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- Who Can Take These Courses?
- Course Details
- Courses We Offer
- Registration Information
- Registration Schedule
- Community of Practice
Additional Resources
Our Community Health Worker (CHW) Training Program helps CHWs with essential knowledge and skills to support health equity and improve community well-being. It helps connect underserved populations with health care systems to address social factors that affect health. CHWs learn how to improve access to care and bridge gaps in public health services in Washington.
Who Can Take These Courses?
These courses are for anyone working or planning to work as a:
- Community Health Worker
- Promotores de Salud
- Patient navigator
- Peer counselor
- Similar positions in community health
You do not need to be currently working in these positions to enroll.
Course Details
- All courses are free and delivered online.
- Most courses are available in English and Spanish.
- Though designed primarily for CHWs based in Washington, the courses are open to anyone interested in our program. You do not need to be physically present or working in Washington. People who supervise or work with CHWs can also take the course.
- We provide a certificate of completion upon successful completion of the course.
- Washington does not require CHWs to be certified, and there is no official certification or credential process.
- If you’re taking our courses to be eligible for reimbursement as a CHW through Medicaid (Apple Health), ask your employer or Health Care Authority which course you need.
Courses We Offer
Follow the links below to learn more about the courses we offer:
- CHW Core Competency Course
This is an introductory course for people who want to become CHWs. Starting in July 2025, the curriculum is new and teaches important CHW skills recommended by the National C3 Council. - Specialty Courses
These short courses, previously known as Health Specific Modules, focus on specific health topics like heart health, breast cancer, and vaccines. CHWs can choose from different available topics that best fit their work. It’s a good idea to take the CHW Core Competency Course first, but it’s not required. - Pediatric CHW Courses
Courses tailored for CHWs working with children, youth, and families. They cover pediatric-focused topics while incorporating core CHW principles.
- CHW Core Competency Course Information
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Course Format
- Learn online at your own pace with fun and interactive activities.
- Available in English and Spanish.
- Include 14 modules each requiring 1 – 3 hours to complete.
- Learners must pass a quiz at the end to get a certificate.
- You can sign up for the course each month.
- Schedule time with a facilitator for extra help.
- Webinars and live sessions are not required for this course.
Learning Objectives
This new curriculum teaches important CHW skills recommended by the National C3 Council, including:
Communication
- Use language confidently in ways that engage and motivate.
- Use plain and clear wording that is easily understood.
- Understand nonverbal cues and use them to make your message stronger.
- Listen actively so you connect with your audience.
- Prepare written communication professionally.
Interpersonal & Relationship-Building
- Explain the importance of interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
- Define, develop and use those skills to establish strong relationships with individuals, their families, team members and partners.
- Understand health care coaching and provide social support to clients.
- Identify and use other relationship-building techniques, including motivational interviewing.
- Understand and practice cultural humility with clients and teams.
Capacity Building
- Explain what capacity building is and why it’s important for CHWs’ work with people and communities.
- Show how to help people and communities set goals to reach their fullest potential.
- Learn and use simple ways to empower people and communities to reach their goals.
- Build strong community ties by making connections, working with others, and creating lasting partnerships.
- Support communities and people in community organization and advocacy for social change.
Advocacy
- Define advocacy.
- Understand what it means to be an advocate.
- Name different ways to be an advocate.
- Understand how to interact with all clients in an appropriate manner.
- Name ways to follow legal and ethical standards.
Education & Facilitation
- Explain why education and facilitation are important for CHWs to improve community health.
- Show teaching methods that help adults learn and make healthy life changes.
- Make and share educational materials that encourage adults to improve their health habits.
- Find reliable health information and learn how to share it with your community.
- Practice building partnerships that support health education and community growth.
Individual & Community Assessment
- Define why community assessments are important.
- List the common roles and tasks CHWs fill and do during community assessments.
- Describe the process of doing community assessments.
- Define why individual assessments and family-needs assessments are important.
- Describe the process of doing individual and family-needs assessment.
- List the common roles and tasks CHWs fill and do during individual and family needs assessments.
Service Coordination & Navigation
- Define the CHW’s role in service coordination and navigation.
- Recognize strategies to identify and develop partnerships with healthcare and service providers.
- Use these strategies to improve client care and delivery of services.
- Understand how to assess needs and create actionable plans and goals.
- Identify strategies to apply resources and connections to provide care and referrals.
- Identify agency protocols and tools to track client progress.
Outreach
- Define outreach.
- Understand why outreach is important to community health.
- Identify CHWs’ roles in outreach.
- Understand how to partner with other groups to increase outreach and access.
- Learn ways to stay safe during outreach.
- Identify ways to overcome common barriers to outreach.
- Differentiate between the specific types of outreach.
- Develop an outreach plan.
Professional Skills and Conduct
- Define the professional skills and behavior essential to successfully operate as a CHW and apply strategies to develop these skills.
- Set and keep boundaries and practice self-care.
- Understand how to stay safe while working in the community or clinics.
- Follow ethical and legal rules and know why they matter.
- Know when to report abuse or safety issues and how to do it.
Evaluation and Research
- Understand the importance of evaluation and research in the community health worker’s role.
- Collect information for research and evaluation and understand what the results mean.
- Work with community members and researchers to plan and do research and evaluation.
- Describe the evaluation, research process, and community health worker roles in the eight steps.
- Record, save, and share accurate information.
- Explain the principles of research ethics.
Knowledge Base: Public Health Principles
- List and explain the basic principles of public health.
- Show how to use the following to understand and support the community that you serve as a CHW: public health, outreach, relationships and assessment principles.
- Understand how you can overcome challenges to meeting the public health principles. And understand how to work within the current system to solve problems.
Knowledge Base: Social Determinants of Health
- Recognize how a person's physical health, mental health, and social life are all connected and affect each other.
- Describe the five domains of social determinants of health identified by the healthy people 2030.
- Recognize how social determinants of health contribute to unequal health outcomes, and the role of CHWs in promoting health equity.
- Recognize the habits and choices that contribute to a healthy lifestyle and self-care.
- Explain how different theories about behavior can help CHWs develop effective messages to encourage healthy habits.
- Specialty Courses Information
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Course Format
- Short online courses you can do at your own pace.
- Many are offered in both English and Spanish.
- You can choose up to 3 courses in each registration.
- Each course takes 1 to 3 hours to finish.
- Schedule time with a facilitator for extra help.
Course Descriptions
Family History and Cancer Screening
This course is available in English and Spanish.
This course introduces the importance of family health history as an important tool in identifying inherited risks for cancer and related syndromes. You will learn how to gather and interpret family health information, recognize red flags for hereditary cancer syndromes, and support clients in accessing appropriate screening and preventive care. The course also highlights the role of genetic counseling and common challenges clients may face in preventive health decisions.
Learning Objectives
- Define inherited (genetic) cancer syndrome.
- Define inherited cancer screening and prevention methods.
- Understand common barriers to preventative care.
- Support clients through family health history and cascade screening.
Breast Health and Cancer Screening
This course is available in English only.
This course introduces the fundamentals of breast health and the importance of early detection through cancer screening. You will learn about breast anatomy, common breast conditions, and key risk factors for breast cancer. The course also covers recommended screening methods, how to understand screening results, and the role of follow-up care. Emphasis is placed on the role of Community Health Workers in educating, supporting, and guiding individuals through screening processes, addressing barriers to care, and promoting timely access to services.
Learning Objectives
- Describe common risk factors associated with breast cancer.
- Recognize common signs and symptoms of breast conditions.
- Identify the primary screening methods used for early detection of breast cancer.
- Understand the categories and purpose of the BI-RADS reporting system used to interpret mammogram results.
- Identify common barriers patients may face when seeking breast health services.
- Develop practical action steps to help address these barriers.
- Prioritize action steps based on patient needs and urgency.
- Explain the reasoning behind patient-centered care plans that support breast health and follow-up care.
Cervical Health and Cancer Screening
This course is available in English only.
This course introduces the fundamentals of cervical health, including the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the development of cervical cancer and the importance of prevention through screening and vaccination. You will learn about cervical cancer risk factors, recommended screening methods such as Pap and HPV tests, and how to interpret basic screening results. The course also emphasizes the role of Community Health Workers in educating clients, reducing stigma, supporting informed decision-making, and helping individuals navigate screening, follow-up care, and barriers to accessing services.
Learning Objectives
- Explain how HPV is linked to cervical cancer.
- Identify cervical cancer screening methods, including Pap and HPV tests.
- Describe ways to prevent cervical cancer, including screening and vaccination.
- Explain basic Pap test results in clear, simple language.
- Identify common barriers to cervical cancer screening and follow-up care.
- Develop practical steps to support clients in overcoming these barriers.
- Prioritize support strategies based on client needs and urgency.
- Explain care plans to clients using clear, supportive communication.
Colorectal Health and Cancer Screening
This course is available in English only.
This course prepares Community Health Workers (CHWs) to promote colorectal cancer prevention and early detection by building knowledge of screening guidelines, risk factors, and common signs and symptoms. Participants will learn how to support clients in choosing appropriate screening options, understanding results, and navigating follow-up care. The training also focuses on identifying and addressing barriers to screening, developing practical action steps, and empowering clients to make informed health decisions. By the end of the course, CHWs will be equipped to increase screening uptake and improve health outcomes in their communities.
Learning Objectives
- Understand colorectal health and identify risk factors for colorectal cancer.
- Recognize signs and symptoms of colorectal problems.
- Identify the main screening methods for early detection of colorectal cancer.
- Provide clear information and connect clients to needed services.
- Identify barriers to care and help develop action steps to address them.
Supporting Cardiovascular Health
This course is available in English and Spanish.
This course gives Community Health Workers basic knowledge and practical skills to help people prevent and manage cardiovascular diseases, which are conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels. Participants will learn how the cardiovascular system works, how to understand and monitor hypertension (high blood pressure), and how to recognize common risk factors. The course also covers lifestyle changes that can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and ways to support behavior change. Emphasis is placed on culturally responsive communication, health education, and connecting people with community resources to support heart health.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the basic structure and function of the cardiovascular system.
- Identify common cardiovascular disease risk factors.
- Understand hypertension (high blood pressure) and its health consequences and how it can be prevented, detected, monitored, and treated.
- Support people with managing blood pressure through lifestyle changes such as nutrition, physical activity, stress reduction, and avoiding harmful substances.
- Help people develop personalized plans for monitoring and managing their cardiovascular health.
- Recognize signs and symptoms of cardiovascular emergencies and describe appropriate response actions, including CPR.
Immunizations: Across the Lifespan
This course is available in English and Spanish.
Vaccines protect health at every stage of life. This course introduces the essential concepts of immunization across childhood, adolescence, adulthood, pregnancy, and older age. You will learn how vaccines work, why timing matters, and how immunization recommendations change across the lifespan. You will also build skills to support clients in navigating vaccine information, addressing common concerns, and connecting with trusted vaccination services in their communities.
Throughout the course, you will explore real-life examples and learn about communication strategies for building confidence when discussing immunizations. The goal is to help you turn knowledge into action — supporting individuals and families in making informed decisions that protect their health.
Learning Outcomes
- Explain how vaccines work and how they save lives.
- Describe the barriers to immunization.
- Educate your clients and help them make a plan to be up‑to‑date with their immunizations.
- Have open, honest conversations about immunizations and confidently share trusted, relevant health information using the Community Health Worker Vaccine Confidence Toolkit.
Understanding and Supporting Clients with Long COVID
This course is available in English and Spanish
This course introduces Community Health Workers (CHWs) to Long COVID, a condition resulting in symptoms that last or appear after having COVID-19 illness or SARS-CoV-2 infection. You will learn how to recognize when community members you are working with may be experiencing symptoms, understand how it can affect their daily life, and explore practical ways to support people in your community. The course highlights how CHWs can help clients navigate care, share reliable resources, and reduce stigma.
Learning Objectives
- Demonstrate foundational understanding of Long COVID.
- Recognize the lived experience of people with Long COVID.
- Respond to Long COVID with empathy and validation.
- Connect individuals with appropriate support and resources.
Oral Health – Healthy Mouth, Healthy Life
In this course, you will learn practical ways to promote oral health in your community. You will learn how oral health connects to overall health and how cultural, social, and financial barriers can affect access to care. The course introduces basic oral health care practices and explains how oral health is linked to conditions such as diabetes and other chronic diseases.
Learning objectives
- Identify the major causes of oral disease.
- Describe how oral health is connected to overall health.
- Identify ways to prevent oral disease.
- Recognize risk factors for poor oral health.
- Identify cultural, social, and financial barriers that affect oral health.
- Describe ways to help address barriers to care.
- Support clients in making a self-management plan for oral health.
- Find local oral health resources, including where to access dental care.
- Pediatric CHW Courses Information
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These courses cover pediatric-focused topics incorporating CHW principles:
- Foundations of a Pediatric CHW
- Early Childhood Relational Health
- K-12 Mental and Behavioral Health
Course Format
- Learn online at your own pace.
- You can sign up for the courses each month.
- Choose the courses that interest you.
- 6 modules in Foundations of a Pediatric CHW.
- 3 modules in Early Childhood Relational Health.
- 5 modules in K-12 Mental and Behavioral Health.
- Each module requires 1 – 3 hours to complete.
- Learners must pass a quiz at the end to get a certificate.
- Schedule time with a facilitator for extra help.
This course is available only in English.
Registration Information
You can now register for our courses every month.
Here’s how it works:
- Registration starts 2 months before the course starts.
- Registration closes on the 23rd of the month before the course starts.
- You’ll be added to the online course during the first week of the course month.
- You have 2 months to finish the Core Competency and Pediatric CHW courses.
- You have 1 month to finish the Specialty Courses.
- If you don’t finish on time, you’ll be removed from the course. You can sign up again for a future month.
- If you complete the course, you’ll also be removed at the end of the month.
Example for a course starting in July:
- Registration opens: May 1
- Registration closes: June 23
- Learners are enrolled: July 1–7
- Course must be completed by: August 31
Space is limited each month, so register early!
Registration Schedule
- CHW Core Competency Course Registration
-
Registrations close April 23
Registrations close May 23
Registrations close June 23
- Specialty Courses Registration
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Registrations close April 23
Registrations close May 23
Registrations close June 23
- Pediatric CHW Course Registration
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Courses are only available in English.
Registrations close April 23
Registrations close May 23
Registrations close June 23
Student and CHW Community Resources
CHW Community of Practice (COP)
The CHW Community of Practice is a space for CHWs to connect, learn from each other, and find supportive ways to improve health and promote fairness in their communities.
In the COP, CHWs can:
- Share experiences
- Talk through challenges and find solutions
- Discuss topics from the CHW Core course and other important areas
Session details:
- Online, facilitator-led
- 1 hour per session
- Offered in English and Spanish (separate sessions)
- Select and register for the sessions that interest you
- You’ll get a certificate for attending
CHW COP 2026 Series 2 Schedule
Tuesdays, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
| Topic | English Session Dates |
|---|---|
| Communication and relationship-building | Register for May 5 |
| Advocacy and capacity building | Register for May 12 |
| Assessment and service coordination | Register for May 19 |
| Education and outreach | Register for May 26 |
| Professionalism, social determinants of health, and health behaviors | Register for June 2 |
| Public health principles and evaluation | Register for June 9 |
| Understanding female genital cutting and supporting impacted communities | Register for June 16 |
| Partnering with pharmacies: a practical guide for community health workers | Register for June 23 |
| Supporting families, children, and youth | Register for June 30 |