About Traditional Health Workers

All Certified Traditional Health Worker types are expected to abide by the following:

Traditional Health Worker Standards of Professional Conduct 

Oregon 950-060-0010 rules

OHA certified THWs shall comply with Standards of Professional Conduct set forth in this rule. The violation of the standards may result in the suspension or revocation of certification or denial of an application for renewal.

 THWs shall:

• Acquire, maintain, and improve professional knowledge and competence using scientific, clinical, technical, psychosocial, governmental, cultural, and community-based sources of information;

• Represent all aspects of professional capabilities and services honestly and accurately;

• Ensure that all actions are within their scope of practice with community members and are based on understanding and implementing the core values of caring, respect, compassion, ethical boundaries, and appropriate use of personal power;

• Develop positive collaborative partnerships with community members, colleagues, and other health care providers to provide care, services, and supports that are safe, effective, and appropriate to a community member's needs;

• Regardless of clinical diagnosis, develop and incorporate respect for diverse community member backgrounds when planning and providing services, including lifestyle, sexual orientation, race, gender, ethnicity, religion, age, marital status, political beliefs, socioeconomic status, or any other preference or personal characteristic, condition, or state;

• Act as an advocate for community members and their needs;

• Support self-determination for community members in a culturally responsive, trauma informed manner;

• Make decisions and act based on sound ethical reasoning and current principles of practice in a way that supports empowerment and respect for community members' culture and self-defined health care goals;

• Maintain individual confidentiality;

• Comply with laws and regulations involving mandatory reporting of harm, abuse, or neglect while making every effort to involve the individuals in planning for services and ensuring that no further harm is done to family members as the result of the reporting;

• Recognize and protect an individual's rights as described in section (3) of this rule.

Individuals have the right to:

• Dignity and respect;

• Freedom from theft, damage, or misuse of personal property;

• Freedom from neglect and abuse, whether verbal, mental, emotional, physical, or sexual;

• Freedom from financial exploitation;

• Freedom from physical restraints;

• Freedom from discrimination in regard to race, color, national origin, disability, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, size, type of diagnosis criminal history or religion;

• Confidentiality of their information and records; and

• Give voice to grievances or complaints regarding services or any other issue without discrimination or reprisal for exercising their rights

Do you have a Civil Rights Complaint or concern regarding THW services? 

• Complete an OHA Certified THW Worker Complaint Form