Description

Community Health Workers (CHWs) strive to mitigate disparities by enhancing awareness among healthcare providers regarding the impact of social determinants on patients’ well-being and treatment. They provide assistance to individuals and communities in tackling these determinants while serving as vital links between health and social services and the communities they serve. By engaging in various activities such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support, and advocacy, CHWs enhance health literacy and empower individuals to become self-sufficient. Their presence as frontline public health workers, trusted and knowledgeable about their community, strengthens the bridge between healthcare professionals and the community, fostering a more equitable healthcare system.

Course Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Promote health within a community by assisting individuals in adopting healthy behaviors.
2. Advocate for the health needs of individuals by helping community residents effectively communicate with healthcare providers or social service agencies.
3. Act as a liaison or advocate and implement programs that promote, maintain, and improve individual and overall community health.
4. Deliver health-related preventive services, including blood pressure, glaucoma, cancer, and hearing screenings.
5. Collect data to identify community health needs.
6. Provide direct services such as informal counseling, social support, care coordination, health services enrollment, and health insurance navigation skills.
7. Identify common ailments within the community and deliver education on preventive measures.

Topics to be Studied

Throughout the course, students will study the roles and competencies outlined by the Community Health Worker Core Consensus Project, known as the C3 Project. Students will gain knowledge and skills in the following areas:
1. Identifying potential urgent health issues such as heart attack, stroke, pre-diabetes, etc.
2. Effectively teaching clients about these health issues, including symptoms, causes, and appropriate actions to take when symptoms occur.
3. Engaging with clients in a culturally competent manner, with an emphasis on building relationships.
4. Understanding and respecting the culture of the service area, specifically the Mid-Ohio Valley/Appalachia, as a Community Health Worker.
5. Developing communication and interpersonal skills, including conflict resolution and diffusion techniques.
6. Familiarizing themselves with community resources available in the Mid-Ohio Valley.
7. Acquiring basic health-related skills, such as hygiene, vital signs, blood pressure monitoring, screenings, nutrition, pulse assessment, etc., and effectively teaching these skills to clients.
8. Advocating for their clients and their needs.
9. Maintaining organized client records.
10. Recognizing their role as part of a larger network of healthcare providers collaborating to serve their communities.