Foundations for Community Health Workers

A practical guide to becoming a community health worker

Foundations for Community Health Workers provides a practical and comprehensive introduction to essential skills for professionals in community health roles. 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. With an emphasis on social justice, cultural humility, and client-centered practice, this book offers a solid background in professional skills and their application. Real-life case studies and quotes from community health workers illustrate the challenges and successes that learners will face on the job. Readers will also gain skills in conflict resolution, group facilitation, community organizing, trauma support, and more, equipping them to enter the public health field with confidence and safety.

• Learn about the public health field and the skills needed to become a community health worker
• Gain skills in interacting with people from diverse backgrounds and circumstances
• Develop a background in client interviewing, community advocacy, and facilitating community health trainings
• Read case studies from real community health workers

This book, in its updated Third Edition, is a valuable introduction and reference for anyone working toward a career as a community health worker.

Acknowledgments ix

Contributors xi

About the Companion Website xiv

Introduction xv

Part 1: Community Health Work: the Big Picture 1
1. The Role of Community Health Workers- Serving with Skills and Compassion 3
Darouny Somsanith and Susan Mayfield-Johnson

2. The Evolution of the CHW Field in the United States: The Path We Walk-The Mountains We Climbed 29
E. Lee Rosenthal, Paige Menking, Floribella Redondo-Martinez and J. Nell Brownstein

3. An Introduction to Public Health 65
Rama Ali Kased and Savita Malik

4. Promoting Health Equity 91
Amie Fishman and Pau I. Crego

Part 2: Core Compentencies for Providing Direct Services 113
5. Guiding Principles: Self-Awareness, Ethics, Professional Boundaries and Teamwork 115
James Figueiredo and Marilyn Gardner

6. Behavior Change and Person-Centered Practice 147
Tim Berthold

7. Practicing Cultural Humility 165
Alberta Rincon and Pau I. Crego

8. Conducting Initial Client Assessments 189
Tim Berthold and Lorena Carmona

9. Person-Centered Counseling and Motivational Interviewing 219
Tim Berthold and Darouny Somsanith

10. Case Management 259
Tim Berthold and Cristina Arellano

11. Conducting Home Visits 299
Tim Berthold and Francis Julian Montgomery

Part 3: Enhancing Professional Skills 329
12. Stress, Health, and Self-Care 331
Tim Berthold

13. Conflict Resolution 355
Tim Berthold

14. Professional Skills: Getting a Job, Keeping a Job, and Growing on the Job 377
Jimmy Ly and Thelma Gamboa-Maldonado

Part 4: Applying Core Competencies to Key Health Issues 403
15. Health Care is Reentry: Promoting the Health of People who have Experienced Incarceration 405
Amie Fishman and Joe Calderon

16. Chronic Conditions Management 439
Tim Berthold, Lorena Carmona, Mattie Clark

17. Promoting Healthy Eating and Active Living 485
Tim Berthold and Jill Tregor

18. Supporting Survivors with Trauma 521
Tim Berthold

Part 5: Working with Groups and Communities 569
19. Community Health Outreach 571
Thelma Gamboa-Maldonado

20. Facilitating Trainings 599
Jill Tregor and Joe Calderon

21. Group Facilitations 625
James Figueiredo

22. Research, Evaluation and Dissemination of Findings 655
Lily K. Lee, Julie St. John, J. Nell Brownstein, Pennie Jewell, Lisa Renee Holderby-Fox

23. Community Organizing 687
Rama Ali Kased, Larry Salomon, Savita Malik

C3 PROJECT CHW ROLES AND COMPETENCIES REVIEW CHECKLIST 711

C3 ROLES AND SKILLS CHECKLIST 717

VIDEO INDEX 719

INDEX 729 “As a Community Health Worker working in diverse programs for 25 years, I’ve had many opportunities to apply the information within the Foundations for Community Health Workers to inform my CHW-focused grant writing, program development and training... I’m thrilled to see this book continue to contribute to CHWs’ collective movement for self-determination, self-actualization, respect and equity.” —Denise Octavia Smith, MBA, CHW, PN Executive Director, National Association of Community Health Workers “The textbook provides a valuable competency- centered tool that embraces all that the C3 Project promotes - supporting a comprehensive curriculum for both learners and educators in community-based and formal educational settings.” —The Community Health Worker Core Consensus Project (C3

Tim Berthold, MPH, is a consultant who has worked closely with community health workers and promotores de salud for over 35 years. He supervised CHW/P/Rs in public health settings in the United States and internationally and served as a faculty member and program coordinator for the CHW certificate program at City College of San Francisco.

Darouny Somsanith, MPH, started her career as a CHW and is currently the coordinator of the CHW certificate program at City College of San Francisco. She has been a trainer and workforce advocate for CHW/P/Rs for over 20 years and is deeply committed to supporting the growth of a public health workforce that is culturally diverse and responsive to the needs of our marginalized communities.

A comprehensive guide for anyone working toward a rewarding and impactful career as a community health worker

This new third edition of Foundations for Community Health Workers offers a comprehensive introduction to the essential skills community health workers need to be effective professionals. Updated to reflect the realities of public and community health today, this respected text emphasizes social justice and person-centered practice throughout.

With contributions from experts in the field, this book:

• Introduces the core competencies needed to effectively promote community health, including person-centered counseling, case management, and home visiting
• Develops professional skills such as effective communication, conflict resolution, stress management, supporting trauma recovery, and building a successful career
• Offers new information on key health issues and practical guidance for working with communities in the roles of organizer, facilitator, and advocate

Included with Foundations for Community Health Workers are short educational videos that illustrate essential concepts and skills. The companion Training Guide includes step-by-step lesson plans, case studies, role plays, assessments, and video tutorials, with links to even more resources for teaching and training community health workers. Learners will leave equipped to create a healthier and more just world.

“As a Community Health Worker working in diverse programs for 25 years, I’ve had many opportunities to apply the information within the Foundations for Community Health Workers to inform my CHW-focused grant writing, program development and training... I’m thrilled to see this book continue to contribute to CHWs’ collective movement for self-determination, self-actualization, respect and equity.”
— Denise Octavia Smith, MBA, CHW, PN Executive Director, National Association of Community Health Workers

“The textbook provides a valuable competency- centered tool that embraces all that the C3 Project promotes - supporting a comprehensive curriculum for both learners and educators in community-based and formal educational settings.”
—The Community Health Worker Core Consensus Project (C3) “As a Community Health Worker working in diverse programs for 25 years, I’ve had many opportunities to apply the information within the Foundations for Community Health Workers to inform my CHW-focused grant writing, program development and training... I’m thrilled to see this book continue to contribute to CHWs’ collective movement for self-determination, self-actualization, respect and equity.”
Denise Octavia Smith, MBA, CHW, PN Executive Director, National Association of Community Health Workers

“The textbook provides a valuable competency- centered tool that embraces all that the C3 Project promotes - supporting a comprehensive curriculum for both learners and educators in community-based and formal educational settings.”
The Community Health Worker Core Consensus Project (C3)