Designed with Community Health Workers in mind, this course offers a convenient and engaging blend of live online sessions and self-paced learning experiences. Whether you're balancing work, family, or community commitments, this flexible format makes it easy to stay connected and build real-world skills that matter in the Community Health Worker field.
This course prepares students to become effective and compassionate Community Health Workers (CHWs) by developing foundational skills and knowledge aligned with Illinois CHW core competencies. Learners will explore the vital role CHWs play in bridging communities with health systems and advancing health equity. Through interactive modules, real-world scenarios, and hands-on projects, students will build a well-rounded skill set to support individuals, families, and communities in navigating complex systems of care. There are 3 sessions in this certificate training.
Format Live online sessions with self-paced learning experiences
Structure Three sessions: two theory-focused sessions and one fieldwork session
Fieldwork Supervised experience in community-based or healthcare settings
Competencies Aligned with Illinois Community Health Worker core competencies
Upon Completion CHW Professional Certificate, digital badge, Mental Health First Aid Certification, and Trauma-Informed Care Certificate
Program Curriculum
The Community Health Worker certificate is delivered through three sequential sessions. Each session builds on the previous one, guiding students from foundational concepts to advanced practice before culminating in a supervised fieldwork experience.
Building Your Foundation
- CHW roles and required competencies in Illinois
- History and evolution of the CHW field
- Communication and relationship building
- Professional skills and conduct
- Public health knowledge and approaches
- Trauma-informed care
- Social determinants of health
- Self-care for the CHW
Expanding Your Skills
- Cultural awareness and responsiveness
- Service coordination and system navigation
- Advocacy and capacity building
- Education to support health behavior
- Re-entry from incarceration
- Individual and community assessment
- Participant interviewing experience
- Mental Health First Aid training
The fieldwork experience serves as the culminating component of the Community Health Worker program, providing students with the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings. Working alongside experienced supervisors, students develop the confidence, professionalism, and cultural responsiveness needed to effectively serve as bridges between communities and health systems.
Applying Your Skills
Under the guidance of a qualified fieldwork supervisor, students apply the knowledge and skills gained throughout the program while serving individuals and communities in real-world settings.
Key Competencies
- Communication and active listening
- Interpersonal and relationship-building skills
- Service coordination and system navigation
- Advocacy and individual support
- Capacity building and community engagement
- Health education and health promotion
- Outreach and participant recruitment
- Assessment and identification of community needs
- Professional skills and ethical conduct
- Cultural humility and responsiveness
- Documentation and reporting
- Collaboration with healthcare and community partners