Community Health Worker (Nursing/Direct Care)
Job Summary
Community Health Workers (CHW) are frontline public health professionals who often have similar cultural beliefs, chronic health conditions, disability, or life experiences as other people in the same community. As trusted leaders, they often serve as a link between their community and needed health or social services. As a CHW, you may advocate for your clients’ health needs, help clients navigate the healthcare and social services system, and educate those you work with about their health and wellbeing.
Required Education / Training Summary
To become a certified CHW in Rhode Island, you need to meet certain training, education, and hands-on requirements. This includes a certain number of hours of supervised and unsupervised hands-on work, as well as 70 hours of education across several topics to help you better communicate and work with clients. Once this is completed, you have to apply for a certification through the Rhode Island Department of Health.