Occupations: Community Health Workers
Community Health Workers
Overview of the profession:
Community health workers (CHWs) play a foundational role in the healthcare system by serving as a bridge between health professionals and community members. Through their close connections to community members, CHWs are uniquely positioned to address cultural challenges by building trust, and fostering relationships, which encourages people to access medical assistance and services. CHWs also serve patients by connecting them to resources, advocating for community needs, and assisting patients in navigating the complex healthcare landscape. CHWs in Michigan do not need to be certified; however, to be Medicaid reimbursable, CHWs must complete an approved CHW training program or have 1,000 hours of work or volunteer experience and be enrolled in the Community Health Automated Medicaid Processing System (CHAMPS) and registered on the Michigan Medicaid CHW Registry. As they work in various settings, from community organizations, public health departments, and hospitals, CHWs are key in ensuring that patients receive healthcare while empowering them to take charge of their health.
Legislation
Current CHW Workforce Data
We've provided the latest data from Lightcast below. Click on the images to enlarge them and review them in further detail.
2024 Hourly Wages
10th Percentile | 25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
$16.86 | $17.93 | $22.08 | $25.67 | $33.45 |
Top Posted Job Titles
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Community Health Workers
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Outreach Specialists
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Field Based Community Health Workers
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Community Health Specialists
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Photo Interns
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Population Health Specialists
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Community Health Advocates
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Business Outreach Specialists
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Mental Health Workers
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Community Health Outreach Workers
Index Ranking
Ranked 10th (out of 36) "healthiest" profession according to the 2024 Michigan Healthcare Workforce Index.
Learn more here.
2024 Employment: 1,840
Projected 2034 Employment: 2,079 (+13%)
Highlighted Workforce Initiatives
Name: UP Workforce Innovation Network (WIN)
Prosperity Region: 1
Description: The U.P. WIN (Upper Peninsula Workforce Innovation Network) is a project funded by a grant from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The purpose of the project is to increase Upper Peninsula residents' access to healthcare in the U.P. by expanding workforce training, education, and healthcare employment in the region. The plan is to focus on the development of community health workers (CHWs), community paramedics, and EMS professionals. Goals of U.P. WIN are to 1) expand the roles of paramedics and EMTs to assist in providing public health, primary health care and preventative services to underserved populations in the UP; 2) cross-train community health workers through NMU's Center for Rural Health and 3) enhance training for existing staff.
Name: CHW Training
Prosperity Region: 4
Description: Grand Rapids Community College has received a grant from U.S. DDHS for $2.9 million to increase the number of community health workers (CHWs) in West Michigan. Grand Rapids Community College is partnering with Cherry Health, a community health center, Trinity Health and Corewell Health to work together for training and placement of CHWs in these organizations. The grant will be used to train new CHWs and expand the skills of current CHWs through hands-on experience and apprenticeships.
Name: Recovery Training Institute- Community Health Worker Training Program
Prosperity Region: 10
Description: To help fill healthcare gaps in metropolitan Detroit, Detroit Recovery Project, Inc., received $1,000,000 over three years to train 150 Community Health Workers through the Recovery Training Institute. Participants in the program will have access to an improved curriculum, field placements, and apprenticeships.
Career Pathway
Do Community Health Workers (CHW) need to be credentialed to work in Michigan?
CHWs do not need to be credentialed to work in Michigan. However, to be eligible for Medicaid reimbursement, they must complete an approved training program, hold 1,000 hours of previous work or volunteer experience, enroll in Michigan’s CHAMPS system, and register with the Michigan Medicaid CHW Registery.
How do CHWs advance their careers?
Some CHW training programs include a Behavioral Health micro-credential, which can help individuals advance into behavioral healthcare careers.
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