Certified Community Health Worker (CHW)​

Certified Community Health Worker Skills

  • Ability to use language confidently
  • Ability to use language in ways that engage and motivate
  • Ability to communicate using plain and clear language
  • Ability to communicate with empathy
  • Ability to listen actively
  • Ability to prepare written communication including electronic communication (e.g., email, telecommunication device for the deaf)
  • Ability to document work
  • Ability to communicate with the community served (may not be fluent in the language of all communities served)
  • Ability to provide coaching and social support
  • Ability to conduct self-management coaching
  • Ability to use interviewing techniques (e.g. motivational interviewing)
  • Ability to work as a team member
  • Ability to manage conflict
  • Ability to practice cultural humility
  • Ability to coordinate care (including identifying and accessing resources and overcoming barriers)
  • Ability to make appropriate referrals
  • Ability to facilitate the development of an individual and/or group action plan and goal attainment
  • Ability to coordinate CCHW activities with clinical and other community services
  • Ability to follow-up and track care and referral outcome
  • Ability to help others identify goals and develop to their fullest potential
  • Ability to work in ways that increase individual and community empowerment
  • Ability to network, build community connections, and build coalitions
  • Ability to teach self-advocacy skills
  • Ability to conduct community organizing
  • Ability to contribute to policy development
  • Ability to advocate for policy change
  • Ability to speak up for individuals and communities
  • Ability to use empowering and learner-centered teaching strategies
  • Ability to use a range of appropriate and effective educational techniques
  • Ability to facilitate group discussions and decision-making
  • Ability to plan and conduct classes and presentations for a variety of groups
  • Ability to seek out appropriate information and respond to questions about pertinent topics
  • Ability to find and share requested information
  • Ability to collaborate with other educators
  • Ability to collect and use information from and with community members
  • Ability to participate in individual assessment through observation and active inquiry
  • Ability to participate in community assessment through observation and active inquiry
  • Ability to set goals and to develop and follow a work plan
  • Ability to balance priorities and to manage time
  • Ability to apply critical thinking techniques and problem solving
  • Ability to use pertinent technology
  • Ability to pursue continuing education and life-long learning opportunities
  • Ability to maximize personal safety while working in community and/or clinical settings
  • Ability to observe ethical and legal standards (e.g. CCHW Code of Ethics, Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA], Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act [HIPAA])
  • Ability to identify situations calling for mandatory reporting and carry out mandatory reporting requirements
  • Ability to participate in professional development of peer CCHWs and in networking among CCHW groups
  • Ability to set boundaries and practice self-care
  • Ability to set goals and to develop and follow a work plan
  • Ability to balance priorities and to manage time
  • Ability to apply critical thinking techniques and problem solving
  • Ability to use pertinent technology
  • Ability to pursue continuing education and life-long learning opportunities
  • Ability to maximize personal safety while working in community and/or clinical settings
  • Ability to observe ethical and legal standards (e.g. CCHW Code of Ethics, Americans with
    Disabilities Act [ADA], Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act [HIPAA])
  • Ability to identify situations calling for mandatory reporting and carry out mandatory reporting requirements
  • Ability to participate in professional development of peer CCHWs and in networking among
    CCHW groups
  • Ability to set boundaries and practice self-care
  • Ability to identify important concerns and conduct evaluation and research to better understand root causes
  • Ability to apply the evidence-based practices of Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and Participatory Action Research (PAR)
  • Ability to participate in evaluation and research processes including:
    • Identifying priority issues and evaluation/research questions
    • Developing evaluation/research design and methods
    • Data collection and interpretation
    • Sharing results and findings
    • Engaging stakeholders to take action on findings
  • Knowledge about social determinants of health and related disparities
  • Knowledge about pertinent health issues
  • Knowledge about healthy lifestyles and self-care
  • Knowledge about mental/behavioral health issues and their connection to physical health
  • Knowledge about health behavior theories
  • Knowledge of basic public health principles
  • Knowledge about the community served
  • Knowledge about United States health and social service systems

All information pulled from The Community Health Worker Core Consensus (C3) Project: 2016 Recommendations on CCHW Roles, Skills, and Qualities.