Training information for Community Health Workers

Massachusetts has a variety of experienced CHW training organizations. They provide training in core competencies, specialty health topics as well as training for those who supervise CHWs.

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.

  1. Outreach Methods and Strategies
  2. Individual and Community Assessment
  3. Effective Communication
  4. Cultural Responsiveness and Mediation
  5. Education to Promote Healthy Behavior Change
  6. Care Coordination and System Navigation
  7. Use of Public Health Concepts and Approaches
  8. Advocacy and Community Capacity Building
  9. Documentation
  10. 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)

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