Module One: Introduction to Community Health Work and Cultural Humility

Lessons include:

1. History of Community Health Work
2. CHW Ethics and Values
3. Professional Communication Skills
4. Cultural Awareness

Module Two: Community Health Worker Foundations

Lessons include:

1. Public Health and Social Determinants of Health
2. Community Health Needs Assessment
3. CHW Across the Lifespan
4. Maternal and Child Health

Module Three: Working with Clients

Lessons include:

1. Documentation and Interviewing
2. Motivational Interviewing
3. Community Outreach and Engagement
4. Advanced CHW Communication Skills

Module Four: System Navigation and Coordination Skills

Lessons Include:

1. Service Coordination and Referrals
2. Housing Navigation
3. Healthcare, benefits, and system Navigation
4. System Advocacy

Module Five: Behavioral Health in Montana

Lessons Include:

1. Introduction to Behavioral Health in Montana
2. Behavioral Health Systems
3. Behavioral Health: Suicide prevention
4. Self-care in CHW

1. You are taking the Community Health Worker training to become a Community Health Worker or are in a similar, non-clinical role in your community and want to improve your skills to connect people to services.
2. You are not currently in a federal program where you will receive a stipend.
3. You must have a high school diploma or a GED.
4. You are a U.S. Citizen.

• Stipends will be dispersed to trainees once certain milestones have been completed. Not all trainees are eligible for the stipends.
• Stipends will be mailed as checks to the name and address you used in Payment Works. If you need to update your address, do so as soon as possible in Payment Works following these instructions. Plus notify us at ccfwd@umontana.edu. If your address is not the same between our systems, this can delay your payment.
• Please expect 4 to 6 weeks after completing the milestone to receive the check. 
• The stipends and tablets count as income and are taxable.
• If you are participating in any state or federal programs with income limits, please consider the potential impact of this stipend on your total income. Please get in touch with Mackenzie Petersen if you have questions or concerns.
• Please note we will be tracking your progress in the curriculum, so you will not need to notify the Center once you reach your milestones.
• If you are at risk of missing a milestone, we will be in contact.
• Missing milestones will significantly delay payment, so please complete coursework by the dates listed in Moodle.

Here are the steps:

1. You will receive an email invitation from Payment Works and a separate email from either PJ Myllymaki or Leslie Clachrie. Don't forget to check your junk email folder.
2. Open the email from Payment Works, select the link, and follow the instructions in Payment Works.
3. You will create an electronic W-9 form as part of this process. The system will prompt you to create and fill out the form. Complete this form as an individual (you will need your social security number).
4. Once you have completed the prompts from Payment Works, you will be enrolled in the system and receive your stipend(s) upon completing the milestones.
5. The checks may take four to six weeks to receive once you have reached your milestones
6. You can check your checks progress within payment works, but there is a set process in place so it may not show up for four to six weeks from the time the process starts.

There could be several reasons for this. Your check may be in process, currently in the mail, or you did not officially complete your milestones. Double-check your progress in the curriculum, and if you have confirmed you have reached your milestone, please contact us.

Another option is that you may have started enrolling in payment works but did not complete the process. If you are having challenges with this process, please contact PJ Myllyamki at pamela.myllymaki@umontana.edu.

The stipend and the tablet both count as taxable income. If the stipend may impact your eligibility for specific assistance programs, please get in touch with our staff to navigate your options.

We recognize that you are all very busy, and we cannot accommodate everyone's schedules. We will allow 'make-up' sessions for every single tele-coaching session. We still strongly encourage everyone who can participate live to do so.

Unfortunately, no. The HRSA guidelines require participants to have their GED or H.S. diploma before beginning the training program.