Why Should I Get Trained to be a CHW?
Do you have a passion to help your community? Community Health Workers (CHWs) uplift their communities and get paid to do it! This program can set you on the path to becoming a certified CHW. This training is also ideal for anyone interested in expanding their knowledge about healthcare and the Social Determinants of Health.
The State of California continues to face substantial workforce shortages across many health professions. They have identified the need for 25,000 new Community Health Workers before 2025. In response, the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) has announced the creation of a certification pathway for CHWs. This certification will allow CHWs to bill Medi-Cal for valuable Social Determinants of Health services.
We have made the course available in two formats to best match your needs, the CHW Training Track and the Professional Development Track.
The CHW Training Track organizes all of our course material into modules that build on each other to deepen your learning. It also includes live discussion groups where you can meet with our training staff as well as other CHWs to review and discuss the material. If you want to become a Community Health Worker this is the track for you!
The Professional Development Track is the same material broken up into separate topics so you can choose what to focus on and review as much or as little of the material as you like. The PD Track does not include the discussion groups and you can start at any time. If you want to brush up on a specific topic this track is for you.
Both are currently available online in English and will be available in Spanish by mid-2024.
Meet Our Training Support Staff
CHW Success Coach
Kayla Casarez, BA – Kayla has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from California State University, Los Angeles, and she is passionate about helping people improve their mental health and well-being. She has worked as an Embedded Tutor at Los Angeles Community College District (LACC), where she helped students with academic and personal challenges. As a Family Advocate at Volunteers of America Los Angeles, Kayla worked to empower vulnerable families and individuals to overcome barriers and achieve stability. Kayla reaches out to our Learners to see how they’re doing and offer her support. “I value collaboration, compassion, and diversity, and I strive to make a positive difference in the lives of the people I serve.” Contact Kayla, kcasarez@picf.org
Discussion Group Facilitator
Shad Cruz, MSW, MSG, LCSW – Shad holds master’s degrees in social work and gerontology from the University of Southern California and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. He has worked in social services for almost 15 years, starting as a case manager on Los Angeles’ Skid Row. He has extensive experience supporting people with a history of incarceration, mental health challenges and substance use disorders. Shad offers his experience as a case manager, supervisor, and licensed psychotherapist to enrich learners’ understanding of the material during the engaging CHW Training Track Discussion Groups. “I love helping CHWs better understand and serve the people they work with. I’m here to help the helpers.” Contact Shad, scruz@picf.org
LMS Administrator & Technical Support
Kacie Powell – Kacie is here to help you with any issues you encounter while using our Learning Management System. Contact Kacie, kpowell@picf.org
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