Since 2020, the College of Public Health (CPH) has been certified by the as a site for students to complete the coursework necessary to apply as a Certified Community Health Worker (C-CHW). Program participants can be community members or current undergraduate students. Either way, the completion of the coursework can apply toward an undergraduate degree in public health, as its curriculum is designed as for-credit college coursework.
CPH Dean Sonia Alemagno, Ph.D., had a vision for the CHW training program that would allow students to receive their State of Ohio CHW certification while working towards a 4-year degree as an alternative to working s an alternative to working in a less rewarding or low wage position. While this vision has been the reality for some students, most CHW alumni are community members seeking to obtain a CHW certificate to make a difference in their communities.
Many of these community members have already been working in health centers, hospitals, non-profit organizations, and health departments under different titles (such as patient navigators, health coaches, home visitors, care coordinators, etc.) without being certified by the State of Ohio. While enrolling in the CHW training program allows them to enhance their knowledge and skills and to seek the CHW certification, applying for college coursework can be intimidating. However, the CHW program has had great success in awarding college credits to community members working in a variety of helping professions.
“Sometimes all a student needs is to feel the success of completing a college course to realize, ‘I can do this,’” said Jennifer L. N. Miller, Ph.D., assistant dean at the College of Public Health.
According to Miller, at , prospective CHWs enroll as guest students to the university to enroll in CHW coursework. While this process may initially seem daunting, many students ultimately sign up and discover that they are more than capable of rising to the challenge.
“Because our students may have never enrolled in a college course or have had limited opportunities to retain some technological skills since high school, we take the time to assist with the registration, and instructors help meet students where they are in their educational journey,” continued Miller.
Students can attain the CHW training and consider returning to for an undergraduate certificate in public health before moving towards a bachelor's degree in public health and even a graduate degree or graduate certificate. The program options in the College of Public Health are stackable allowing students to earn credentials along the way to help with career advancement and a sense of personal pride and accomplishment.
With approximately 200 CHWs trained since the program’s inception thanks to external funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the HealthPath Foundation, at exposure to higher education is making an impact.
“It’s been our privilege to work with 60 area organizations to place CHWs for their required 130-hour internship,” continued Miller. Partner agencies include hospital systems, health departments, and non-profit organizations in Portage, Summit, Cuyahoga, Stark, Trumbull, Mahoning counties and beyond. “Our students’ internships resulted in more than 15,800 hours of service to our community,” Miller concluded.
“For the past three years, the College of Public Health has trained 28 HUB CHWs, contributing to filling the high need of certified CHWs in the Mahoning Valley, highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Catherine C. Hergenrother, director of the Mahoning Valley Pathways HUB.
“The program has brought high-level education and training to an area that lacks opportunities, significantly expanding the CHW workforce and, consequently, the HUB’s and its partners’ outreach capacity. Thanks to , the Mahoning Valley is a healthier community than it was three years ago.”
Read about our CHW alumni making a difference in the Mahoning Valley