Complete training guide to foundations for community health workers

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Foundations for Community Health Workers, 3rd Edition

The third edition of the Foundations for Community Health Workers textbook was published by Jossey-Bass in 2024. The textbook includes links to short video role plays and interviews designed to highlight core competencies for CHWs. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a greater need than ever for compassionate community health workers trained in the core competencies and guiding principles that can empower individuals to lead healthy lives.

Foundations for Community Health Workers, 2nd Edition

The second edition of the Foundations for Community Health Workers textbook was published by Jossey-Bass in 2016.

Training Guide to Foundations for CHWs

This Training Guide to Foundations for Community Health Workers, Second Edition, was developed by faculty who teach in the Community Health Worker (CHW) Certificate Program at City College of San Francisco (CCSF). The guide represents some of our favorite training activities and assessments, developed in partnership with students, CHW graduates, local employers, and public health leaders. This is meant to be used when teaching or training using the textbook Foundations for Community Health Workers, Second Edition.

Although the guide is based on the curriculum from our college-based CHW Certificate Program, we hope that it will serve as a meaningful resource for training CHWs in any setting. Please feel free to download and share these chapters with your colleagues, citing CCSF as the source.

©October 2015. Tim Berthold, Community Health Worker Certificate Program, City College of San Francisco.

Introduction

Authors: Tim Berthold, Pamela DeCarlo

• How to Use the Training Guide See page 20 of the Overview PDF
• The CCSF CHW Training Program See page 26 of the Overview PDF

Teaching and Training Methods

Authors: Janey Skinner, Tim Berthold

• Guiding Principles See page 42 of the Overview PDF
• How Trainers Model Professional Skills See page 46 of the Overview PDF
• Training Techniques See page 50 of the Overview PDF

Part 1: Community Health Work: The Big Picture

Authors: Amie Fishman, Karen Winkler and Elena Schwolsky

• Activity 1.1 Roles, Competencies, and Characteristics of CHWs
• Activity 1.2 Identifying Characteristics of Successful CHWs
• Activity 1.3 CHW Panel—Experts in the Field
• Assessment 1.1 Identifying CHW’s Roles, Competencies, and Characteristics
• Assessment 1.2 Matching Quiz

Authors: Amie Fishman and Noelle Wiggins

• Activity 2.1 Radio Play: Voices from the History of Community Health Work
• Activity 2.2 Drawing Your Path to Becoming a CHW
• Activity 2.3 History of Community Health Work Timeline
• Activity 2.4 The Value of CHW Organizations
• Assessment 2.1 Reflective Writing on the History and Future of CHWs

Authors: Amie Fishman, Pamela DeCarlo and Janey Skinner

• Activity 3.1 Defining Public Health
• Activity 3.2 The Ecological Model of Health
• Activity 3.3 Comparing Public Health and Medicine
• Activity 3.4 The Public Health Emphasis on Prevention
• Assessment 3.1 Public Health Quiz

Author: Amie Fishman

• Activity 4.1 Defining Health Inequalities
• Activity 4.2 Promoting Health Justice
• Activity 4.3 Power, Privilege, and Health
• Activity 4.4 Case Study
• Assessment 4.1 Developing a Community Poster

Authors: Len Finocchio and Ellen Wu

• Activity 5.1 “Poverty” and Public Assistance Program Eligibility
• Activity 5.2 Shopping Online for Health Insurance Coverage
• Activity 5.3 Presentations on Health Policy News
• Activity 5.4 Part 1, Overview of Debating
• Activity 5.4 Part 2, Debate on the US Health Care System
• Assessment 5.1 Health Care and Health Policy Quiz

Part 2: Core Competencies for Providing Direct Services

Author: Amie Fishman

• Activity 6.1 Introduction to Cultural Humility
• Activity 6.2 Cultural Humility Video Discussion
• Activity 6.3 Practicing Cultural Humility Role Plays
• Assessment 6.1 Cultural Humility Plan

Authors: Tim Berthold, Pamela DeCarlo and Carol Badran

• Activity 7.1 Ethics and Boundaries
• Activity 7.2 Scope of Practice
• Activity 7.3 Behavior Change
• Activity 7.4 Client or Provider-Centered Practice Counter Role Play
• Activity 7.5 Building Self-Awareness
• Activity 7.6 Becoming a Provider
• Activity 7.7 Self-Disclosure
• Activity 7.8 Wrong Focus
• Assessment 7.1 Quiz
• Assessment 7.2 Self-Awareness Reflective Writing

Author: Tim Berthold

• Activity 8.1 Case Study: Overview of an Initial Interview
• Activity 8.2 Welcoming a New Client Role Play
• Activity 8.3 Ecological Model
• Activity 8.4 Practicing a Strength-Based Approach to Interviewing
• Activity 8.5 Part 1, A Case Study on Confidentiality
• Activity 8.5 Part 2, A Role Play on Confidentiality
• Activity 8.6 R ole Play Demonstration to Practice Note-Taking Skills
• Assessment 8.1 Case Study Assessment
• Assessment 8.2 Reflective Writing on Initial Interviews
• Assessment 8.3 Note-Taking Assessment

Author: Tim Berthold

• Activity 9.1 Review of Key Concepts and Skills for Client-Centered Counseling
• Activity 9.2 Harm Reduction Rating Game
• Activity 9.3 Give Me an OARS!
• Activity 9.4 Video Demonstration of Client-Centered Counseling and the Use of the Motivation Scale
• Activity 9.5 Client-Centered Counseling Role Plays
• Activity 9.6 Video Demonstration of Rolling with Resistance
• Activity 9.7 Rolling with Resistance, Role Plays
• Activity 9.8 Case Study, Client-Centered Counseling
• Assessment 9.1 Case Study Exam
• Assessment 9.2 Client-Centered Counseling Role Plays and Peer Assessment
• Assessment 9.3 Reflective Writing Assignment

Authors: Tim Berthold, Craig Wenzl, Emily Marinelli, Karen Winkler and Elena Schwolsky

• Activity 10.1 Review of Key Concepts for Care Management
• Activity 10.2 Case Study of Simone
• Activity 10.3 Assessing Strengths and Priorities, a Role Play
• Activity 10.4 Discussion of a Video Interview with a CHW about Referrals
• Activity 10.5 Role Play, Client-Centered Referrals
• Activity 10.6 Part 1, Developing a Care Management Plan
• Activity 10.6 Part 2, Care Management Plan Follow-Up
• Activity 10.7 Part 1, An Introduction to Working with Families
• Activity 10.7 Part 2, Working with Families Case Study
• Activity 10.8 Gender Identity Case Study
• Activity 10.9 Establishing Professional Boundaries
• Additional Case Studies
• Assessment 10.1 Care Management Quiz
• Assessment 10.2 Case Study Assessment
• Assessment 10.3 Create a Referral Guide with Key Local Resources

Authors: Tim Berthold, Craig Wenzl, Emily Marinelli, Karen Winkler and Elena Schwolsky

• Activity 11.1 Introduction to Home Visiting: Settings, Goals, and Concerns
• Activity 11.2 Home Visiting Role Play
• Activity 11.3 Case Study
• Assessment 11.1 Home Visiting Case Study

Part 3: Enhancing Professional Skills

Author: Joani Marinoff

• Activity 12.1 Key Concepts for Stress Management
• Activity 12.2 Assessing Internal and External Resources
• Activity 12.3 Mindfulness Meditation for Stress Reduction
• Activity 12.4 Supporting a Client with Stress Reduction
• Activity 12.5 Developing a Self-Care Stress-Reduction Plan
• Assessment 12.1 Developing a Self-Care Plan
• Assessment 12.2 Stress Management and Self-Care Quiz

Authors: Joani Marinoff and Tim Berthold

• Activity 13.1 Review of Key Concepts for Conflict Resolution
• Activity 13.2 Self Reflection about Conflict
• Activity 13.3 Switching the Frame for Viewing Conflict
• Activity 13.4 Developing Conflict Scenarios
• Activity 13.5 Developing a Common Framework for Conflict Resolution
• Assessment 13.1 Reflective Writing Assignment
• Assessment 13.2 Quiz

Author: Tim Berthold

• Activity 14.1 Code Switching
• Activity 14.2 Providing and Receiving Constructive Feedback
• Activity 14.3 Part 1, Developing a Professional Resume
• Activity 14.3 Part 2, Developing and Critiquing a Professional Resume
• Activity 14.4 Job Interviews
• Assessment 14.1 Developing a Professional Resume
• Assessment 14.2 Reflective Writing on Professional Skills

Part 4: Applying Core Competencies to Key Health Issues

Authors: Amie Fishman and Donna Willmott

• Activity 15.1 Myth and Reality Icebreaker
• Activity 15.2 Health Impacts of Incarceration
• Activity 15.3 Case Study, Phyllis
• Activity 15.4 Re-entry Obstacle Course
• Assessment 15.1 Letter to a Decision Maker
• Assessment 15.2 Jail and Prison Jeopardy

Authors: Tim Berthold and Jill Tregor

• Activity 16.1 Case Study: High Blood Pressure
• Activity 16.2 Review of Depression as a Chronic Condition
• Activity 16.3 R ole Plays, Depression, and Chronic Conditions Management
• Activity 16.4 Medications Management Case Study
• Activity 16.5 Medications Management Role Play
• Activity 16.6 Part 1, Action Planning in Teams of Two
• Activity 16.6 Part 2, Follow-up Meetings
• Activity 16.6 Part 3, Final Check-In
• Assessment 16.1 Reflective Writing Assignment
• Assessment 16.2 Chronic Conditions Fact Sheet and Presentation
• Assessment 16.3 Case Study Assignment, Mr. Chatterjee

Authors: Tim Berthold and Jill Tregor

• Activity 17.1 Quote Gallery, Critical Analysis of an Article on Weight and Health
• Activity 17.2 Values Clarification
• Activity 17.3 Video Discussion and Role Plays on Weight and Health
• Activity 17.4 Video Discussion about Providing Health Education
• Activity 17.5 Role Play about Healthier Eating
• Assessment 17.1 Take Home Case Study Exam, Mr. Beaulieu
• Assessment 17.2 Developing a Healthy Recipe

Authors: Tim Berthold and Janey Skinner

• Activity 18.1 Defining Trauma
• Activity 18.2 Trauma Responses
• Activity 18.3 The Process of Healing from Trauma
• Activity 18.4 T o Do and Not to Do: Guidelines for Working with Survivors of Trauma
• Activity 18.5 Role Plays, Working with Survivors
• Activity 18.6 Trauma-Related Group Activity
• Activity 18.7 Self Care
• Activity 18.8 Case Study on Collective Responses to Trauma in a Community
• Assessment 18.1 Trauma and Recovery Quiz
• Assessment 17.2 Professional Development Plan
• Assessment 18.3 Case Study Exam

Part 5: Working with Groups and Communities

Authors: Craig Wenzl, Tim Berthold and Emily Marinelli

• Activity 19.1 Talking Wall, Outreach Experiences
• Activity 19.2 Health Outreach and Safety Issues
• Activity 19.3 Part 1, Conducting Outreach Zaps
• Activity 19.3 Part 2, Campus or Community Outreach
• Activity 19.3 Part 3, Additional Campus or Community Outreach
• Activity 19.4 Part 1, Overview and Analysis of Outreach Campaigns
• Activity 19.4 Part 2, Research and Analysis of Local Outreach Campaigns
• Assessment 19.1 Health Outreach Quiz

Author: Jill Tregor

• Activity 20.1 Learning Styles
• Activity 20.2 Training Methods
• Activity 20.3 Designing a Short Training
• Assessment 20.1 CHW Training Methods

Author: Joani Marinoff

• Activity 21.1 Review of Key Concepts for Group Facilitation
• Activity 21.2 Group Facilitation Practice
• Assessment 21.1 Reflective Writing

Authors: Pamela DeCarlo, Janey Skinner and Jill Tregor

• Activity 22.1 Introduction to Community Diagnosis
• Activity 22.2 Creating Surveys
• Activity 22.3 Overview of Community Mapping
• Assessment 22.1 Community Mapping

Authors: Amie Fishman, Pamela DeCarlo and Tim Berthold

• Activity 23.1 Consensus Decision–Making
• Activity 23.2 Creating a Community Organizing Initiative
• Activity 23.3 Applying the Community Action Model (CAM)
• Assessment 23.1 Community Organizing Campaigns

Index to Videos

This Training Guide uses videos as part of several training activities. In addition to the videos used in this guide, we have developed videos that accompany the Foundations for Community Health Workers, Second Edition textbook. We encourage you to use the additional textbook videos listed in this directory as training resources. The videos that are used in training activities are shaded.

• Learner Instructions for Using Videos
• Trainer Instructions for Using Videos

The videos created for the second edition of the textbook are available at the Foundations YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/FoundationsforCommunityHealthWorkers

The creation of this Training Guide was supported by grant numbers 1CMS331071-01-00 and 1C1CMS331300-01-00 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Disclaimer: The contents of this publication are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or any of its agencies.