All About Community Health Workers
Community Health Worker Example 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
- Attend community meetings or health fairs to understand community issues or build relationships with community members.
- Collect information from individuals to compile vital statistics about the general health of community members.
- Contact clients in person, by phone, or in writing to ensure they have completed required or recommended actions.
- Identify or contact members of high-risk or otherwise targeted groups, such as members of minority populations, low-income populations, or pregnant women.
- Maintain updated client records with plans, notes, appropriate forms, or related information.
- Identify the particular health care needs of individuals in a community or target area.
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Community Health Worker 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 Jobs
- Community Resource Navigator
- Community Health Counselor
- Public Health Outreach Worker
- Community Health Worker (CHW)
- Community Health Advisor
What Kind of Community Health Worker Job Opportunities Are There?
In the United States, there were 57,500 jobs for Community Health Worker in 2016. 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. There will be an estimated 8,500 positions for Community Health Worker per 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.
What is the Average Salary of a Community Health Worker
The typical yearly salary for Community Health Workers is somewhere between $26,070 and $65,890.

Community Health Workers who work in District of Columbia, Utah, or Maryland, make the highest salaries.
How much do Community Health Workers make in different U.S. states?
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 do I Become a Community Health Worker?
Are there Community Health Workers education requirements?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Community Health Worker?

Community Health Workers Sector

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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