Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency
Outreach to Outcomes: Community Health Worker Training
Join a growing network of changemakers committed to health, healing, and justice. Together, we learn, grow, and support one another in creating communities where everyone belongs and has the opportunity to thrive.
Creating Change Through Care, Connection, and Community.
A Community Health Worker (CHW) is someone who works within their own community to help people connect with care, services, and support. Because CHWs often share lived experiences, language, and cultural understanding with the people they serve, they are uniquely positioned to build trust and bridge gaps between individuals, communities, and systems.
This training is for people who are passionate about promoting health and wellness in their communities, especially those who want to support communities that have faced barriers to care, such as communities of color, rural and frontier areas, immigrants and refugees, LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, and people navigating poverty or marginalization. CHWs play an important role in advancing equity, improving access to services, and uplifting community voices.
Through this course, you will learn how to connect individuals and families with local resources, health care providers, and social services. You will explore how to share health information in culturally relevant ways, offer peer support and advocacy, and empower others to take charge of their own health and well-being. You will also gain tools to promote community resilience and address the root causes of health inequities.
Our approach is grounded in Popular Education, which recognizes that everyone brings valuable knowledge and lived experience to the learning space. Together, we create a supportive environment where participants can learn from one another through reflection, dialogue, and shared experiences. This trauma-informed approach honors each person’s story and centers collective growth, healing, and empowerment. Throughout the training, you will explore the roles and scope of CHWs, deepen your understanding of community and public health, and discover meaningful ways to make a positive impact with individuals, families, and communities.
The training includes 20 online sessions and about one hour of independent or group homework each week. After completing the program, you will qualify to apply for certification as a Community Health Worker through the Oregon Health Authority’s Office of Equity and Inclusion and earn 90 Continuing Education Units (CEUs). NEON CHW CEUs are also recognized by MHACBO.
How do I Register?Our Mission
Training and empowering a diverse workforce of Community Health Workers to advocate for and build resilient, thriving communities by addressing systemic inequities and promoting health justice for all.
Curriculum Information and Structure...
Our Community Health Worker training offers an engaging, trauma-informed, and collaborative online learning experience grounded in Popular Education. Together, participants build skills, share lived experiences, and learn through reflection and dialogue.
The program includes 20 online sessions and about one hour of independent or group homework each week. To celebrate your achievement, an optional in-person graduation will be held on May 22, 2026.
To fully participate, a camera and microphone are required to ensure a high level of engagement, collaboration, and connection during the sessions.
If you experience barriers to equipment access or have specific accessibility or accommodation needs, please reach out directly to [email protected]. We are committed to supporting your participation and success in this program.
Are Scholarships Available?
Certification and Credits:
Upon successful completion of the program, you’ll earn your CHW certification and 90 Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) through the Office of Equity and Inclusion in the State of Oregon. NEON CHW CEUs are also recognized as MHACBO credits.
To fully participate, a camera and microphone are required to ensure a high level of engagement, collaboration, and connection during the sessions.
If you experience barriers to equipment access or have specific accessibility or accommodation needs, please reach out directly to [email protected]. We are committed to supporting your participation and success in this program.
Course Topics
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Introduction to the Training Series
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Introduction to the CHW profession
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Introduction to Popular Education
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Social Determinants of Health
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Introduction to Community Organizing
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Working with Multi-Disciplinary Teams and Service Coordination and Collaboration
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Access to Health Care
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Counseling Skills
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Trauma Informed Care and Self-Care
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Public Health and Community Assessment
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Cross-Cultural skills
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Disease processes Day 1
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Disease processes Day 2
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Communication Skills
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Leadership and Advocacy
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Assessment and Documentation
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Mental Health Promotion
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Outreach Skills
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Addiction and Recovery
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Healthy Lifestyle-Nutrition and Physical Activity
For more information about our Community Health Worker Training contact us at [email protected].
Compassion in Motion
Scholarships
We believe that financial barriers should not stand in the way of becoming a Community Health Worker. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us directly at [email protected].
Our team is committed to working with you to find solutions that make this valuable training accessible.
Limited Scholarships available.
Apply
Outreach to Outcomes: Community Health Worker Training
Cohort 3 Open for Registration!
An online training program designed for individuals passionate about creating change in BIPOC communities, rural areas, and low-income neighborhoods. This training consists of 20, 4.25-hour sessions.
Training Dates:
February 5, 6, 12, 13, 26, 27
March 5, 6, 19, 20, 26, 27
April 9, 10, 16, 17, 30
May 1, 14, 15
Optional in-person celebration May 22nd
Time: 9:00 am to 1:30 pm PST
For more information or questions about this training, contact [email protected].
CLICK TO REGISTERMid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency
We are Marion-Polk’s anti-poverty professionals and the area’s leading non-profit social services provider. Together, we are creating positive social change and addressing our community’s most pressing needs.
Founded in 1967, MWVCAA is a leading anti-poverty organization serving Oregon's Marion and Polk Counties. For over half a century, we have been grounded in our mission of empowering people to change their lives and exit poverty by providing vital services and community leadership. We use innovative and research-based practices to design programs that highlight our vision that all people are respected for their infinite worth and are supported to envision and reach a positive future. Our agency has developed a layered anti-poverty framework, based on a progressive theory of change, and supported by wrap-around resources across all types of basic needs.
Learn More About Our Organization
At Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, we are committed to empowering individuals and communities to break the cycle of poverty through vital services and leadership opportunities. Together, we can build stronger, healthier futures. Join us in making a difference.
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