Montgomery County’s Latino Health Initiative’s (LHI) Spanish Community Health Worker Certification Training Receives Maryland Accreditation

For Immediate Release: Friday, January 20, 2023

Montgomery County’s Latino Health Initiative (LHI) recently received accreditation from the Maryland Department of Health for its Spanish Community Health Worker (CHW) training. This is the first CHW certification training to be implemented in Spanish in Montgomery County. The first group of participants, who currently work as volunteer health promoters, began training on Jan. 14.

 LHI developed a curriculum based on more than 20 years of experience training health promoters to foster healthy behaviors, facilitate access to health services and advocate for health policies that benefit the Latino community. The main objective of the program is to improve the health and well-being of underserved communities by training health promotors to provide health information and increase access to health care and support services.   

 CHWs, also known as “promotoras de salud,” have played vital roles in the County as frontline public health workers. They are trusted community agents who share a common bond with the communities they serve, breaking cultural and linguistical barriers and contributing to a reduction in health disparities.

 Promotoras de salud worked during the COVID-19 health crisis to facilitate access to testing and vaccinations, connect people with services and address vaccine hesitancy. Their work contributed to reducing the gap in vaccination rates between the Latino community and other ethnic and racial groups in the County. The training program represents a long-awaited professional development opportunity and recognition of the benefit that community health workers provide to residents.

 LHI’s program, which is administered by Montgomery’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), is one of 16 accredited programs in Maryland. It is the only program administered through a local health and human services department. It is also one of a few programs that are offered free to residents.

 The six-month training includes 100 hours of instruction, with a 40-hour practicum in DHHS programs and community organizations/clinics. Enrollment is full for the current class, but additional future sessions are planned.

 The curriculum is based on nine competencies required by the State of Maryland to obtain certification:

• Advocacy and community capacity building skills
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Cultural competency
• Understanding of ethics and confidentiality issues
• Knowledge of local resources and system navigation
• Care coordination support skills
• Teaching skills to promote health behavior change
• Outreach methods and strategies
• Understanding of public health concepts and health literacy
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For more information, visit the LHI website or email [email protected]. 

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Release ID: 23-024
Media Contact: Mary Anderson
Categories: Health