95 - 38 There were 32 CHW completers in Spring 2017 and anticipate 35 completers in Spring 2018.

The goal of the Community Health Worker (CHW) HIV and Hepatitis Navigation Specialty (HHN) Certificate is to provide students with foundational knowledge and skills required for entry level employment in public health, health care and related settings with an emphasis on the prevention and management of HIV, Hepatitis and co-occurring health conditions. The new CHW HIV and Hepatitis Navigation Specialist Certificate will be one of five (5) certificate options in the Health Education Department’s Community Health Worker Program. To enroll in the CHW HNN Certificate, students must either complete a pre-requisite course – Health 59: Introduction to the CHW Field – or submit an application along with documentation that they have been working or volunteering for at least a year as a CHW or in a related position. These are the same requirements for all five of the CHW Certificates. Upon completion of 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 clients and communities impacted by HIV and Hepatitis.

The first in the series of foundational classes: HLTH 201: Principles & Practice 1 - 5 units Must be taken after completing H201: HLTH 202: Principles & Practice 2 - 5 units Concurrently or after completing H202: HLTH 203: Field Placement- 4 units Any semester: HLTH 67: HIV and Hepatitis Navigation- 3 units HLTH 66: Chronic Conditions - 3 units HLTH 91C: Hepatitis ABCs - 1 unit HLTH 95: Transgender Health -1 unit Total number of units = 22 Note that students will complete a brief “Certificate Passport” detailing an individual plan for completing the requirements of any CHW Certificate.

This new certificate replaces a prior standalone certificate titled: Infectious Disease in Priority Populations (IDPPP). The IDPPP Community Advisory Board (CAB) recommended merging with the Community Health Worker Certificate Program. The CHW Program is poised to expand from 3-5 certificates, adding the HIV and Hepatitis Specialist Certificate and one other new certificate option.

There are general Community Health Worker certificate programs in the wider Bay Area, including at: Berkeley City College, Santa Rosa Jr. College, and Mission College in Santa Clara. However, none of these programs include an HIV/HCV Navigation Specialist. Students may also 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.