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ORIENT.1 Welcome to the CHW Academy
Our program, five pathways, Ohio certification and how to succeed
Your materials
Slides (PowerPoint) Handout (Word)
For instructors
Facilitator guide Printable pre and post tests Quiz (LMS import)
What you will learn
- Describe the program's courses, hours and five pathways
- List the steps to earn the Ohio CHW certificate
- Explain how lessons, tests, live sessions, labs and practicum work
- Name our program values and the supports available to you
Start here
What brought you here, and who in your community are you doing this for?
Lesson
Who we are
The Citizenship Health CHW Academy is an Ohio Board of Nursing approved program.
- Upstream: We look past symptoms to the social and political causes of health problems.
- Assets first: Our communities already hold people, places and strengths we can combine in new ways.
- We, not me: We learn, serve and lead together. The community is our strongest solution maker.
- From generation to generation: We honor those who did this work before us and pass it on (l'dor v'dor).
The shared core
| Course | Focus | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CHW 101 | Role, ethics and the upstream lens | 24 classroom |
| CHW 102 | Communication, advocacy and resources | 24 classroom |
| CHW 103 | Health across the lifespan | 42 classroom, 10 lab |
| CHW 104 | Service skills, case management, documentation | 20 classroom, 2 lab |
| CHW 190 | Practicum in the community | 130 clinical |
Five pathways, one certificate
- A: Core Upstream CHW: For adults starting CHW work in clinics, agencies, churches and neighborhoods.
- B: Violence Interrupter: Core plus specialty courses for violence interrupters and credible messengers.
- C: HPAC High School: Grades 10 to 12 learn with HPAC teams and apply for the certificate at 18.
- D and E: D bridges working CHWs to the certificate. E serves college students headed to health careers.
Earning the Ohio CHW certificate
- Be 18 or older: With a high school diploma or an equivalent the Board accepts.
- Finish our program: Complete all courses, labs, the practicum and the competency checklist.
- Apply to the Board: Submit the application and the $35 fee to the Ohio Board of Nursing.
- Pass a records check: Request a criminal records check through the Ohio BCI.
- Program notifies the Board: We tell the Board in writing that you completed the program.
How learning works here
Online
- Lessons and videos on the LMS at your own pace
- Pre-test before and post-test after each module
- Weekly live sessions with your cohort
- Activities and discussion posts
In person
- Skills labs, such as vital signs and CPR
- An RN teaches and signs off nursing skills
- Practicum at a community site
- Your IDEAS community project
What it takes to finish
- 75% Score needed on each post-test and assignment
- 90% Live session attendance required
- 130 Practicum hours, logged and signed
Source: CHW Academy program policy; OAC 4723-26-13
Our lens starts with you
- What we see: Tanya in Glenville wants this certificate but worries about childcare, bus fare and a slow phone.
- Why it happens (upstream): Childcare costs, transit cuts and the digital divide make school harder for working parents.
- What we can build on (assets): Her cohort, program staff, the library's computers, a sister who can watch the kids, and flexible online lessons.
Situation: falling behind in week three
Situation: Marcus works nights at a warehouse. By week three he has missed one live session and is two lessons behind. He is embarrassed and thinks about quitting.
What should Marcus do?
- Message his instructor this week, not later
- Make a catch-up plan with dates
- Ask about make-up options for the missed session
- Lean on a classmate as a study buddy
Talk it over
- What strengths and experience do you bring to this program?
- What might get in your way, and who can help?
- What do you hope to do for your community with this certificate?
Study sheet
The big idea: Together, we build the knowledge and skills to serve our communities as certified CHWs.
Key points
- Our shared core is 110 classroom, 12 lab and 130 clinical hours across five courses.
- Five pathways all lead to the same Ohio Board of Nursing CHW certificate.
- Certificate: age 18, diploma or equivalent, approved program, application, $35 fee, BCI check.
- Lessons and tests are online; labs, skills sign-offs and practicum are in person.
- To finish: 75% on post-tests and assignments, 90% live attendance and 130 logged practicum hours.
- Our values: upstream, assets first, the collective we, and honoring those before us.
Remember
- Passing score: 75%
- Live session attendance: 90%
- Practicum: 130 hours
- Board application fee: $35
- Tell us early if something gets in your way
Ask yourself
- Why am I doing this, and who am I doing it for?
- What support will I ask for before I need it?
Vocabulary
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Community health worker (CHW) | A trusted frontline public health worker who links people to services and helps communities improve their health. |
| Ohio Board of Nursing | The state agency that approves CHW training programs and certifies CHWs in Ohio. |
| Pathway | One of five routes through our program, built for different learners, all leading to the same certificate. |
| LMS | Learning management system: the website where you find lessons, tests and assignments. |
| Didactic hours | Classroom learning time, online in our program. |
| Lab | Hands-on skills practice in person, such as vital signs and CPR. |
| Practicum | Supervised hands-on work in a community setting; 130 clinical hours in our program. |
| Pre-test and post-test | The same 10 questions taken before and after a module to show what you learned. |
| Upstream | The root causes of health problems, such as housing, income, transportation and policy. |
| Asset | Something a community already has that can help, such as people, places, groups or skills. |
| IDEAS cycle | Our action model: Identify, Develop, Enact, Assess, Share. |
Real-life situations
Not sure which pathway
Keon has done outreach for a church health ministry in Fairfax for six years. He enrolled in Pathway A but wonders if another pathway fits better.
What to do
- Ask him about his current job and duties
- Explain Pathway D, the Working CHW Bridge, for people already doing CHW work
- Connect him with program staff to confirm the right pathway
- Point him to the ORIENT.D module
Why: The right pathway can let a working CHW's practicum happen through their job, under program rules.
Trouble logging in
Ms. Alvarez from Clark-Fulton cannot get into the LMS the night before her first live session.
What to do
- Use the program's help contact listed in the welcome email
- Try a different browser or device, such as a library computer
- Let the instructor know before the session starts
- Write down any error message to share with support
Why: Reaching out early keeps a small tech problem from becoming a missed session.
A low post-test score
Destiny scores 60% on her first post-test and feels like she is not smart enough for the program.
What to do
- Remind her that one score does not define her
- Review the questions she missed with the study sheet
- Connect her with the instructor or a tutor
- Retake the test when she feels ready, under program policy
Why: The program is built for mastery, and support helps learners reach the 75% bar.
Activity: My why and my plan
About 20 minutes.
- Write two or three sentences: why you joined, and who you are doing this for.
- Log in to the LMS and find the first lesson, the pre-test and the live session link.
- List one thing that could get in your way and one person or asset who can help.
- Post your why in the welcome discussion and greet two classmates.
Post-test
Ten questions. You need 75% to pass, with one retake. Your result is saved in this browser.