All careers

Community Health Workers

  • Bright Outlook
  • Rapid Growth

Promote health within a community by assisting individuals to adopt healthy behaviors. Serve as an advocate for the health needs of individuals by assisting community residents in effectively communicating with healthcare providers or social service agencies. Act as liaison or advocate and implement programs that promote, maintain, and improve individual and overall community health. May deliver health-related preventive services such as blood pressure, glaucoma, and hearing screenings. May collect data to help identify community health needs.

What you’d do

  • Report incidences of child or elder abuse, neglect, or threats of harm to authorities, as required.
  • Monitor nutrition of children, elderly, or other high-risk groups.
  • Maintain updated client records with plans, notes, appropriate forms, or related information.
  • Contact clients in person, by phone, or in writing to ensure they have completed required or recommended actions.
  • Advise clients or community groups on issues related to self-care, such as diabetes management.
  • Refer community members to needed health services.
  • Advise clients or community groups on issues related to improving general health, such as diet or exercise.
  • Develop plans or formal contracts for individuals, families, or community groups to improve overall health.

Skills that matter

  • Active Listening
  • Critical Thinking
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Speaking
  • Active Learning
  • Reading Comprehension

How to get there

Considerable preparation: most need a four-year bachelor's degree

Also called

  • Community Health Outreach Worker
  • Community Health Promoter
  • Community Navigator
  • Community Nutrition Educator
  • Communicable Disease Liaison
  • Community Health Coordinator

Related careers

See all careers

  • Health Education Specialists

    • Bright Outlook
    • Rapid Growth

    Provide and manage health education programs that help individuals, families, and their communities maximize and maintain healthy…

    Considerable preparation: most need a four-year bachelor's degree

  • Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

    • Bright Outlook
    • Rapid Growth

    Assess and treat individuals with mental, emotional, or substance abuse problems, including abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drugs.

    Extensive preparation: most need graduate school, such as a master's degree or higher

  • Child, Family, and School Social Workers

    Provide social services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families and to maximize…

    Considerable preparation: most need a four-year bachelor's degree

  • Rehabilitation Counselors

    Counsel individuals to maximize the independence and employability of persons coping with personal, social, and vocational difficulties…

    Extensive preparation: most need graduate school, such as a master's degree or higher

  • Healthcare Social Workers

    • Bright Outlook
    • Rapid Growth

    Provide individuals, families, and groups with the psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses.

    Extensive preparation: most need graduate school, such as a master's degree or higher

  • Mental Health Counselors

    • Bright Outlook
    • Rapid Growth

    Counsel and advise individuals and groups to promote optimum mental and emotional health, with an emphasis on prevention.

    Extensive preparation: most need graduate school, such as a master's degree or higher