CHW Online Supplemental Courses

What is the benefit of online learning?

These courses are FREE of cost.
Flexible schedule. Learn at your own pace and complete courses on your own time.
Connect with other Community Health Workers. Interact with and get help from other online learners.

What do I need to learn online?

A computer connected to the Internet.
A current web browser. Versions of FireFox 3+, Opera 8+, Microsoft Internet Explorer 7+, and Google Chrome work well with the course.
Capability to play sound, i.e., you should be able to listen to music or other audio on your computer.
A piece of software, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, to be able to read PDF documents.

How do I register for courses?

REGISTER NOW and fill out the form. A specialist will enroll you within 4 business days. You will receive an email from the Talance online learning platform on how to login and set up your password.
If a course is offered in both English and Spanish, please select only ONE of the options. If both are selected on your registration form, you will be placed in the English course by default.
Because space is limited, failure to actively participate in the assigned course will result in removal. You will have 6 weeks to complete the course(s) you select.

What courses can I register for?

These courses are free and open to everyone.
CHW Core Skills students will be automatically registered for Motivational Interviewing and Navigating Health Insurance. Please register for 4 additional supplemental trainings of your choice.

(Click on title to learn more about each course)

Finding proper health care in the United States can be confusing. This is especially true for people with chronic illness who have to deal with various social agencies and health-care providers. Advocacy Skills is a web-based course designed to introduce community health workers, case managers, volunteers, administrative personnel and other non-clinical workers to ways they can use advocacy skills, including connecting people with the right providers, involve the community in clients’ issues, educate community members, legislators, the media and other professionals or organizations about clients’ issues.

Behavioral and mental health problems can affect anyone. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly 20 percent of U.S. adults currently have a mental illness. The good news is that most behavioral health disorders are treatable. Many people improve with treatment, and, in some cases, can even completely recover. This course introduces the most common mental and behavioral health conditions, warning signs, and brief interventions. It also helps prepare participants to find and choose the best resources for the client through research and communication skills.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women. It’s more likely to lead to death for some—especially Hispanic or Latina women. Screening makes it easier to find and treat any developing breast cancer as early as possible. This improves the chances of a successful treatment and cure. Breast Cancer Screening is an online course designed to introduce community-focused healthcare workers to raise awareness of breast cancer and address barriers for women. It shows participants how to work as part of a multidisciplinary team to educate women about their risks, answer common questions, and overcome or eliminate barriers. It includes practical information on options for care and treatment, insurance, early detection, and coordinating services.

Rates of cervical cancer have gone down in the United States thanks for effective patient communication—but there is more work to do, especially among underrepresented and high-risk populations. HPV and Cervical Cancer is a web-based course that demonstrates ways women can lower their risk of cervical cancer and the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) through prevention and early detection. It includes symptoms, risk factors, screening tests, and diagnosis and treatment. It also covers screening guidelines and the vaccine for HPV—the virus that can cause precancerous cell changes and cervical cancer. Finally, learners will identify barriers to care and ways to address those barriers.

No matter how valuable the service or program you offer is, if your target audience doesn’t know it exists, or doesn’t understand how it could benefit them, they won’t use it. And if you don’t understand your target audience, why your service or program is the right one for them, and what might attract their attention or change their mind, they still won’t use it. Outreach is an essential part of building and strengthening communities so that the women, men, and children within them can take advantage of all that’s available to help them build healthier and better lives. Outreach Skills is a web course that’s designed to familiarize you with the basic based concepts and skills involved in community outreach, identifying your target audience, determining their needs, and spreading the world about your valuable services or program fulfills them.

Every hour, every day, healthcare heroes have been battling the COVID-19 pandemic. Their efforts have saved thousands of lives and are working harder than ever.
This course is for those community-focused health workers who have been recruited to support an overburdened workforce. Participants will learn how to continue caring for clients as safely as possible. They’ll also learn how to provide social support by guiding people to trustworthy information, vaccinations, insurance, testing and care coordination.
Plus, they’ll learn how the impact of the coronavirus is uneven, and the health disparities that affect the communities where they work.

Anxiety and depression are on the rise across the US. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the US. People from all backgrounds, locations and ethnicities are affected. These conditions together represent a dangerous trend. They are causes of disability and lead to related health problems including heart disease, stroke, and substance abuse. Most people with depression and anxiety disorders receive no treatment.

Diabetes affects more people today than ever before. In the US, 29.1 million people have diabetes, and that number is on the rise—up four million from 2010. Many sufferers are not controlling their disease, but with the right help, diabetes can be managed. This course describes some of the most common risks, health issues and screening techniques so they can use them with clients or their agencies. With a handle on basics, participants can help patients choose and find resources that best suit their needs.

High blood pressure is epidemic in America. Nearly one in three people in this country has high blood pressure (hypertension), which is a major risk factor for stroke and heart disease. This course instructs your team how to improve health outcomes by helping individuals find care and supporting self-management plans. By learning these essential strategies, your team can change life for the individuals in your community.

It makes sense to shift from a disease-focused system to a health and wellness system, but most people find it difficult to take charge of their health by giving up behaviors that bring short-term rewards. However, with the right help and motivation, they can change and find lasting motivation for improving their health. This course provides an overview of health coaching and an introduction to Motivational Interviewing (MI). It is especially useful for promoting healthy lifestyle changes and chronic disease self-management, because the patient identifies what is meaningful to them and sets their own goals.

A top priority is to help people access health insurance. With national healthcare reform reshaping insurance across the United States, how do you keep up? Navigating Health Insurance covers the principles behind insurance, types of insurance available and how costs are structured. It also illuminates why health insurance matters in the U.S., including healthcare reform, the importance of preventative care and the problem of rising healthcare costs. By the end of the class, participants will be able to use this knowledge to help patients compare plans, set up an appointment and interact with insurance company representatives.

Practicing healthy behaviors, such as eating well and exercising while limiting alcohol and tobacco, can have an enormous effect on a person’s life. Every good habit is associated with a reduced risk for heart attack, type 2 diabetes, and other preventable conditions. Learning about and sticking with good habits can be a challenge, which is why it’s important to convey principles and strategies for success. Promoting Healthy Lifestyles is a web-based course designed to introduce community health workers, volunteers, administrative personnel and other non-clinical workers to the concepts behind maintaining a well-balanced and healthy lifestyle. Using the information they gain, they can work with clients to make positive changes that will help them to effectively manage their life and work. This course covers some of the essential elements of a healthy lifestyle, including nutrition, fitness, preventative healthcare, and behavioral health. With a handle on basics, participants can help patients c

Learning to navigate social situations and building a support system is critical for managing chronic illness and motivating patients for change. Community-based health care workers can help their clients strengthen their social support networks to build—and keep—healthy new habits. This interactive course teaches participants important interpersonal and relationship-building skills so they can identify common social cues and motivational factors. They will learn how to help patients with self-management skills to control chronic conditions and improve health outcomes.

This is an introductory, non-- clinical course on social determinants of health and health equity for people living in the US. Its introduces learners to the ways population health is shaped by factors outside the healthcare system, including socio economics, racism, stigmas, etc. Learners will learn ways they can use this knowledge to identify and reduce health disparities.

Helping people quit smoking or use other tobacco products means understanding what motivates them and what resources are available to help them stop. An ability to make smart recommendations that help people live a healthier life relies on understanding factors that can help or hinder cessation attempts, as well as several strategies that tobacco users can employ to work towards their cessation goals. This course gives participants the knowledge and resources to ensure clients and patients have the best possible chance of tobacco cessation through support and community referrals.

Community health workers (CHWs) have a unique position in the healthcare system. They are frontline public health workers who have a close relationship with the people they work with and the communities where they work. What Is a CHW? is an online module that describes the role and boundaries of the position and how CHWs work as a bridge to health and social services to improve access to healthcare, manage chronic illnesses, and improve the quality and cultural competence of services.