What is a Community Health Worker?
A Community Health Worker (CHW), otherwise known as Promotore, or Community Navigator (CN), Peer Navigator (PN) is a trusted member of the community who has an unusually close understanding of the needs of the community. The trusting relationship with the CHW enables him/her to serve as a liaison, link, or intermediary between the health systems, social services, and advocates for Public Health. The CHW builds individual and community capacity by increasing knowledge about health, self-management, and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support services in a respectful and culturally competent manner.
What do CHWs do?:
CHWs can have a variety of roles within the community. Examples include:
EDUCATION
RAISING AWARENESS
INTERACTION
CULTURAL COMPETENCE
FACILITATING ACCESS
ESSENTIAL SERVICES
How much do CHWs make?
CHW salaries vary by region and employer. Reported by Indeed, CHWs are paid between $16-$24/hour on average.
Where are CHWs employed?
HOSPITAL/CLINIC
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
FEDERALLY-QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE CENTER (FQHC)
Community Health Worker Standards & Competency
CHW Mission
To close gaps for the disproportionate disparities that exist for chronic disease among high-risk minorities and vulnerable populations. We achieve our Mission
- By increasing access to Qualified Programs, and Trained Staff (implementing evidence-based, qualified. accredited Programs and Services that are reimbursable).
- By Utilizing a Community Health Worker/promotores (CHW/P) Model that includes CHW/P as members of the Team to improve health outcomes and decrease healthcare costs.
CHW Values
- Build trust with patients and their families
-Provide encouragement with skills-building for chronic disease management and prevention.
- Ongoing follow-up, and support with: motivational interviewing and personalized patient goal-setting.
- Facilitate "S-M-A-R-T" goals, and coordinate primary care services including provider appointments.
- Act as a patient advocate and liaison between the patient/family, to improve communication and engagement with primary care providers and team.
- Provides support and navigates patients to community resources for positively screened unmet needs.
CHW Core Competencies: Communication
- Listening Skills
- Motivational Interviewing
- Non-Verbal Communication
- Reflection
- Group Facilitation
- How Adults Learn
- Adult Learning Theories
CHW Core Competencies: Interpersonal Skills
- Building Trust
- Building Relationships and Conflict Resolution
- Responding to Beliefs, Values, Cultures, Languages
- Setting Personal and Professional Boundaries
- Patient’s Bill of Rights
- HIPAA Confidentiality
CHW Core Competencies: Group Facilitation
- Group Facilitation vs Teaching
- Problem Solving Skills
- Networking
- Service Navigation
- Capacity Building Skills
- Care Coordination
CHW Core Competencies: Motivational Interviewing
- Express Empathy
- Develop Discrepancy
- Avoid Arguments
- Support Self-Efficacy
“You have to be a people person, you have to have a big heart, you have to have compassion, you have to know how to listen. And that’s really the magic that helps people to make and sustain challenging behavior changes over time.”
– Berthold (California Health Care Foundation)
