Chw Apprenticeship

Community Health Workers (CHWs) are frontline public health workers who are trusted members of and/or have a close understanding of the community they serve. This trusting relationship enables CHWs 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 also build individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support, and advocacy. (American Public Health Association, 2008).

The CHW serves as a bridge between the community and the health care, government, and social service systems. Key work duties vary by employment location but may include the following as determined by the American Public Health Association Community Health Worker Special Primary Interest Group.

The CHW’s responsibilities can 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 individuals’ 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 build understanding and social capital to support healthier behaviors and lifestyle

choices among people;
- 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; and
- translating and interpreting for individuals and health care/social service providers.

Apprentices will receive training in the various work experiences listed below. The order in which the apprentice learns will be determined by the flow of work in the job, and will not necessarily be in the order listed. Times allotted to these various processes are estimated for the average Apprentice to learn each phase of the occupation and demonstrate competency. Given the broad diversity in settings and populations served, work-based learning requirements be appropriately modified and customized to meet the unique requirements of support environments.