CHW Workforce Development strengthens the Community Health Worker workforce through education, mentorship, advocacy, and community-centered training. Our goal is to help CHWs and allied partners build the practical skills, confidence, and leadership needed to improve health equity and community well-being.
CHW Roles & Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of any CHW working in the clinical setting are to build trusting relationships with clients and to connect those clients to care, eliminating barriers and advocating for systemic changes along the way.
The effectiveness of CHWs lies in their ability to gain access to hard to reach individuals and to patiently coach and support them as they work towards health care goals.
Encourage Cultural Competence
CHWs’ lived experience of poverty helps them build rapport with clients while also informing policies, procedures, and practices within the CHW-WFD model.
CHWs have a unique insight into the perspectives of their clients which helps them identify barriers or unmet needs within the current models that may go unnoticed by clinicians or administrators.
Professional Intergration
Integrating CHWs into a program increases job opportunities for people who have experienced poverty. The CHW profession is a platform for vulnerable populations to gain work experience, professional skills, and personal development.
Once in the field, CHWs may find opportunities to transition to social work, nursing, and a number of other health related professions.
Care Coordination & Care Transitions
The mobility of CHWs within their communities creates opportunities for more coordinated care. CHWs can serve as a liaison between multiple services and help with care coordination and care transitions for their clients. In the process of connecting clients with multiple services, CHWs build relationships with local agencies, advocating for their clients in the process.
Important Training Notice
CHWWFD provides workforce training and certification preparation. State certification requirements are determined by the Massachusetts Board of Certification of Community Health Workers.