Responsibilities of a Community Health Worker (CHW) include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Helping individuals, families, groups and communities develop their capacity and access to resources, including health insurance, food, housing, quality care and health information
- Facilitating communication and client empowerment in interactions with health care/social service systems
- Helping healthcare and social service systems become culturally relevant and responsive to their service population
- Helping people understand their health condition(s) and develop strategies to improve their health and well being
- Helping to build understanding and social capital to support healthier behaviors and lifestyle choices
- Delivering health information using culturally appropriate terms and concepts
- Linking people to health care/social service resources
- Providing informal counseling, support and follow-up
- Advocating for local health needs
- Providing health services, such as monitoring blood pressure and providing first aid
- Making home visits to chronically ill patients, pregnant women and nursing mothers, individuals at high risk of health problems and the elderly
- Translating and interpreting for clients and health care/social service providers
