Prevention Staff Receives Community Health Worker Certification

By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department

The Garrett County Health Department is pleased to announce that the entire prevention team in the Health Education and Outreach division has been certified as community health workers (CHW).

Community health workers (CHW) are the frontline staff for public health. A CHW is often a member of the community they serve, which enables them to act as a liaison between health and social services and the public. CHWs facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competency of service delivery. 

“Achieving certification as Community Health Workers was the result of years of work in the community connecting people to important health services,” said Kendra McLaughlin, Director of Health Education and Outreach at the Garrett County Health Department. “These ladies represent the front line of public health, and they are so valuable to all that we do.”

Those receiving certification as CHWs are Sandy Miller, Sadie Liller, Sharon Custer, Linda Costello, Heather Berg, Kristen Walker, and Christy Thomas.

To apply for certification as a CHW, staff was required to meet certain requirements including:

• Serve in a CHW position since at least October 1, 2018
• Be 18 years old or older
• Have 2,000 hours of CHW paid or volunteer experience
• Be proficient in CHW core competencies
• Submit two letters of validation from a current or former employer, supervisor or agency representative

The prevention program at the Garrett County Health Department promotes healthy behaviors and programs to prevent underage drinking, alcohol abuse, opioid misuse, and promote cessation of tobacco use and vaping. For more information call 301-334-7730.