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Toledo Campus: Community Health Worker Certificate

Community Health Worker

Scholarships Available

Mercy College of Ohio has received two grants to assist students with educational expenses. There is no better time to pursue your educational goals. Learn more about the scholarship opportunities below.

Grant ProgramsChoose Ohio First (COF) GrantHealth Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Grant
What is it?A Choose Ohio First (COF) $458,713.50 grant from the Ohio Department of Higher Education will provide scholarships that cover up to $4000 of the tuition for Mercy College of Ohio’s Community Health Worker, Health Information Technology, Polysomnographic Technologist (sleep technologist), Paramedic, and Surgical Technology programs over the next five years.Mercy College of Ohio received a four-year grant totaling $740,998 from The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The grant will provide tuition assistance and stipends to students in Mercy College’s Community Health Worker (CHW) program totaling up to $4000.
Who's eligible?To be eligible for a COF scholarship students must be an Ohio resident, complete a Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and apply or already be enrolled in one of the approved programs.To be eligible for a HRSA scholarship students must be enrolled in the Community Health Worker program at Mercy College.
How to apply?No separate application is needed. See "Who's eligible?" above.No separate application is needed. See "Who's eligible?" above.
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Start your journey to a rewarding career in healthcare

Program At A Glance

Scholarships available

up to $4000 of tuition covered

2 semesters

to program completion

Online lectures, local clinicals

classes are offered

Because of the Affordable Care Act, a number of strategies are being adopted by health care organizations to maximize the quality of health care delivery, while also minimizing economic impact on the organization. One of these strategies is the implementation of the medical home or patient-centered medical home (PCMH), defined as a health care setting that facilitates partnerships between individual patients and their personal physicians, and when appropriate, the patient’s family. In order to provide this type of care, the primary care provider leads a team of professionals that helps with the coordination and delivery of care. The roles are still emerging and providers are trying a number of different strategies to accomplish care within this new environment. The CHW is an entry-level position which may help to satisfy this need. The traditional role of the CHW is expanding within the patient-centered medical home and may include additional roles in entry-level case management.

Community Health Workers typically do the following, although specific duties vary greatly depending on the type of work environment:

  • Contact/advise clients and community groups, regarding general health/wellness, diagnostic screenings, and follow-up, especially high-risk and vulnerable populations.
  • Assist with referral of clients to community resources based on individual needs.
  • Perform basic procedures, such as vital signs, blood pressure screening, breast cancer screening, or communicable disease screening.
  • Maintain updated client records with plans, notes, appropriate forms, or related information.
  • Advocate for individuals and communities and serve as a liaison between clients and providers.

Potential employers include the following:

  • Charitable foundation or government agency grants or contracts (county clinics or local organizations)
  • Government general funds (county hospitals, health departments)
  • Private sector organizations (hospitals, health plans)

Coursework in Community Health Worker certificate programs typically include the following content areas: medical terminology, cultural diversity, basic life support and first aid, community health specific topics such as advocacy, referral processes, documentation, and skills to complete home visits, as well as practical experiences in area community health settings.

Program Overview

 

Students who complete the Community Health Worker certificate will be able to:

  • Demonstrate healthcare knowledge and ability to work with clients across the lifespan in a community health setting.
  • Use interpersonal skills and community resources to effectively advocate for individuals and communities served.
  • Demonstrate professionalism and competence in serving clients.
  • Communicate effectively and articulately in community health settings.

Students are admitted to Mercy College of Ohio and subsequently to a program of study. Admission to the College does not guarantee admission to a program. Please note: Admission requirements are subject to change. Students should contact the Office of Admission or consult mercycollege.edu for the most up-to-date information.

Entrance into Mercy College of Ohio requires either an earned diploma from an accredited high school or a home-schooled program in a college preparatory course of study, or a general equivalency diploma (GED).

Following are the requirements for admission to Mercy College of Ohio:

  • Cumulative high school grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher or a general equivalence diploma (GED) recipient with a score of 500 (score of 53 prior to 2002)

Criminal background checks, drug screens, health records, and titers/immunizations are required prior to the start of the clinical program. Program requirements and instructions are maintained on the College website at https://mercycollege.edu/background. The Policy can be found at https://mercycollege.edu/about/compliance-consumer-information.

To complete the Community Health Worker Certificate students must fulfill all of the following:

Required Program Courses

Complete All of The Following Courses:

Course Number Course Name Credit Hours
CHW 101 Introduction to Community Health Worker 4
CHW 102 Advanced Topics for the Community Health Worker 3
CHW 103 Directed Clinical Practice in Community Health 2
CHW 104 Community Health Worker Capstone 2
CHW 105 Healthcare and the Community 2
PSY 201 Lifespan Psychology 3
Printable Version

Semester I

Course Number Course Name Credit Hours
CHW 101 Introduction to Community Health Worker 4
PSY 201 Lifespan Psychology 3
CHW 105 Healthcare and the Community 2

Semester II

Course Number Course Name Credit Hours
CHW 102 Advanced Topics for the Community Health Worker 3
CHW 103 Directed Clinical Practice in Community Health 2
CHW 104 Community Health Worker Capstone 2

The certificate completer will be able to:

1. Demonstrate basic knowledge of healthcare and health education across the lifespan in a community health setting.

2. Utilize interpersonal skills and community resources to effectively advocate for individuals and communities which they serve.

3. Demonstrate competence in service skills and responsibilities in a professional manner.

4. Articulate effective communication skills.

5. Demonstrate an understanding of health disparities and the role a Community Health Worker plays in improving health outcomes.

Career Outlook

Salary Range

Nationwide, the mean hourly wage is $18.02, or $37,482 annually. Salaries up to $60,000 can be earned with management/supervisory roles and responsibilities. According to a local community needs assessment, average hourly wages in this region are approximately $14.60.

[Bureau of Labor Statistics, O-NET Online, Explore Health Careers]