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Community Health Worker+

CHART YOUR COURSE

BECOME A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER

Your community health career is calling! A community health worker is a trusted member of the community serving as a frontline public health worker. Our 100% online Community Health Worker Certificate is designed to address diverse healthcare issues, particularly those concerning the role of community health in the care of those in need. With an emphasis on behavioral health issues, this certificate will prepare you to support individuals in crisis and recovery, and become a knowledgeable and compassionate healthcare professional.

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$48,140

2020 Median Pay1

100%

Online

2

Start Dates Per Year: Fall & Spring

3

Courses to Earn Certificate

13%

Projected Job Growth from 2019 - 20291

OUR BODY OF WORK

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER+

Our Community Health Worker Certificate will prepare you to build relationships and address barriers faced by individuals needing a variety of medical services. This three-quarter program is uniquely designed to respond to the increasing demand for healthcare professionals to identify and support the nation’s growing mental health challenges. As part of your coursework, you'll earn your Behavioral Health Micro-Credential, learning how to identify the most common mental health issues facing communities and activate the critical resources necessary to provide support to those in need. In addition to therapeutic communication techniques, you will be trained in crisis prevention and intervention and gain a broader understanding of the ethnic and racial disparities that lead to chronic disease, mental illness, and social determinants of health.

The Community Health Worker Certificate is comprised of three courses that are offered in a 100% online format. Each course is 10 weeks long and is designed to maximize your time and flexibility. 

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YOUR BACHELOR'S DEGREE

MercyPLUS offers fully online bachelor's degrees in public health and healthcare administration. The core competencies of the Community Health Worker Certificate contain many similar outcomes to the introductory public health and healthcare administration courses. As a result, MercyPLUS awards you nine credits toward either a Bachelor of Science in Public Health or a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration upon completion of your certificate!

Accreditation

ACCREDITED BY THE HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION (HLC)

 Mercy College of Health Sciences is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
 

STATE AUTHORIZATION RECIPROCITY AGREEMENT

 Mercy College of Health Sciences is recognized by the State of Iowa as a participant in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA).
STUDENTS

Earning my degree online allowed me the flexibility to be home with my children and not have to rely on expensive daycares, which would have increased the cost of earning my degree. Even though I wasn’t on campus, I was able to contact my instructors, tutors, advisors, and librarians virtually and through email.

Beth D., BSN Candidate, 2020
Tuition

The Community Health Worker Certificate is $3,200 for the entire program. That includes tuition, textbooks, use of simulations, and access to our robust student support services to ensure your success. We specialize in a no-surprise approach to tuition so you can plan accordingly! 

Faculty

Our Community Health instructors are experienced healthcare professionals in a variety of care settings and have supported communities across the country. As a student, you will receive an exceptional level of personalized instruction from experienced educators dedicated to your success.

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STEP ONE: VERIFY QUALIFICATIONS
The Community Health Worker Certificate has the following minimum qualifications to enroll in the program. Applicants must:

  • Be at least 18 years of age 
  • Be willing to certify high school completion or equivalent 
  • Demonstrate English proficiency
  • Have a working laptop or desktop computer less than 7 years old
    NOTE: Tablets and Chromebooks will not work 
  • Be willing to commit 6 hours a week toward class time. 

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The following courses and sequencing are the required courses to complete the Community Health Worker Certificate. 

Quarter 1
CHW 101 - Community Health Work Foundation 101
 
Quarter 2
BH 101 - Behavioral Health 101
 
Quarter 3
CHW 102 - Community Health Work in Practice 102
 

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MercyPLUS offers two convenient start dates a year for the Community Health Worker Certificate. View our full academic calendar.

Winter Quarter: January
Spring Quarter: April
 

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1Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Health Education Specialists and Community Health Workers.

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Apply. Graduate. Save lives. Next step before transforming into a life-saving hero: complete the form below. Your enrollment coach is waiting to answer any questions you may have.

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EMAIL
Admissions: admissions@mchs.edu

PHONE
Admissions: (515) 635-1133
General: (515) 643-3180

About Us

Mercy College of Health Sciences has been transforming students into healthcare professionals since 1899. Located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, we offer online and face-to-face or hybrid master's degrees, bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, certificate programs, and continuing education courses. Mercy College is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), in addition to numerous programmatic accreditors.

Academic Center for Excellence

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Mercy College is a Catholic, accredited, nonprofit institution of higher learning.

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