The Maryland Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) CHW Training Program is accredited by the Maryland Department of Health, Accreditation No. 004-2020-G

The program is designed specifically for individuals looking to work in the field of community healthcare advocacy for the first time, as well as those already established in the field and looking to hone skills.

Our mission is to train CHWs to help bridge the healthcare gap for rural and/or underserved communities with an overarching goal to create a healthier community.

Core Competencies of CHW Training

The MAHEC CHW curriculum provides a 140-hour (100 hours classroom/40 hours practicum), competency-based training that covers the 9 Maryland Department of Health core competencies:

1. Advocacy and community capacity building skills
2. Effective oral and written communication skills
3. Cultural competency
4. Understanding of ethics and confidentiality issues
5. Knowledge of local resources and system navigation
6. Care coordination support skills
7. Teaching skills to promote health behavior change
8. Outreach methods and strategies
9. Understanding of public health concepts and health literacy

Although unified under the MAHEC Program name, the CHW training is scheduled and delivered by each of the 3 regional AHECs. Please contact the nearest AHEC, listed below, for more information.

Central Maryland AHEC | Eastern Shore AHEC | AHEC West

‌‌Why Choose Us?

• Our curriculum is aligned with the 9 core competencies recommended by the State’s CHW Advisory Committee Meeting.
• Since 2013, our centers have trained over 400 CHWs who are employed in health departments, hospitals, community-based agencies, AHECs, federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and many others. ‌
• Our talented instructors represent an array of experiences in education, healthcare, and human services.
• The MAHEC CHW Training Program offers competitive pricing for groups and individuals.