What is a Community Health Worker?
Job Description: Assist individuals and communities to adopt healthy behaviors. Conduct outreach for medical personnel or health organizations to implement programs in the community that promote, maintain, and improve individual and community health. May provide information on available resources, provide social support and informal counseling, advocate for individuals and community health needs, and provide services such as first aid and blood pressure screening. May collect data to help identify community health needs.
Life As a Community Health Worker
- Administer immunizations or other basic preventive treatments.
- Advise clients or community groups to ensure parental understanding of the importance of childhood immunizations and how to access immunization services.
- Maintain updated client records with plans, notes, appropriate forms, or related information.
- Contact clients in person, by phone, or in writing to ensure they have completed required or recommended actions.
- Provide basic health services, such as first aid.
- Refer community members to needed health services.
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Community Health Worker Required Skills
Community Health Workers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Types of Community Health Worker
- Community Health Agent
- Public Health Outreach Worker
- HIV CTS Specialist (Human Immunodeficiency Virus Counseling and Testing Services Specialist)
- Community Health Program Representative (Community Health Program Rep)
- Health Advocate
Is There Going to be Demand for Community Health Workers?
There were about 57,500 jobs for Community Health Worker in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 17.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 10,300 new jobs for Community Health Worker by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 8,500 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Community Health Worker are Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Illinois, or Mississippi. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Do Community Health Workers Make A Lot Of Money?
Community Health Workers make between $26,070 and $65,890 a year.
Community Health Workers who work in District of Columbia, Utah, or Maryland, make the highest salaries.
How much do Community Health Workers make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $42,830 |
| Alaska | $46,590 |
| Arizona | $40,090 |
| Arkansas | $40,220 |
| California | $49,260 |
| Colorado | $42,000 |
| Connecticut | $47,240 |
| Delaware | $40,940 |
| District of Columbia | $61,770 |
| Florida | $39,930 |
| Georgia | $41,240 |
| Hawaii | $46,380 |
| Idaho | $35,840 |
| Illinois | $42,250 |
| Indiana | $42,000 |
| Iowa | $38,050 |
| Kansas | $41,350 |
| Kentucky | $38,210 |
| Louisiana | $39,840 |
| Maine | $37,470 |
| Maryland | $50,160 |
| Massachusetts | $44,500 |
| Michigan | $44,380 |
| Minnesota | $41,110 |
| Mississippi | $32,880 |
| Missouri | $38,310 |
| Montana | $39,830 |
| Nebraska | $38,190 |
| Nevada | $45,740 |
| New Hampshire | $49,050 |
| New Jersey | $51,560 |
| New Mexico | $40,020 |
| New York | $44,340 |
| North Carolina | $41,610 |
| North Dakota | $45,210 |
| Ohio | $38,490 |
| Oklahoma | $47,110 |
| Oregon | $42,350 |
| Pennsylvania | $41,550 |
| Rhode Island | $47,430 |
| South Carolina | $42,770 |
| Tennessee | $44,630 |
| Texas | $41,640 |
| Utah | $47,830 |
| Vermont | $33,670 |
| Washington | $42,610 |
| West Virginia | $34,080 |
| Wisconsin | $45,720 |
| Wyoming | $48,230 |
What Tools do Community Health Workers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Community Health Workers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Publisher
- SmugMug Flickr
- Electronic health record EHR software
- Client databases
How to Become a Community Health Worker
Education needed to be a Community Health Worker:
How many years of work experience do I need?
Who Employs Community Health Workers?
Below are examples of industries where Community Health Workers work:
References:
Image Credit: Article 25 Flickr via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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