Adventist Health Clear Lake and the Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College are partnering to inspire more local residents to pursue careers as Community Health Workers (CHWs) — trusted professionals who serve as a force for good by helping individuals and families overcome barriers to better health.
Community Health Workers play a unique role in healthcare. They build relationships, connect people with resources, and advocate for individuals navigating life’s challenges. Whether helping someone find stable housing, connecting a family with food resources, or guiding a patient through the healthcare system, CHWs improve lives by meeting people where they are.
As healthcare organizations increasingly recognize the importance of addressing the social factors that influence health, Community Health Workers have become an essential part of creating healthier communities.
“Community Health Workers remind us that healthcare doesn’t begin or end in a hospital,” said Ronni Duncan, Director, Care Management. “It begins with listening, building trust, and walking alongside people through some of life’s most difficult moments. They truly are a force for good in our communities.”
This partnership aims to increase awareness of the Community Health Worker profession while highlighting it as an accessible pathway into healthcare — particularly for recent graduates, career changers, and community members who want meaningful work without immediately pursuing a four-year degree.
Unlike many healthcare careers, becoming a Community Health Worker depends on more than education alone. Compassion, lived experience, cultural understanding, and a genuine desire to help others are qualities that make CHWs uniquely effective.
“Some of the most impactful people in healthcare aren’t always the ones providing medical treatment,” Duncan said. “They’re the ones helping patients navigate the journey, connecting them with resources, and ensuring no one has to face life’s challenges alone.”
Through Woodland Community College’s Lake County Campus, students can begin their journey with Human Services coursework designed to prepare them for Community Health Worker careers.
Registration is open now for fall classes, which begin August 17. The Community Health Worker certificate program includes five courses completed across fall, spring, and summer:
- Fall: HUSEV 10 – Introduction to Human Services (3 units) and HUSEV 11 – Working with Diverse Communities (3 units)
- Spring: HUSEV 24 – Introduction to Case Management (3 units) and HUSEV 40 – Family Addiction (3 units)
- Summer: HUSEV 43 – Social Work and Human Services Seminar and Fieldwork (3 units), which includes an internship experience
The course sequence is designed to build foundational knowledge before giving students the opportunity to apply what they have learned through hands-on fieldwork.
Participants can further expand their knowledge through Adventist Health Clear Lake’s Workforce Development Program, gaining hands-on experience alongside experienced professionals through rotations in programs such as:
- Hope Center
- Project Restoration
- Mobile Street Medicine
- Mobile Shower Outreach
- Case Management
- Recuperative Care
- Substance Use Navigation
These experiences help participants develop practical skills while exploring future careers in healthcare, including nursing, social work, care coordination, public health, and behavioral health.
For Adventist Health, investing in Community Health Workers is about more than building the healthcare workforce — it’s about strengthening communities.
Every connection made, every barrier removed, and every life improved brings our mission to life: living God’s love by inspiring health, wholeness, and hope.
To register for the Community Health Worker certificate program at Woodland Community College or to learn more about becoming a Community Health Worker or the educational opportunities available through Woodland Community College and Adventist Health Clear Lake, visit https://wcc.yccd.edu/programs/human-services/.
