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Community Health Worker

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What Do Community Health Worker Do?

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

  • Collect information from individuals to compile vital statistics about the general health of community members.
  • Maintain updated client records with plans, notes, appropriate forms, or related information.
  • Advise clients or community groups on issues related to diagnostic screenings, such as breast cancer screening, pap smears, glaucoma tests, or diabetes screenings.
  • Advise clients or community groups to ensure parental understanding of the importance of childhood immunizations and how to access immunization services.
  • Contact clients in person, by phone, or in writing to ensure they have completed required or recommended actions.
  • Interpret, translate, or provide cultural mediation related to health services or information for community members.

Community Health Worker Needed 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.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

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 Advisor
  • Community Resource Navigator
  • Peer Health Promoter
  • Community Health Program Coordinator
  • HIV CTS Specialist (Human Immunodeficiency Virus Counseling and Testing Services Specialist)

Job Outlook 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. There will be an estimated 8,500 positions for Community Health Worker per year.

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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.

Community Health Worker Salary

The average yearly salary of a Community Health Worker ranges between $26,070 and $65,890.

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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

Tools & Technologies Used by Community Health Workers

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

Are there Community Health Workers education requirements?

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How many years of work experience do I need?

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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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