1/10/2025 5:12:06 AM	EMC 170 Course Outline as of Spring 2025	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  EMC 170	Title:  COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER
Full Title:  Community Health Worker
Last Reviewed:2/26/2024

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	4.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	4.00	Lab Scheduled	1.00		6 min.	Lab Scheduled	17.50
		Contact DHR	2.00			Contact DHR	35.00
		Contact Total	6.00			Contact Total	105.00
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 210.00

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade Only
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

Students will focus on core competencies for community health workers (CHW), evolution of the CHW field in the United States, CHWs and public health, and promoting health equity. Students will apply their knowledge and skills in a clinical setting as part of the course. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be eligible for state certification as a CHW.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL 1A (EMLS 10) or equivalent

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Students will focus on core competencies for community health workers (CHW), evolution of the CHW field in the United States, CHWs and public health, and promoting health equity. Students will apply their knowledge and skills in a clinical setting as part of the course. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be eligible for state certification as a CHW.

(Grade Only)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL 1A (EMLS 10) or equivalent
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Not Certificate/Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and behavior needed to succeed in the role of a CHW.

2. Communicate, coach, and collaborate with a multi-disciplinary healthcare team effectively.

3. Recognize and respect the values and needs of the cultures and practices of the populations and communities served.

4. Describe how healthcare and public/community health systems are structured, function, the types of care they deliver, and the current technologies used.

5. Engage in advocacy and social support actions to promote client and community health needs.

6. Implement community/individual education programs, based on needs and strengths, to build capacity, support health, and promote wellness.

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Integrate the CHW role and responsibilities into daily work activities.

2. Exhibit positive workplace behaviors, attitudes, and personal safety practices. 

3. Identify the limits of personal and professional boundaries.

4. Incorporate self-care practices to strengthen abilities as a CHW.

5. Explain key legal requirements and ethical guidelines and how they impact the role and responsibilities of the CHW.

6. Demonstrate skill in observing, reporting, and documenting.

7. Identify client needs and development across the life span. 

8. Demonstrate appropriate verbal and nonverbal communication and listening skills. 

9. Build interpersonal, interviewing, and conflict management skills.

10. Develop skills in coaching to help support change. 

11. Apply strategies that demonstrate respect for diverse cultures and that ensure effective teamwork and collaboration with a multi-disciplinary healthcare team. 

12. Describe the structure, function, delivery, and technology used in healthcare, public, and community health systems.

13. Describe the role and responsibilities CHWs have in maintaining quality and ensuring safety. 

14. Use problem solving strategies to make effective decisions.

15. Identify community assets and resources and provide service coordination through the use of outreach, networking, navigation skills, and referrals.

16. Display knowledge and skills in work planning and organizing (time management and priority setting). 

17. Engage in strategies that will help advocate and bring about social support for clients, families and communities.

18. Use community asset scanning and motivational interviewing as capacity building tools to identify community and individual strengths. 

19. Identify the factors and conditions that influence how people change to promote individual or community adoption of healthy behaviors. 

20. Incorporate learning principles and teaching strategies into individual/community health and wellness training programs.

Topics and Scope

I. The Effective Community Health Worker

    A. Core competencies and roles of CHWs

    B. Personal qualities and values of CHWs

    C. Education and training

    D. Personal and professional boundaries

    E. Positive workplace attributes and safety practices

    F. Legal and ethical aspects affecting the CHW

    G. Working within a multidisciplinary team

    H. Evaluation and research

II. The Effects of Environment and Culture

    A. Overview of social determinants of health

    B. Health inequities

    C. Social justice

    D. Emphasis on prevention

    E. Principles and practice of cultural humility

III. Compassionate Communications

    A. Building trusting relationships

    B. Motivational Interviewing techniques

    C. Active listening

    D. Coaching

    E. Conflict management

IV. Health, Public Health, and Community Care Systems

    A. Structure

    B. Function

    C. Delivery

    D. Technology

    E. Navigating care systems

V. Promoting Health Behaviors

    A. Community asset scanning

    B. Advocacy and social support strategies

    C. Capacity building and change

    D. Teaching strategies that promote health and wellness

 

All topics are covered in the lecture- and lab-portions of the course.

Assignments:

1. Readings from textbook (15-30 pages each week)

2. Online articles, videos, or podcasts (1-2 each week)

3. Chapter review exercises

4. Case study(ies) and/or written paper(s)

5. Role plays and class demonstrations

6. Quiz(zes) (1-3); final exam

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 40 - 50%
Case study(ies) and/or written paper(s)
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 15 - 25%
Chapter review exercises, case study(ies)
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 5 - 10%
Role plays, class demonstrations
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 15 - 25%
Quiz(zes) and final exam
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 5 - 10%
Attendance, Participation

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Foundations for Community Health Workers. 2nd ed. Berthold, Timothy. Wiley. 2016 (classic)

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