Community Health Worker

Community health workers (CHWs) are frontline public health workers who have a close understanding of the community they serve. This trusting relationship enables them to serve as a liaison/link/intermediary between health/social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery.

CHWs have an excellent job outlook and an average salary of $38,180 with zero to two years of education. The community health worker’s responsibilities may include:

• Helping individuals, families, groups and communities develop their capacity and access to resources, including health insurance, food, housing, quality care and health information
• Facilitating communication and client empowerment in interactions with health care/social service systems
• Helping health care and social service systems become culturally relevant and responsive to their service population
• Helping people understand their health condition(s) and develop strategies to improve their health and well being
• Helping to build understanding and social capital to support healthier behaviors and lifestyle choices
• Delivering health information using culturally appropriate terms and concepts
• Linking people to health care/social service resources
• Providing informal counseling, support and follow-up
• Advocating for local health needs
• Providing health services, such as monitoring blood pressure and providing first aid
• Making home visits to chronically ill patients, pregnant women and nursing mothers, individuals at high risk of health problems and the elderly
• Translating and interpreting for clients and health care/social service providers