Core Competencies for CHWs
The ten core competencies for CHWs were developed over two decades of consensus building in Massachusetts among key stakeholder. Massachusetts’ core competencies are in alignment with national consensus on CHW core competencies. Read more about the core competencies for CHW certification.
- Outreach Methods and Strategies
- Individual and Community Assessment
- Effective Communication
- Cultural Responsiveness and Mediation
- Education to Promote Healthy Behavior Change
- Care Coordination and System Navigation
- Use of Public Health Concepts and Approaches
- Advocacy and Community Capacity Building
- Documentation
- Professional Skills and Conduct
Training Programs Offering CHW and CHW Supervisor Training
| Program | Location | Contact information | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berkshire Community College | Pittsfield | Frank Senickor Phone: (413) 236-4564 |
Berkshire Community College: Community Health Worker Certificate |
| Boston Community Health Education Center (CHEC) (Boston Public Health Commission) |
Boston | Phone: (617) 534-2432 or (617) 534-5181 CHECENTER@BPHC.org |
Boston Public Health Commission: CHEC |
| Cambridge Health Alliance, Community Health Improvement Learning Institute (CHILI) | Cambridge | Katie Teague, Program Manager kteague@challiance.org Jamila Xible, Director jxible@challiance.org (617) 665-1000 ex 8714 |
Cambridge Health Alliance |
| Holyoke Community College | Holyoke | Tina Tartaglia, ttartaglia@hcc.edu Phone: (413) 552-2865 |
Holyoke Community College: Free Community Health Worker Classes |
| JRI Health | Boston | Rachel Weidenfeld, Director of Community Health rweidenfeld@jri.org Phone: (857) 399-1915 x2423 Fax: (857) 399-1901 |
JRI Health: Training |
| Lowell Community Health Education Center (CHEC) (Lowell Community Health Center) |
Lowell | CHEC@lchealth.org | Lowell Community Health Center: CHEC |
| New England Public Health Training Center, BU School of Public Health | Online | Karla Todd, Senior Program Manager, Training Specialist trainingmanager@nephtc.org |
New England Public Health Training Center |
| Northern Essex Community College | Lawrence | Jacqueline Dick, Program Coordinator jdick@necc.mass.edu Phone: (978) 655-5875 |
Northern Essex Community College: Health@NECC |
| North Shore Community College | Lynn | Lorraine Boyd lboyd@northshore.edu Phone: (978) 762-4000 ex 1204 |
Northshore Community Health Worker - HEA120 |
| Outreach Worker Training Institute, (Center for Health Impact) |
Worcester | Phone: (508) 756-6676 | Center for Health Impact |
| Tufts University CO-HERE | Boston | Kimberly Dong Breen, Program Administrator Kimberly.Dong@tufts.edu Phone: (617) 636-3659 |
Community Health Workers Engaging in Integrated Care (COHERE) |