Community Health Worker Program

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Community Health Workers (CHWs) play a critical role in the health of their communities, linking diverse and underserved populations to health and social service systems. Based on their life experiences and roles as health influencers within their communities, CHWs work to reduce social and racial disparities in health care. CHWs can improve health outcomes and the quality of care while achieving significant cost savings.

Training and Registration

We offer a no-cost 10-week core competency training program designed to strengthen the skills, knowledge, and abilities of community health workers. This training is offered quarterly online.

We offer trainings in both English and in Spanish. All course graduates will receive a certificate of completion.

If you have questions or concerns, please email chwts@doh.wa.gov. The Spanish Core Competency trainings are offered in various cities across the state quarterly.

CHW Core Competency Training Program | January 14th, 2025 - March 11th, 2025

The Core Competency Training Program is an eight-week, virtual training with two live webinars and self-guided online coursework. This training strengthens the skills and knowledge of community health workers with a focus on documentation, advocacy, healing justice, and social determinants of health (SDOH).

CHW Pediatric Training Program | March 3rd, 2025 – May 23rd, 2025

The CHW Pediatric Training Program is a nine-week virtual training with self-guided online coursework. This training is run in two parts with a two-week break between learning sessions. This training offers core skills for Pediatric Community Health Workers including social determinants of health (SDOH), documentation skills, community outreach, and family-centered care.

This training includes optional virtual learning collaboratives and two learning tracks:

Early Childhood Relational Health: This course covers physical, social, and emotional development for children age 0-5 and provide tools for partnering with families.
K-12 Mental and Behavioral Health: This course covers mental health diagnosis and healthcare, strategies for combating stigma, and tools for partnering with families, including advocacy in schools.

CHW Leadership Committee

The Community Health Worker (CHW) Leadership Committee is an ongoing, statewide, multi-stakeholder group representative of Washington State and our diverse communities. Most members are Community Health Workers (CHWs) and representatives of several CHW networks across Washington state. The CHW Leadership Committee also includes government agencies, health care systems, nonprofits, community colleges, and statewide associations. It builds on the 2018-2019 CHW Task Force recommendation to develop infrastructure within the CHW workforce.

The role of the CHW Leadership Committee is to:

Develop key priorities and guidance to inform education, training, and other aspects of the CHW workforce
Guide the implementation of the 2018-2019 CHW Task Force recommendations
Inform the CHW role in COVID-19 response and equitable recovery

In the spring of 2021, Washington State Department of Health (DOH) supported the creation of a Recruitment and Selection Committee.

This Committee included CHWs and sector representatives selected through an application process. This Committee developed the criteria and process for selecting CHW Leadership Committee members. The first CHW Leadership Committee meeting was held in October 2021, and the group continues to meet monthly.

CHW Leadership Committee Members at a meeting in June 2023

CHW Training Program

We offer a no-cost 10-week core competency training program designed to strengthen the skills, knowledge, and abilities of community health workers. This training is offered quarterly online.

We offer FREE Continuing Education Health Specific Modules (HSMs) whether you have completed the Core Competency course or not. Those interested in HSM courses, may register for three courses per session. We offer two sessions per quarter.