Community Health Worker

Gloria West, Ph.D., MS.,

Director

The Community Health Worker (CHW) program focuses on universal competencies essential for primary and preventive healthcare. Students interested in working in health or social care will benefit from this coursework. Whether they choose to enter the workforce as a CHW or continue their education in other health professions. The curriculum will prepare them to serve as a liaison between the healthcare system and the community. Some roles students can apply to include Health Educator, Patient Navigator, Outreach Specialist, Promotor(a) de Salud, and Community Health Worker, among others. The CHW program covers the same knowledge and competencies required by university-level (bachelor’s and master’s degree) health educator programs.                                                                                               

Mission

The mission of the Malcolm X College Community Health Worker Program is to educate students to enter the field as knowledgeable and culturally competent CHWs. The program seeks to equip graduates with skills to provide compassionate and holistic advocacy to facilitate improved health care outcomes to members of the communities they serve.   

Community Health Worker Certification Program

The Community Health Worker Certification and Reimbursement Act (Public Act 410 ILCS 67), passed in 2021. This law calls for the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to establish a CHW Certification Program (“Program”). This Program will help ensure high-quality, comprehensive, and ongoing training of the Illinois CHW workforce. The law also calls for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services to pursue payment for services provided by certified CHWs through the Medicaid program.
 
Employers will have the ability to bill Illinois Medicaid for services provided to Medicaid clients by certified CHWs. The type of services and reimbursement rates will be spelled out in the Medicaid fee schedule. Employer organizations interested in reimbursement through Medicaid must enroll in the Medicaid Program if they are not already enrolled.
 
For more information about the Community Health Worker Certification Program, please click the links below.
 
Community Health Worker Certification Program
Chw-certification-program-brochure-print_102023.pdf

To Learn More About the Program and Admissions

Complete the Interest Form​ or email Dr. Gloria West at gwest4@ccc.edu​ for more information. 

Admissions Requirements

The Community Health Worker has an online application. Before completing the application, please review the program requirements listed below.

  • Mandatory Community Health Worker Information Session 
    • Activate your student account by enrolling at MXC (please apply at apply.ccc.edu or contact the MXC Admissions Office for guidance)
    • High School Diploma or High School Equivalency Certificate (submit official transcripts)
  • English 096 or higher, or complete the Read to Write Placement test (RTW) – Please be aware that it typically takes about 72 hours to receive your results after completing the RTW placement test
  • Submit official college transcripts from all accredited colleges attended outside of City Colleges of Chicago to the Malcolm X College Office of Registrar Services 
  • Explore and select Scholarship and Financial Aid Options 
  • Attend Orientation Days     
  • Register for CHW Courses

Submitting Application within Student Portal (my.ccc.edu)

  • Under ‘My Academic Plan"
  • Within ‘Academic Planning"
  • Click ‘Selective Application"

Program Eligibility

To help you make an informed decision about the CHW program, we offer several information sessions each month. We encourage you to register for an upcoming session to understand the program and what it entails.                                                                                                  

Attend an Info Session        

To help you make an informed decision about the CHW program, we offer several information sessions each month. We encourage you to register for an upcoming session to understand the program and what it entails.

Link: https://cccedu.zoom.us/meeting/register/2dTi_iNbSWW7FvfhcqtRHg

When: Mondays @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm (starting June 1, 2026 through August 24, 2026)

Where: Live on Zoom (registration required)

Explore Scholarship and Financial Aid Options

Please reach out to the Financial Aid Office to assess your eligibility for financial aid. For inquiries about payment plans, direct your questions to the Business Services Office. We also recommend looking into the scholarship opportunities listed below. Most of these scholarships are external and require you to take additional application steps.

*Note that if you qualify for more than one of these scholarships, you must select only one to accept.   

  • Opioid Crisis Response Focus (OIFSP) – This scholarship and apprenticeship opportunity offers tuition, books, a stipend, and provides access to employment opportunities. It’s designed for students with personal experience in mental health, substance use disorders, and recovery.
  • Participating in this program is an excellent pairing with the Certified Recovery Support /Peer Recovery Specialist (CRSS/CPRS) program. To apply, submit a Statement of Interest.

*Note that completing the FAFSA is not required for this opportunity. For any questions, you can contact Kristen Godinez at kgodinez@ccc.edu    

  • Healing Arts Chicago (OIFSP) – This scholarship and apprenticeship opportunity offers tuition, books, a stipend, and provides access to employment opportunities. It’s designed for artists interested in mental health, substance use disorders, and recovery.
    • Participating in this program is an excellent pairing with the Chicago Mental Health Clinics.
  • Pharmacy Technology (OIFSP) – This scholarship and apprenticeship opportunity offers tuition, books, a stipend, and provides access to employment opportunities. It’s designed for Pharmacy Technicians interested in medication in substance use disorders and recovery.     
    • Participating in this program is an excellent pairing with the Federally Qualified Health Care Clinics and Recovery and Mental Health Clinics or facilities.    

Register for CHW Courses

For assistance with the application process, please contact the Admissions office. For assistance with registration, please get in touch with the Advising department. Students will receive a full offer into the program after all required documents are received.

Purchase Your Textbooks ​         

Ensure you complete this process at least several weeks before classes begin to allow sufficient time for shipping. If you have a scholarship with a book voucher, make sure to follow the instructions carefully to redeem it. 

Program Outcomes

  • Communicate with a diverse patient population using effective oral and written communication.
  • Understand the fundamentals of epidemiology.
  • Identify the role nutrition plays in health.
  • Understand common mental health issues.  

Completion Requirements    

  • To obtain the Community Health Worker Basic Certificate, students must achieve a grade of ‘C’ or higher in the following courses: CHW 120, CHW 121, CHW 125, CHW 130, and CHW 132.
  • Please note that registration for CHW 132 is only permitted after completing at least CHW 121. Additionally, CHW 132 cannot be taken in the first semester because students must be assessed before they are placed at a site.   
  • Students typically complete the Community Health Worker certificate in 2 to 3 semesters. All five CHW courses are offered during the Fall and Spring semesters, and usually, the introductory course is also available over the Summer. However, please check the current course schedule for availability as offerings may vary.                                          

Program Curriculum and Course Description

 
CHW 120: Community and Public Health (Formerly Public Health and the Study of Disease and Epidemics)                           
This course is designed to introduce students to public health and community health as it relates across different communities and health concerns. Students will learn the history of public health and how to navigate the systems and organizations involved. Topics covered include the distribution of health outcomes with a particular emphasis on health inequities, outbreak investigation, the impact of history, and social determinants of health. Writing Assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.
 
CHW 121: Introduction to Community Health Work                       
This course introduces students to the profession of community health work and its role in public health and the healthcare system. Students will learn and practice the core skills and competencies of community health workers. They will gain an understanding of their role, their scope of practice, and the types of services they provide, including how they interact with other health personnel and resources.  Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.                                     
 
CHW 125: Nutrition, Movement, and Health Basics (Formerly Nutrition, Exercise, and Disease)         
This course will provide students with the information necessary to promote healthy lifestyle modifications and health promotion. Students will gain knowledge about identifying the relationship between nutrition, physical activity, and disease. They will learn approaches to treating disease through diet modification, and inclusion of physical activity to divert the development or progression of disease. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.
 
CHW 130: Mental Health Care (Formerly Mental Health Issues)                             
This course will provide an overview of mental health care on the community and individual level. Students will cover mental health illnesses, mental health care of various populations, and the social determinants they face. They will learn about the more prevalent mental health illnesses in the U.S. and how to support individuals who are experiencing them. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.                                          
 
CHW 132: Field Experience                                     
This course provides students the opportunity to practice and apply their community health worker core skills and competencies in the field. Students will receive ongoing mentorship and feedback throughout their fieldwork. This allows students to gain real life, hands-on experience while integrating themselves into the workforce. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.                          
 

CHW Core Competencies

(The law sets forth the following minimum competencies)

(Core Competencies adopted from the Community Health Worker Core Consensus Project)
  1. Communication Skills
  2. Interpersonal and Relationship-Building Skills
  3. Service Coordination and Navigation Skills
  4. Capacity Building Skills
  5. Advocacy Skills
  6. Presentation and Facilitation Skills
  7. Organizational Skills
  8. Cultural Competency
  9. Public Health Knowledge
  10. Understanding of Health Systems and Basic Diseases
  11. Behavioral Health Issues
  12. Field experience

*Additional competencies may be considered in the rules development process
  1. Communication Skills
  2. Interpersonal and Relationship-Building Skills
  3. Service Coordination and Navigation Skills
  4. Capacity Building Skills
  5. Advocacy Skills
  6. Education and Facilitation Skills
  7. Individual and Community Assessment Skills
  8. Outreach Skills                   
  9. Professional Skills and Conduct                   
  10. Evaluation and Research Skills                   
  11. Knowledge Base     

 

         

Programs

Community Health Care Worker

Faculty and Staff

Name Email Role
Dr. Gloria West​ Gwest4@ccc.edu Director​
Jose Torres Jtorres168@ccc.edu Faculty
Aisha Achesah Aachesah@ccc.edu Instructor
Dr. Kenneth Campbell Kcampbell63@ccc.edu Instructor
​Cindy San Miguel                 csanmiguel2@ccc.edu Instructor
​Zakia Gaston ​Zgaston@ccc.edu ​Instructor​
​Moise-Denis Jean ​Mjean5@ccc.edu  ​Instructor 
Maureen Burns ​​ Mburns9@ccc.edu Instructor
​Jose Corral jcorral30@ccc.edu​ Instructor
Borris Powell ​  ​ bpowell@ccc.edu ​Work-Based Learning Coordinator
​​Dr. Perrin Greene ​ ​ pgreene3@ccc.edu Instructor
​Maureen Burns ​​ Mburns9@ccc.edu ​ Instructor
Azeez Muhammad Amuhammad93@ccc.edu ​Instructor/Tutor