Community Health Worker

Help your neighbors get the care they need

This class gives you the 140 hours Maryland asks for. When you finish, you can apply for your state certificate. You do not need a college degree.

Tell me when the next class starts What do I need to get certified?
We are picking dates for the next class
The next class is not scheduled yet. Add your name below. We will email you as soon as we pick the dates.
140hours of training
$1,400for the whole class
MDHapproved class
Sending staff from your organization?
Group rates, private classes at your site, and purchase orders. No minimum group size.
See group training
About the Class

You already know your community

Community health workers connect people to care. You might help someone find a doctor. Get a ride to an appointment. Sign up for benefits. Or just understand what the doctor said. You do this work in the community you know best.

The Maryland Department of Health approves this class. Our approval number is 004-2020-G. When you finish, you can apply for your state certificate.

Most of the class is online. You meet on Zoom 15 times. You also do some work on your own time. Then you finish 40 hours of practice out in the field.

You do not need a college degree
You need to be 18 or older. You need a high school diploma or a GED. That is it.
Classes meet in the evening
Class times are set for each group. They are held in the evening so you can keep your day job. We will send you the schedule when we pick the dates.
You set up your own field hours
The 40 hours of field practice happen at a place you pick. AHEC West does not place you. Read more about this below.
The Basics

What you are signing up for

Hours
140 hours
100 hours of class plus 40 hours in the field
What you earn
Maryland CHW
Certified Community Health Worker
How it works
Mostly online
15 live Zoom classes plus work on your own time
Class dates
Not set yet
Sign up below and we will tell you first
Cost
$1,400
You can pay over time. Ask us about a payment plan.
Sending a team?
Group rates
Health departments and community groups can ask us about rates for several people
The Subjects

What you will learn

Maryland asks that this class cover nine skill areas. Here is how we group them.

The job and what you can do

What a community health worker does. How the health system works. Why the place someone lives affects how healthy they are.

Talking with people

How to listen. How to explain health information in plain words. How to respect what people believe and where they come from.

Helping people follow through

How to keep track of someone's care. How to send them to the right place. How to write things down the right way.

Mental health and drug use

How hard experiences affect people over time. The basics of mental health. How to connect someone to help near them.

Finding local help

How to find housing, food, rides, and benefits in your area. How to build your own list of places to send people.

Getting your certificate

We go over what the state asks for. We help you get ready to send in your application.

Want the full list of nine skill areas the state requires? See the requirements page.

Read This First

You find your own place for field hours

Maryland requires 40 hours of supervised field practice. This is on top of your 100 class hours. You do these hours at a real workplace.

AHEC West does not find this place for you. You set it up yourself. Most people use one of these:

  • The place you already work, if it is a health or community organization
  • A local health department
  • A church, food pantry, shelter, or other community group
  • A clinic or hospital in your area

Start thinking about this before class begins. If you are not sure where to go, ask us early and we will talk it through with you.

Who Can Take It

Two things to start

Be 18 years old or older
Have a high school diploma or a GED

That is all you need to take the class. To get your state certificate after you finish, you also send an application to Maryland through a website called OneStop. We walk you through that near the end of class.

See all the certificate requirements

Get In Touch

Have a question? Want to know when class starts?

Fill this out and we will answer you. We can also email you when we pick the next class dates.

Some classes are free if you live in certain counties. Tell us where you live and we will check for you.

Which class do you want to hear about?

We only use what you tell us to answer you and send class news. We do not sell or share it.

Would you rather ask a person? Email Joy Taylor, our Program Director, at jtaylor@ahecwest.org.