Community Health Workers

Employers

Approximately 63,400 community health workers are employed in the United States. They typically work for community-based organizations (including religious and civic groups, as well as community health centers), but a growing number of hospitals and health care systems are hiring CHWs because studies have shown that their work reduces health care costs and improves community health.

Starting Out

Many CHWs obtain their first jobs in the field via word of mouth or networking contacts in their community. Others may be interested in social work/services and/or community health, and are already working at a community organization as a volunteer, in a part-time job, or in a related full-time position. Still others may be attending a public health program at a community college and learn about openings via career fairs, resources provided by their school’s career services office, or through community health fairs. Some community health workers learn about job openings by visiting the Web sites of organizations that employ CHWs or by visiting community health organizations in their neighborhoods to inquire about available positions.