Community Health Worker Program

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What are Community Health Workers?

Community Health Workers (CHW) are essential frontline public health workers and trusted community resources. CHWs:

Are also known as community health representatives, peer mentors, patient navigators, promotores de salud, lay health advisors.
Have a close understanding of the communities they serve. They may provide care in a patient’s first language.
Act as a bridge between their community and health and social services.
Help increase access to care and improve service delivery.
Help address social isolation in communities.
Empower communities by sharing information, helping them grow, and speaking up for their needs.

Community Health Worker Training Program

Our Community Health Worker (CHW) Training Program helps CHWs gain the essential knowledge and skills to support health equity and improve community well-being.

All courses are free for anyone and delivered online, with most available in both English and Spanish.

Courses We Offer

CHW Core Competency

A foundational course for aspiring CHWs. It covers fundamentals of CHW work and gives learners the knowledge, skills, and mindset required for key CHW functions. Students learn about community outreach, health communication, social determinants of health, service navigation and coordination, cultural mediation, advocacy, and capacity building.

Health Specific Modules

Short, specialized courses that improve CHWs’ understanding of specific diseases, health conditions, and public health topics. The topics covered include cardiovascular health, breast cancer, immunization, and more. CHWs can select the modules most relevant to their work.

Pediatric CHW

A foundational training tailored for CHWs working with families, children, and youth. It covers core CHW principles while incorporating pediatric-focused topics, including early childhood relational health and K-12 mental and behavioral health.

Get Started

Learn more about the courses
View the 2025 training calendar (information in English and Spanish)
Register for courses
WA Community Health Worker Training: Login

CHW Leadership Committee

The CHW Leadership Committee is an ongoing group of statewide partners reflective of the diverse communities in Washington. Most members are CHWs and representatives of CHW networks from different parts of the state.

Members also include representatives from government agencies, health care systems, nonprofits, community colleges, and statewide associations. This Committee 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, the CHW Leadership Committee supported the creation of a Recruitment and Selection Committee.

The Recruitment and Selection Committee selected 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 October 2024

Get Involved with Statewide CHWs

Washington’s CHW community is growing! There are now several local CHW networks along with statewide and national associations.