What Does it Take to Be a Community Health Worker?
Example of Community Health Worker Job 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.
Daily Life Of a Community Health Worker
- Perform basic diagnostic procedures, such as blood pressure screening, breast cancer screening, or communicable disease screening.
- Conduct home visits for pregnant women, newborn infants, or other high-risk individuals to monitor their progress or assess their needs.
- Teach classes or otherwise disseminate medical or dental health information to school groups, community groups, or targeted families or individuals, in a manner consistent with cultural norms.
- Assist families to apply for social services, including Medicaid or Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
- Teach appropriate parenting behaviors to individuals or families.
- Refer community members to needed health services.
Community Health Worker Skills
When polled, Community Health Workers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
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 Liaison
- Apprise Counselor
- Assistant Director of Nutrition and Wellness Programs
- Public Health Worker
- Community Health Outreach Worker
What Kind of Community Health Worker Job Opportunities Are There?
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?
The salary for Community Health Workers ranges between about $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 do I Become a Community Health Worker?
What education or degrees do I need to become a Community Health Worker?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Community Health Worker?
Who Employs Community Health Workers?
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field 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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