Community Health Worker

Community Health Worker

Community health workers (CHWs) are frontline public health professionals who have a critical role in effective health care systems helping to reduce health disparities, increase access to care, and coordinate comprehensive care for individuals in their communities. CHWs focus on the social aspects of healthcare helping to support and enhance clinical activities and procedures that are performed by licensed health professionals like doctors and nurses.

SFCC’s community health worker certificate program prepares students for entry level jobs in public health, health care and social services such as a community healthcare worker, community healthcare representative, patient advocate, social services worker or homecare visitor.  Program completion enables students to qualify for the New Mexico state certification for CHWs. (Those interested in community dental health should consider SFCC’s Dental- Community Health Coordinator program.)

Overall employment of community health workers is projected to grow 15.9% between 2021 and 2031 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median wage nationally for community healthcare workers is $49,900 while the median wage in NM is $61,420.

*Fully online option available. See program map for course outline.