The Community Health Worker Care Coordination Program objective is to provide students with the framework, tools, and skills which are both necessary and needed to perform duties as care coordinators. The Community Health Worker Care Coordination Training will prepare individuals to provide patient-centered support and assistance that improves the health of vulnerable populations often faced with chronic conditions. The role of the trained Care Coordinators will be to enhance the healthcare experiences of people receiving care. This will result in greater care plan adherence, improved healthcare experiences, and lower costs of care for underserved and high-risk patients/clients. Participants learn the scope of services for a Community Health Worker care coordinator; key aspects of chronic medical conditions which afflict their patients/clients; lifestyle activities that improve health; knowledge about cultural competency; advocacy skills for community needs and services; communication skills to affirm patients’/clients’ rights; roles and responsibilities as well as communication strategies such as motivational interviewing. Evidence-based training and field content will empower CHWs to provide improved patient care. Students must meet the minimum requirements for graduation within the program period. The classroom portion of the training is 27 hours in length and the lab portion is approximately 3 hours in length. Students must satisfactorily complete 24 classroom hours and 3 lab hours for a certificate of program completion. Course material will be taught face to face, live web-based, and on-demand platforms. Students who successfully complete both the classroom and clinical portions of the course, meet their financial obligations to the school, and maintain an average of 70% on post-course evaluations will receive the full complement of education hours and content areas that is needed to fulfill the training requirements for Community Health Worker Certification. Community Health Worker Certification is offered through the Florida Certification Board, PBCMSS is a certified education provider for CHW Certification Training (#5284-A). To become a certified CHW through the Florida Certification Board, students are required to take an exam and earn a passing grade. Potential work locations where graduates may be employed include long-term care facilities, physician offices, hospitals, clinics, and 501C3 non-profits.
For more information contact Karen Harwood (561)433-3940 #119 or karenh@pbcms.org
