Community Health Worker (CHW)

A Community Health Worker (CHW) is a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of and/or has an unusually close understanding of the community served. (APHA CHW Section). A CHW is an individual who meets qualification criteria adopted by the authority under ORS 414.665 and who: (a) Has expertise or experience in public health; (b) Works in an urban or rural community, either for pay or as a volunteer in association with a local health care system; (c) To the extent practicable, shares ethnicity, language, socioeconomic status and life experiences with the residents of the community where the worker serves; (d) Assists members of the community to improve their health and increases the capacity of the community to meet the health care needs of its residents and achieve wellness; (e) Provides health education and information that is culturally appropriate to the individuals being served; (f) Assists community residents in receiving the care they need; (g) May give peer counseling and guidance on health behaviors; and (h) May provide direct services such as first aid or blood pressure screening.

Community Health Worker Training Requirements for Certification

• Complete an approved training program; or
• Provide documentation that you have worked or volunteered as a traditional health worker for at least 3000 hours in Oregon in the past five years; or
• If you have completed some or all of the certification training requirements, you may be able to count previously - completed training toward certification.
  
• Community Health Workers are required to complete THW Oral Health for Community Health Worker Training Program, in addition to your approved training program curricula.
  
• Community Health Worker Competency Exam
  

Application

• Apply for the Traditional Health Worker (THW) certification via the portal at https://healthworkforceregistry.oregon.gov/
• *Regarding recertification, for renewal purposes, we require applicants to apply within 60-90 days prior to their expiration date.

• Traditional Health Worker Registry