An online coaching certificate program may be a convenient and affordable way to obtain your coaching certificate due to your hectic schedule as a community health professional. 

Community Health Workers And Their Role in Coaching

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Community Health Workers are Public or Community Health Professionals typically employed by healthcare or social service agencies. Their primary role is to assist individuals and communities in adopting healthy behaviors. They conduct community outreach for medical personnel or health organizations to implement programs that will promote, maintain, and improve individual and community health. CHWs’ may also provide information on available resources, social support and para counseling, and services such as first aid and blood pressure screening. CHWs are frontline health workers, agents of change, helping to reduce health disparities in underserved communities, and they typically reside in the communities they serve. With the coaching industry’s rapid growth, CHWs, like Nurses and Medical Assistants, have now incorporated health coaching into their practice.  

Individuals who become Community Health Workers are expected to have a High School Diploma or GED at the entry-level. However, an Associates  or a Bachelor’s Degree in a health-related field is often preferred by employers. Per the BLS, the average annual salary of a Community Health Worker was $44,390 in the United States as of May 2019, and the CHW profession is expected to grow 16% by 2026.  

Online Coaching Certificate Programs Available For CHWs’

The role of health coaching in community health is vital. Who better to take on this role as a patient educator and coach than the Community Health Worker who is out there on the front lines working tirelessly to remove barriers to health care in underserved communities. 

For those who desire to improve their skills as healthcare workers, online coaching certificate programs are available to equip and provide the skills needed to make you effective in your career.  

Here are a few reputable online coaching programs that offer flexibility and affordability

1. The Clinical Health Coach Online Training program provided through the Iowa Chronic Care Consortium.  It is an organization that fosters the presence of a community health worker (CHW) workforce as they aim at improving the quality, delivery, and equity of care throughout the care continuum.  http://www.clinicalhealthcoach.com/

2. Health Coaching Program at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Through their Continuing Education Department, Emory offers a twenty-week online Health and Wellness Coaching Certificate Program that prepares students to improve individuals’ and groups’ health and well-being. The students achieve this by utilizing evidence-based relational/behavior change skills approaches in a variety of settings.  https://www.ece.emory.edu/certificate-programs/health-coach/index.php

3. Dr. Sears Wellness Institute offers a well-rounded health coaching online certificate program. The program provides the tools and strategies for health professionals to help clients change their lives, improving their physical health, and overall well-being through coaching. It is an accredited program of the International Coach Federation (ICF). https://www.drsearswellnessinstitute.org/health-coach-certification/online-training/

The Community Healthcare Worker does essential work in our communities, especially now more than ever, as we deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting an online coaching certificate in health coaching will provide you with the strategies to serve your clients more effectively, promoting healthy behavior change and lifestyle. 

Would you like an endless stream of new coaching clients? Simply click the image to the right and email and I’ll send you free videos with step-by-step blueprints for generating a massive income from high paying coaching clients.

Margaret K. Olubiyi
Life Coach
Writer, Coaches Training Blog community