Community Health Workers

Career summary

#review 3/25/19 lh

They also educate community members on common medical conditions, such as:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Glaucoma

In addition, they often hold public health screenings to help detect diseases such as breast cancer and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). They also educate community members on substance abuse prevention and prenatal health.

Community health workers may also give immunizations and medicine. They work with different neighborhoods and areas on addressing specific health concerns. In some cases, they work with individuals and may help them get specialized medical treatment.

Preparing posters, pamphlets, and brochures about healthy living is also part of a community health worker's job.

Related careers

This career is part of the Human Services cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Dietetic Technicians
• Dietitians
• Medical Assistants
• Public Health Educators
• Social and Human Service Assistants
• Social Workers

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to community health workers.

• Perform basic procedures such as screening for blood pressure and breast cancer.
• Maintain and update client records.
• Advise and teach community groups on prevention, certain diseases, and improving health through diet and exercise.
• Give immunizations.
• Identify specific health needs for individuals and certain communities.
• Conduct home visits for pregnant women and newborn infants.
• Transport clients to scheduled appointments.
• Identify high-risk groups and create programs to help them improve their health.
• Distribute flyers, brochures, and posters to community groups.
• Communicate with clients to make sure they are following prescribed actions to improve their health or manage a condition.
• Refer individuals who need health services.
• Work with government groups to provide more health and medical care to communities.

Common work activities

Community health workers perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Perform for or work with the public
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Document and record information
• Use computers
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Assist and care for others
• Develop goals and strategies
• Schedule work and activities
• Get information needed to do the job
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Teach others
• Think creatively
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Develop and build teams
• Evaluate information against standards
• Convince others to buy goods or change their minds or actions
• Process information
• Handle and move objects
• Coordinate the work and activities of others
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Analyze data or information
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Perform administrative tasks
• Monitor and control resources
• Inspect equipment, structures, or materials
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
• Estimate sizes, quantities, time, cost, or materials needed
• Guide, direct, and motivate others
• Coach others
• Provide advice and consultation to others
• Perform activities that use the whole body

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, community health workers:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a high level of social interaction. They work with the public regularly.
• Are responsible for the health and safety of others.
• Are somewhat responsible for the work done by other health workers.
• Occasionally are placed in conflict situations in which others may be rude or upset.
• Communicate in person and by e-mail and telephone on a daily basis. They also write letters and reports, but less frequently.
• Usually work as part of a team.
• Sometimes speak in front of large groups of people.

Physical work conditions

• Mostly work indoors but may attend outdoor events.
• Are sometimes exposed to the diseases and infections of others.
• Work physically near others. They may share office space and sometimes come into physical contact with patients.

Work performance

• Must be exact when performing the job. The public relies on community health workers for accurate information.
• Sometimes repeat the same mental activities.
• Are able to set, but not all, most of their daily tasks and goals without talking to a supervisor first.
• Make decisions on a weekly basis that impact the public as well as their organization's reputations.
• Work in a moderately stressful environment in which they must meet weekly deadlines.

Hours/travel

• Usually work a standard 40-hour work week.
• May work nights and weekends if there is a public event.

Physical demands

Community health workers frequently:

• Stand for long periods of time.

It is important for community health workers to be able to:

• Understand the speech of another person.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for community health workers to be able to:

• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
• Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Determine the distance between objects.
• Choose quickly and correctly among various movements when responding to different signals.
• Adjust body movements or equipment controls to keep pace with speed changes of moving objects.
• React quickly using hands, fingers, or feet.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.

Skills and abilities

Community health workers need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Read and understand work-related materials.
• Understand written information.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.

Reason and problem solve

• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Recognize when important changes happen or are likely to happen in a system.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Identify what must be changed to reach goals.
• Think of original, unusual, or creative ways to solve problems.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Manage the time of self and others.
• Check how well one is learning or doing something.
• Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work.
• Go back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information without becoming confused.

Work with people

• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Look for ways to help people.
• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Persuade others to approach things differently.
• Teach others how to do something.
• Use several methods to learn or teach new things.
• Solve problems by bringing others together to discuss differences.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Community Services
• Public and Community Health

Other programs of study to consider

• Dietetics
• Family and Consumer Sciences, General
• Food, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies
• Gerontology
• Public Relations

Training

To work as a community health worker, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent; and
• complete short-term, on-the-job training.

Education after high school

Community health workers typically have a high school diploma or equivalent. Some jobs may require postsecondary education. Education programs may lead to a certificate or associate degree. Typical courses include wellness, ethics, and cultural awareness.

On-the-job training

Community health workers typically complete short-term, on-the-job training. This training often covers areas such as communication or outreach skills. Training also covers the specific health topics that they will be focusing on.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum  may be different from your state's graduation requirements .

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Food and Nutrition
• Health Education
• Introduction to Health Care
• Safety and First Aid

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups  that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Employers may prefer to hire community health workers with specific backgrounds or expertise. For example, a public health department may prefer to hire a health worker with a specialty in infant and child health. Employers may prefer applicants with an advanced degree for some positions. Internship experience may be helpful.

Most employers prefer applicants who have excellent communication skills. Community health workers work with groups of people and prepare educational materials. They must be good speakers and excellent caregivers.

Licensing/certification

Most states do not require community health workers to be certified. Requirements vary by state. 

Wages

Wages vary by employer and area of the country. Wages also vary by the worker's level of experience, education, and responsibility.

Benefits vary by employer. Most full-time community health workers receive typical benefits. These include vacation, sick leave, and health insurance. Part-time workers rarely receive benefits.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Major employers:

• Vocational rehabilitation services
• State and local government agencies
• Civic organizations

National outlook

Demand for this occupation will be very strong. As health care costs go up, there is more interest in educating people about how to stay healthy. Educators can also help people manage chronic illnesses they already have such as asthma or diabetes. As the population ages demand for educators will increase.

Job prospects may be best for workers who have formal education or have specialized in a specific area such as aging populations. Prospects may also be better for those who speak a second language.

Other resources

American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences 
400 North Columbus Street, Suite 202
Alexandria, VA 22314
800.424.8080
703.706.4600

American Public Health Association 
800 I Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
202.777.2742

American Public Human Services Association 
1101 Wilson Boulevard, 6th Floor
Arlington, VA 22209
202.682.0100

Explore Health Careers: Community Health Worker 

Society for Public Health Education 
10 G Street NE, Suite 605
Washington, DC 20002
202.408.9804

References

Career cluster

• Human Services

Career path

• Social

O*Net  occupation

• Community Health Workers (21-1094.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 4 - Considerable preparation needed. A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.

Holland occupational clusters

• Social/Enterprising/Investigative
• Social/Investigative/Enterprising

COPSystem

• Service Skilled