Course Sequence

Acceptance to the program is required before an applicant will be permitted to register for CHW courses.

Community Health Worker Certification

• One-semester certificate 
• Offered: Fall and Spring

• Enrolled in April for Fall classes and October for Spring classes
• To enroll, students must have a high school diploma or equivalency and be eligible for ENG 97 and MATH 95 

The program is designed to include classroom education and clinical experience in a healthcare setting. 

Program Cost

For details, See the Cost Sheet

CHW Course Schedules

View the college catalog.

Course Information

Clinical Education Experiences

Clinical experience occurs throughout the program and are completed off campus in various settings. Students may be required to travel outside the college district for clinical experience courses and must have background check and drug testing prior to starting clinical practice. Specific clinical placement cannot be guaranteed.

Orientation & Performance

Students must attend the required orientation session prior to program start, meet program-specific medical requirements, be able to perform the essential functions of the job as listed in the Student Handbook or at swic.edu with reasonable accommodations if needed, and submit results of a background check, drug screen, physical examination, and the required immunizations by the required date as presented in the orientation session. Any applicants or enrolled students are encouraged to contact the Disability & Access Center at 618-235-2700, ext. 5368, to discuss potential issues associated with meeting these requirements. Students not able to perform the essential elements of a community health position may be unable to pass the required courses. Other program-specific restrictions may apply. 

Health Insurance

Health insurance is required during clinical Community Health courses. Students are personally responsible for any costs incurred for injuries occurring during clinical experiences in their role as a student. 

Medical/Health Requirements

Admitted students will be required to show proof of immunizations, tuberculosis test, and physical examination before beginning any clinical experience. These requirements do not have to be fulfilled until after the program orientation but must be fulfilled by the required deadline. 

Background Checks and Drug Testing

Criminal background check, random drug test and name search on government registries which prohibit employment in health care professions are required in our health science programs. Program start is contingent upon meeting deadlines for completion of the screening and results which allow the student to participate in the clinical portion of the program. Details and directions for accessing and purchasing online screening for background checks are shared with accepted students. Background checks are conducted for every state in which the student has worked or resided since the age of 18 years. Conviction of offenses in the following areas normally prohibit the student from participation in the clinical portion of the program and will result in program dismissal: assault, sexual offenses, murder, burglary, arson, and robbery. Refer to the Health Care Worker Background Check Act for a complete list of offenses at: www.idph.state.il.us/nar/. 

To participate in the clinical portion of the program, students with “disqualifying” offense(s) will be asked to produce a waiver from the Illinois Department of Public Health for identified offenses. To request a waiver application from IDPH, students may call 217-785-5133. Not all clinical sites accept the IDPH waiver (ie. Missouri sites), therefore required clinical sites are also surveyed to determine if clinical placement can be accomplished. If a waiver cannot be produced prior to clinicals/program start or survey results indicate clinical sites prohibit the conviction, the student will be removed from the program. 

In addition, positive results from the drug test or student listing on prohibitory government registry will also result in dismissal from the program. Note: Positive drug testing results from the use of illegal drugs or prescription medication for which the student does not have a prescription, medical marijuana, which is not FDA approved, is also considered a positive drug testing result. Dismissal for positive criminal background check, drug test, or listing on a government registry does not quality students for refund of tuition or lab fees. Students who have concerns regarding their status with the above regulations are encouraged to discuss the matter with the program coordinator or the administrative assistant prior to seeking admission.  

Graduation Requirements

Students enrolled to the program must follow course requirements for graduation at the time they are admitted and must meet all course, program, certification, and sequencing requirements specified. Posted changes in course requirements are applicable to all newly admitted students. Students are responsible for program policies as listed in the Community Health Student Handbook. Students must complete the curriculum within 150% of initial enrollment. A grade of C is the minimum grade acceptable for ALL courses in the Community Health curriculum. 

Community Health Certificate

Fall/Spring Semester:

HMS 100 Intro to Human Services (3-0-3) 3 

HRO 150 Fundamentals of Nutrition (2-0-2) 2

CHW 102 Public Health Client Care (1-0-1) 1 

CHW 104 Chronic Disease Management (2-0-2) 2 

CHW 106 Behavioral and Mental Health (2-0-2) 2   

CHW 108 Maternal and Infant Health (2-0-2) 2 

CHW 110 Clinical Experience (0-8-4) 4 

Total 16 credit hours

Contact the Program Coordinator for more information: