A Community Health Worker (CHW) is a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of and/or has a close understanding of the community served. This trusting relationship enables the worker to serve as a connector between health and social services, and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery. (APHA.org).
"Community Health Worker" has the meaning given that term in
ORS 414.025.
There are three pathways to becoming a state certified Community Health Worker in Oregon. Please review the requirements below to see which is the best certification pathway for you:
Pathways to Certification
- Complete an Authority-approved minimum 80-hour foundational training program and provide a certificate of completion issued by an Authority approved training program
- Complete an Authority-approved oral health training and provide a certificate or evidence of completion.
Applicants who hold a non-Oregon certification whose certification process is similar to that of the state of Oregon for a CHW may be granted certification by the Authority. An applicant must submit a complete application and satisfy the following requirements of the Authority's certification process for reciprocity:
- Submit an Authority approved Reciprocity Form or a verification letter from the originating state that contains an active state certification or license number in good standing.
- Complete an Authority-approved oral health training and provide a certificate or evidence of completion.
Applicants seeking to use prior experience as a CHW may be granted Oregon certification by the Authority. An applicant must satisfy the requirements of the Authority's application process by:
- Submitting a minimum of one written professional letter of recommendation using the template provided by the Authority. Professional letters of recommendation must be from a past or current supervisor, licensed health provider, colleague, or a community-based organization who is familiar with the applicant's work experience in the past five years.
- Submit verifiable evidence of 3000 hours of work or volunteer experience within the past five years.
- "Verifiable Evidence" means a pay statement, services contract, student practicum, volunteer time log, or other documentation reflecting hours worked or volunteered. Verifiable evidence will not include college credits as qualification hours. As defined in OAR 950-060-0010.
- Complete an Authority-approved oral health training and provide a certificate or evidence of completion.