A Community Health Worker (CHW) connects people with health and social services. This career includes outreach, social support, community education, informal counseling, and advocacy. CHWs understand and are trusted by community members. They address
the unique needs of communities across the state in both rural and urban areas. They help people become and stay healthy. CHWs can work in hospitals, clinics, and community-based organizations. They also help with food, transportation, housing, and
other needs.
Program Overview
Community Health Worker (CHW) core competency training helps develop the skills and knowledge needed to start a CHW career. The program includes a combination of 80 hours of guided learning activities and additional hours of hands-on field experience.
Topics include:
Body systems, medical knowledge
Assessing each client’s needs
Promoting healthy eating/active living
Disease prevention and management
Navigating health and social service systems
Health insurance basics
Helping clients get connected to care
Computer skills and digital literacy
Productivity and organizational skills
Listening, interviewing, presenting
Referrals and action planning
Community outreach and engagement
Coaching and motivating
Teaching strategies
Public health emergencies
Advocating for policy change
And more…
Financial Assistance is Available
Core competency trainees may be eligible for up to $7,500 in financial support. The normal cost of this training is $2,500. However, a Health Resources & Service Administration (HRSA) grant can cover tuition for eligible participants.
HRSA also recognizes that costs related to transportation, childcare, housing, food, healthcare, access to technology, and other needs may create barriers to career training. Stipends may be issued to help offset these expenses to help trainees
succeed. Amounts may vary based on need and training length.
Please review the information here for more details about financial support.
Sign Up
Training is available statewide and takes between one-four months to complete. Please note that there is limited grant funding available for training. Please select from the following training options:
Great Rivers HUB - a part of Great Rivers United Way (GRUW) – Onalaska , WI
Great Rivers HUB offers five weeks of training. The schedule generally includes 20 hours per week of training activities divided between in-person and virtual. It also includes about 20 hours per week of fieldwork at regional locations. Employment hours
may count for fieldwork if already employed as a CHW or a related occupation that is expanding to include CHW functions. Other trainees will be connected to fieldwork and employment opportunities.
2025 Tentative Training Dates:
Spring Session: March 10 - April 11 Fall Session: September 8 - October 10
WISCONSIN AREA HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER (MILWAUKEE AHEC) - MILWAUKEE, WI
Milwaukee AHEC offers 15 weeks of training. The schedule generally includes 5-7 hours per week of virtual training activities along with 5-10 hours per week of fieldwork at locations across the state. Employment hours may count for fieldwork if already
employed as a CHW or a related occupation that is expanding to include CHW functions. Other trainees will be connected to fieldwork and employment opportunities.
2025 Training Dates:
English:
Spring Session: February 25 - June 10
Other sessions may also be offered. Applications are being accepted for future sessions.
Core competency training can be used as part of onboarding for newly hired CHWs. Staff may sign up through the registration links above. Any employer tuition assistance they may receive will allow grant dollars to stretch.
Core competency training can also be used to expand and upgrade the skillsets of staff to create bridges between social and health services. Organizations that address social determinants of health such as housing, hunger, income and jobs, transportation, education, safety, physical activity, and social support may find CHW training beneficial.
Organizations that already know the value of CHWs or similar roles can help this initiative by becoming fieldwork sites. Healthcare or social services settings can provide experiential learning during core competency training. Some benefits of being a fieldwork site are:
Additional hands to serve clients or patients.
Access to the talent pipeline. Fieldwork can serve as an extended job interview.
Concurrent coursework and instruction can support fieldwork tasks.
Enhanced community connections and improved health outcomes. Recruiting is from the community to serve the community.
Click here to start the process of becoming a fieldwork site. Contact Barbara Schaefer for more information or for assistance with CHW hiring.
Workforce Development Partnership
United Way of Wisconsin partners with Great Rivers United Way, Wisconsin Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, and Milwaukee Area Health Education Center in this workforce development project aimed at increasing the number of Community Health Workers
(CHWs) across the state. The program builds skills, employment connections, and empowers individuals to pursue and retain worthwhile careers. We strengthen Wisconsin's workforce and partner with employers by helping to recruit and train new employees
and upskill current staff. In addition to making the public health workforce stronger these efforts are also intended to improve health outcomes across the state, with special attention to medically underserved areas including Wisconsin’s often overlooked
rural communities.
Supervisor Resources
CHW work involves varied depth and complexity. No day is quite the same for Community Health Workers who spend much of their time out in the community. This can lead to challenges in supervising and team integration. The following links may be useful:
Join this limited-time opportunity to train Community Health Workers (CHWs) or those expanding into similar roles with the support of grant funding. Apprentices are employees who are part of the workforce while they acquire skills, knowledge, and a credential.
RA is a proven workforce development model that diversifies talent, leads to employee loyalty and retention, creates a talent pipeline, and centers on relevant and experiential learning. It‘s also an accessible earn while you learn path toward economic
mobility for community members with lived experience, but not necessarily professional or educational experience.
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?
Citizen or Permanent Resident
High school graduate or equivalent
One year of on-the-job (OJL) learning
180 hours (two semesters) of paid related instruction
Anywhere in Wisconsin
MATC classes begin week ofAugust 19, 2024
Apprenticeship OJL hours can begin sooner
$7500 stipend
92% employment retention
Credential of value elevates field
How do I get involved?
Talk to us today about becoming an employer-sponsor.
Technical assistance and support from our project team and collaborative partners.
Official (but simple) DWD paperwork.
Click here for more information and for next steps on how become an apprentice.
For Current CHW's
Professional Development and Support
CHWs work across various settings and address different needs. Networking and additional training opportunities can help a CHW develop skills and knowledge beyond core competency training. Click herefor some resources available to further develop public health core competencies and for career advancement. Regional, statewide, and national networks found below are also good sources of additional information and peer support.
There are many different titles used to describe this type of work: Community Health Worker, Community Health Representative (CHR), Promotora de Salud or Health Promoter, Peer Health Educator, Patient Navigator, Community Health Advisor, Outreach Specialist,
Public Health Aid, Enrollment Specialist, Health Coach, Resource Navigator, and Care Coordinator. We use the term CHW as the common ground all these positions share: promoting health in the community.
Graduates of Great Rivers HUB training offer some quick information about what CHWs do and why they are important in these videos:
Is this program for me?
Are you courageous, outgoing, honest, open, reliable, compassionate, resourceful, and determined?
Are you someone who loves to make a positive impact on your community, enjoys building relationships, and values health and wellness?
Your community needs you! Become a Community Health Worker and transform your passion into a rewarding career in healthcare. You'll have the chance to serve your community and help your family, friends, and neighbors live longer and healthier lives.
We’ll build on your lived experiences. You don’t need specific work experience or degree to work in the field. To be eligible for HRSA support, you’ll need a high school diploma or GED certificate. To receive support from grant funds, you must also be
a citizen of the United States or a foreign national with permanent resident status. If you are not eligible for the HRSA program, you may still be able to participate in CHW training through our training partners with funding from other sources.
If you are interested, we encourage you to apply.
Additional Questions & Answers
How do the stipends work?
Most eligible trainees will receive stipends based on self-identification of need.
Stipends are disbursed in two parts - at midpoint and end of Core Competency Training.
Stipends are not employment wages and acceptance does not create an employment relationship.
A stipend is considered taxable income. Trainees receiving stipends will receive a 1099-NEC at the end of the year for income tax reporting purposes.
Trainees receiving public benefits may want to speak to a benefits specialist to find out how stipends could impact their benefits. Call 211 or 877-947-2211 or visit the 211 Wisconsin website to be connected to programs that offer benefit specialists.
Does everyone get tuition assistance?
Most eligible trainees will receive tuition assistance based on self-identification of need.
Currently employed participants should ask their employer if tuition assistance is available.
Individuals not meeting HRSA eligibility may be matched with tuition assistance from other sources by our training partners. In those cases, the conditions and amount of support may differ from what is stated above.
What if I don't live near one of the training centers?
This program is designed to train people statewide. Our virtual training options can be done from anywhere accessible by internet. If you live in a rural or other area that has limited internet access, please contact us to see if we can help connect you
with options. In-person field-placements sites will also be able to be arranged statewide.
Do I get college credit for completing the program?
No, the Community Health Worker Training Program is a non-credit program. You will receive a certificate of completion. In the future, we hope to create agreements that will allow our graduates to receive credit for prior learning toward related programs
in the Wisconsin Technical College System.
What if I don’t have a high school diploma or GED certificate?
Please apply. Other funding sources may help cover the tuition cost . We can also refer you to resources to get transcript copies, translations, or to earn a GED.
What if I am not a Citizen, a Noncitizen Foreign National, or a lawful Permanent Resident of the United States?
Please apply. Other funding sources may help cover the tuition cost. We recognize that Community Health Workers are needed to assist all people in the community.
What if my English is limited?
Please apply. We may have resources to help you. We are interested in training people who speak the same language that members of their community speak.
What if I have a disability?
Please apply. We will work with you on reasonable accommodation. We are interested in training people who share lived experiences with members of the community they will work with.
Project Contact and Funding Source
Have questions or need more information? Contact Barbara Schaefer, Project Director - Workforce Development at United Way of Wisconsin at (608) 246-8272 ext. 6 or bschaefer@unitedwaywi.org.
This program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1,000,000 with 0% financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those
of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov
“I enjoy my work as a Community Health Worker because I get to help people achieve their goals and accomplish their dreams.”
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