Southwest PA AHEC
CHW Training Classes & Registration Process
-
Community Health Worker Introduction
-
Communication, Networking & Conflict
-
Boundaries
-
Personal Safety
-
Building and Maintaining Relationships
-
HIPAA Privacy Rule
-
Health Literacy
-
Documentation
-
Chronic Disease
-
Motivational Interviewing
-
Preventive Care
-
Benefits Check up
-
Becoming a Healthier You
-
Accident Prevention
-
Opioid Brief Intervention
-
Every Smoker, Every Time
Additional Modules
-
Mental Health First Aid
-
CPR/AED/First Aid
-
Mandated Reporter
-
Cultural Understanding, Anti-racism, & Advocacy
Topic Areas Covered in the Course
Visit Education & Training for more on AHEC CHW Training Courses & other Regions Holding Classes
Training Cost
PA AHEC Regions | Currently holding CHW classes | CHW Course | CHW Course Cost | Course Delivery Options | Scholarships Available? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Southwest AHEC | Yes | 100-hour CHW Training Classes | $1500 | Hybrid | Yes |
Tuition includes:
-
All course fees and materials
-
CPR/First Aid Certification
-
Adult or Youth Mental Health First Aid Certification
-
Joining the CHW Collaborative Community for ongoing education and support
Payment guidelines are provided when your registration is accepted for the course. Payment is not required at the time of application, but is required to reserve your spot in a training session once your application has been accepted.
In-person Training Format
-
Class schedule are determined prior to the start of each 100-hour training course. For example, classes for the next scheduled course will follow the format: 10 hours/week for 10 weeks. Classes will be held on Monday and Friday from 9am-2pm.
-
Necessary materials for the course are provided at the first class.
Virtual Training Format
-
Participants will complete approximately 2-3 hours of pre-work before the first day of training. Pre-work includes:
-
Sign into Online Classroom and review the Syllabus
-
A couple of readings.
-
Complete the pre-course evaluation
-
-
The class schedule will follow the same as an in-person training. This is a live, interactive course taught by AHEC CHW trainers. A full agenda will be provided once your registration is finalized.
Virtual Training IT Requirements
-
Computer: Windows, Apple desktop or laptop computer OR Mobile Device/Tablet/Surface: iOS, Android, Windows
-
Computer microphone and speakers
-
For the best experience, join the course from a tablet, laptop or desktop computer. Phones are best used as audio backup only.
-
If your computer does not have a microphone and speakers, you can use the dial-in option from your phone for audio.
-
-
Internal or external HD webcam
-
Internet Connection
-
We recommend an internet connection speed of at least 5 mbps (upload and download). You can test your internet speed at https://www.speedtest.net/
-
*The course will be hosted through Zoom. We will provide a how-to guide for those unfamiliar with the platform.
Class Schedule & Upcoming Courses
Community Health Worker Information Sessions
Each information session we aim to give an overview of the CHW training classes and have time to answer questions that arise (or one's you had coming into the info session. During this time we will:
-
discuss the 100-hour training program designed to provide the core competencies needed for work in community based and inpatient settings
-
outline the process for state certification as a CHW in Pennsylvania
-
have plenty of time for Q&A
These info session are meant to be a two-way conversation. While we hope to impart some info around the CHW training program, we equally want this to be a time to be an opportunity to touch on what you feel is important for your neighborhood and community - and how a CHW can help bridge the gaps and address health disparities you maybe noticing.
Scholarship
Southwest PA AHEC scholarships for the Roots of Health CHW training classes cover the cost of tuition/course fees, class materials, and certifications in CPR/First Aid and Mental Health First Aid. Scholarships are in the amount of $1,500.
If you are interested in applying for a scholarship please submit the scholarship application by clicking below
Roots of Health: A Community Health Worker Collaborative
With tremendous gratitude to the Henry L. Hillman Foundation, Southwest PA AHEC is ready to launch the “Roots of Health Community Health Worker Collaborative” with partner organizations. By fostering community involvement and partnership, the collaborative’s aim is to champion health from within the community by establishing a Community Health Worker training and placement program in Southwest Pennsylvania. This approach to improving health and well-being focuses on training community members in underserved neighborhoods to connect with and help people navigate complex medical and social needs. Once trained as Community Health Workers (CHW), people then begin employment with members of the collaborative such as community health centers, free clinics, and federally qualified health centers.
HOW DID THIS PROJECT COME ABOUT?
Through the gracious support of the Henry L. Hillman Foundation and their Healthy Allegheny Challenge, our region was offered an opportunity to develop a collaborative approach to better understand and address community-specific and cultural challenges to improve the health and quality of life for communities in Allegheny County.
This collaborative focuses on a fundamental problem underlying health disparities within the healthcare system. That is, solutions often do not address root cause issues. While many people want to see their primary care provider, get their teeth fixed or find solutions to their stress or anxiety, they may have experienced chronic stress and stigma for so long their brains have adopted a scarcity mindset. Their immediate, basic needs take priority over longer term health needs, because the mental bandwidth is not available to them to consider or pursue preventative measures. This factor cascades to individuals using primary care as crisis intervention, foregoing dental care altogether, and stigmatized fear of and inability to access mental health care.
Community Health Workers (CHWs) address this root cause by bridging gaps in access, establishing and maintaining connections to preventative medical and dental care, and addressing the stigma that pervades mental health care particularly among vulnerable populations. All of this rests upon the trust a CHW develops within the community.
They also have an important impact on patients and communities in which they operate, such as increasing the likelihood people keep medical appointment times, taking prescriptions correctly, reducing health risks, better coordination with primary and specialty services, and improved management of chronic health conditions. CHWs offer increased understanding of medical conditions, healthcare systems, and community resources.
To learn more, contact Dr. Lynne Williams or Mike Bowersox.
or call 412.408.3485
Regional Collaborative Partners
