Oregon Office of Rural Health

Oregon Office of Rural Health

Grant-Funded Community Health Worker Certification

The Oregon Office of Rural Health (ORH) has partnered with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to coordinate a CDC grant-funded program that will support the capacity of Oregon’s rural public health agencies, hospitals and clinics by growing the Community Health Worker (CHW) workforce in rural Oregon. 

This is a grant program to fund the training of CHWs for employment at rural hospitals, clinics and/or public health departments in Oregon.

PROGRAM DETAILS:

  • CHWs must be currently employed at a rural Oregon hospital, clinic or rural public health department;
  • The hospital, clinic or public health department must be located in a rural area, as defined by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (check to see if your location qualifies as rural using the Am I Rural? Tool);
  • ORH will coordinate training of 30 CHWs through 2026.
  • ORH grant will cover:
    • CHW training tuition through NEON;
    • Course supplies up to $50 if needed (books, pens, paper, etc.);
  • Trainees will be added to the Rural CHW Network
  • Participating hospitals, clinics or public health departments must have capacity to employ the CHW trainee.

COHORT OPTIONS:

CHWs have the option to enroll in one of these three upcoming cohorts:

  • August 2025 Cohort (12:45 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. PST - every other Thursday and Friday afternoon, Aug. 14-Dec. 19)
    • August 14, 15, 28, 29
    • September 11, 12, 25, 26
    • October 9, 10, 23, 24
    • November 6, 7, 20, 21
    • December 4, 5, 18, 19
  • September 2025 Cohort (8:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. PST – weekly on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, Sep. 2-Nov. 19)
    • September 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24
    • October 7, 8, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29
    • November 4, 5, 12, 18, 19
  • January 2026 Cohort (12:45 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. PST - every other Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 6-May 26)
    • Jan. 6, 7, 20 ,21
    • Feb. 3, 4, 17, 18
    • Mar. 3, 4, 17, 18, 31
    • Apr. 1, 15, 28, 29
    • May 12, 13, 26

To participate in this program, administrators can sign up their CHW trainee here: Apply for CHW training

CONTACT:

For more information on this program, please contact Stepha Dragoon at dragoon@ohsu.edu