Community health workers promote health within a community by assisting individuals to adopt healthy behaviors. Serve as an advocate for the health needs of individuals by assisting community residents in effectively communicating with healthcare providers or social service agencies. Act as liaison or advocate and implement programs that promote, maintain, and improve individual and overall community health. May deliver health-related preventive services such as blood pressure, glaucoma, and hearing screenings. May collect data to help identify community health needs.

  • Maintain updated client records with plans, notes, appropriate forms, or related information.
  • Advise clients or community groups on issues related to improving general health, such as diet or exercise.
  • Identify or contact members of high-risk or otherwise targeted groups, such as members of minority populations, low-income populations, or pregnant women.
  • Contact clients in person, by phone, or in writing to ensure they have completed required or recommended actions.
  • Distribute flyers, brochures, or other informational or educational documents to inform members of a targeted community.
  • Refer community members to needed health services.
  • Attend community meetings or health fairs to understand community issues or build relationships with community members.
  • Perform basic diagnostic procedures, such as blood pressure screening, breast cancer screening, or communicable disease screening.
  • Advise clients or community groups on issues related to diagnostic screenings, such as breast cancer screening, pap smears, glaucoma tests, or diabetes screenings.
  • Advise clients or community groups on issues related to risk or prevention of conditions, such as lead poisoning, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), prenatal substance abuse, or domestic violence.
  • Administer immunizations or other basic preventive treatments.
  • Identify the particular health care needs of individuals in a community or target area.
  • Advise clients or community groups on issues related to self-care, such as diabetes management.
  • Conduct home visits for pregnant women, newborn infants, or other high-risk individuals to monitor their progress or assess their needs.
  • Transport or accompany clients to scheduled health appointments or referral sites.
  • Advocate for individual or community health needs with government agencies or health service providers.
  • Teach appropriate parenting behaviors to individuals or families.
  • Report incidences of child or elder abuse, neglect, or threats of harm to authorities, as required.
  • Teach classes or otherwise disseminate medical or dental health information to school groups, community groups, or targeted families or individuals, in a manner consistent with cultural norms.
  • Advise clients or community groups on issues related to sanitation or hygiene, such as flossing or hand washing.
  • Collect information from individuals to compile vital statistics about the general health of community members.
  • Assist families to apply for social services, including Medicaid or Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
  • Advise clients or community groups on issues related to social or intellectual development, such as education, childcare, or problem solving.
  • Provide basic health services, such as first aid.
  • Interpret, translate, or provide cultural mediation related to health services or information for community members.
  • Monitor nutrition of children, elderly, or other high-risk groups.
  • Advise clients or community groups to ensure parental understanding of the importance of childhood immunizations and how to access immunization services.
  • Develop plans or formal contracts for individuals, families, or community groups to improve overall health.
  • Provide feedback to health service providers regarding improving service accessibility or acceptability.
Work Context
  • Electronic Mail — 77% responded "Every day".
  • Face-to-Face Discussions — 77% responded "Every day".
  • Contact With Others — 65% responded "Constant contact with others".
  • Telephone — 47% responded "Once a week or more but not every day".
  • Work With Work Group or Team — 51% responded "Extremely important".
  • Structured versus Unstructured Work — 45% responded "Some freedom".
  • Physical Proximity — 44% responded "Moderately close (at arm's length)".
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Work Activities
  • Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • Provide basic health care services.
  • Advise clients or community groups on health issues.
  • Advise clients or community groups on health issues.
  • Advise clients or community groups on health issues.
  • Advise clients or community groups on health issues.
  • Advise clients or community groups on health issues.
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Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service
  • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Education and Training
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
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Skills

Active Listening
  • Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
  • Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness
  • Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Writing
  • Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
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Abilities

Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Comprehension
  • The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Speech Recognition
  • The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
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Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Operating system software
  • Apple macOS Hot Technology
Graphics or photo imaging software
  • SmugMug Flickr Hot Technology
Word processing software
  • Microsoft Word Hot Technology
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Education

Get started on your career:

Job Outlook

New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Salary
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