Orientation
Orientation is one of the most important opportunities to emphasize the roles and responsibilities of community health workers. Use the following steps to create an orientation process for community health workers. To create a an orientation process for community health workers
- Define the nature of the program.
- Who are the clients?
- Where is the setting?
- What are goals for clients? Are they established jointly with clients?
- How will CHWs interact/obtain clients?
- How long will clients be enrolled?
- How will data be collected (system and personnel)
- Establish the initial workflow.
- Create materials to explain the nature of the program and the workflow.
- Decide on the mix of training from in-house staff and external trainers.
- External trainers can be helpful for professionalism, technology (e.g. Microsoft Word, email), general guidance on interacting with clients, and conflict management.
- Internal training is necessary for the nature of the program, workflow, program-specific technology, professional expectations, and boundary setting.
- Internal or external training may be required for documentation (case management software, electronic health record, etc.) and data collection for program outcomes. See Table 1.
- Assess additional training requirements from the sites where CHWs work. This is applicable for programs that have CHWs working in different locations.
- Schedule training and repeat steps 1-4 as needed.
“Supervisors should provide clear expectations of the CHW such as reliability, professionalism, time management, showing up on time, and be trusted when not under constant supervision…”
– Community health worker
“Supervisors should provide clear expectations of the CHW such as reliability, professionalism, time management, showing up on time, and be trusted when not under constant supervision…”
– Community health worker
Table 1. Example Training Modules
Internally Provided/Created
Public benefits for community health workers
Documentation for community health workers
Conflict management
Cultural diversity
CHWs v. other health professionals
SMART goals (evaluation)
Workplace boundaries
Self-awareness and non-verbal communication
Mandated reporting for community health workers (handout)
Resource search and strategic planning in the office
Externally Provided/Created
Site specific orientation and training
Metropolitan community colleges course
Diabetes management class
Healthy Homes training program
Mental health first aid training
Riding the bus
Dietary management class
Scavenger hunt in the community
Self-care and work-life balance
Motivational interviewing
* Presentations unless otherwise noted
Table 2. Sample Schedule of Topics to Cover
- What is a CHW
- History of your CHW program and noteworthy national programs
- Social determinants of health and why they are important
- Orient on internal processes – computer, email setup, access to electronic health records, shared folders, databases, etc., and any other processes the CHW will need to succeed at their job.
- CHW Core Competencies (national and state)
- CHWs job description and requirements
- Deliverables required to prove their success
- Policies and procedures – e.g. scope of practice, home visit policy, enrollment, discharge, documentation, referral, etc.
- CHW workflow and job training
- Resources to learn (what they are, who may qualify, and how to apply):
- Medicaid
- Medicare
- Marketplace/ACA insurance
- Disability/Social Security Disability Insurance
- Food Stamps/SNAP
- Subsidized Housing/Section 8
- Unemployment benefits
- Coverage to care: If you have health insurance, how do you use it?