NSXNational Skills ExchangeSign in
Back to Framework

Community Health Workers

SOC 21-1094.00Job Zone 4 · Considerable Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers community health outreach, client education and referral, documentation, and population health program leadership across clinic, field, and organizational settings for Job Zone 4 practitioners.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Client records and intake forms — maintain and update under supervisor guidance using electronic health record or office suite software in a community health setting.
  2. Health education materials such as flyers and brochures — distribute to targeted community members at outreach events and health fairs under direct direction.
  3. High-risk or underserved community members — identify and compile lists of eligible individuals using established program criteria with support from senior staff.
  4. General health topics including diet and exercise — convey basic advisory information to individual clients using approved scripts and educational handouts.
  5. Community health fairs and neighborhood meetings — attend and represent the organization under supervision to begin building relationships with community members.
  6. Client follow-up contacts — conduct by phone or written communication according to set schedules to confirm completion of recommended health actions.
  7. Health service referrals — provide to community members by consulting a pre-approved resource directory under the guidance of a supervising health worker.
  8. Active listening and social perceptiveness skills — apply during initial client interactions to recognize basic needs and report observations to the supervising team.
  9. Presentation and word processing software — use to prepare simple client-facing documents and reports as directed within program guidelines.
  10. Time management protocols — follow established daily schedules and caseload checklists to ensure timely completion of assigned outreach tasks.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Client case records including plans, progress notes, and required forms — manage independently using database and electronic health record software in accordance with program standards.
  2. Community health advice on topics such as nutrition, physical activity, and preventive care — deliver routinely to individuals and small groups with reduced oversight in clinic and field settings.
  3. High-risk populations such as low-income families and pregnant women — identify and engage through targeted outreach campaigns using established assessment tools and community data.
  4. Client follow-up contacts — coordinate across phone, in-person, and written channels to verify adherence to recommended care plans within a defined caseload.
  5. Health education documents and presentations — develop and distribute using desktop publishing and presentation software to inform members of targeted community groups.
  6. Referral pathways to health, social, and preventive services — navigate and facilitate for community members by applying working knowledge of local provider networks.
  7. Community meetings and stakeholder gatherings — attend and contribute observations about emerging community health needs to program planning discussions.
  8. Complex Problem Solving and critical thinking skills — apply when clients present multiple intersecting barriers to care, selecting from a range of program-approved intervention strategies.
  9. Spreadsheet and data entry tools — use to track outreach metrics, client contacts, and referral outcomes to support program monitoring and reporting requirements.
  10. Health behavior change conversations — facilitate using persuasion and instructional techniques to motivate clients toward recommended lifestyle modifications.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Comprehensive client records across a full caseload — maintain with precision and timeliness using integrated medical and database software, ensuring audit-ready documentation in a community health program.
  2. Evidence-based health education and counseling — deliver autonomously to diverse individuals and community groups on complex topics including chronic disease management, maternal health, and mental wellness.
  3. Targeted outreach strategies for minority, low-income, and other high-risk populations — design and execute independently, using systems analysis to identify gaps in community health engagement.
  4. Multi-modal client follow-up systems — manage across in-person, phone, and written communication channels to sustain client engagement and accountability throughout the care continuum.
  5. Non-routine referral cases involving multiple service needs — resolve through inductive and deductive reasoning, coordinating across health, behavioral, and social service providers.
  6. Community meetings, health fairs, and coalitions — lead and represent the organization as a credible subject matter resource, building trust and extracting actionable insights for program improvement.
  7. Learning strategies and instructional design principles — apply to create tailored health literacy materials and educational sessions suited to the reading level and cultural context of target audiences.
  8. Program monitoring data — analyze using spreadsheet and database tools to assess outreach effectiveness, identify underserved subgroups, and recommend service adjustments.
  9. Interprofessional care teams — coordinate with by synthesizing field observations and client data to inform clinical decision-making and care plan development.
  10. Emerging community health issues — assess proactively through active learning and systems analysis, translating findings into actionable recommendations for program leadership.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Community health worker program strategy — set organizational direction by defining outreach priorities, target population criteria, and performance benchmarks aligned with public health goals.
  2. Policy and advocacy initiatives — lead by translating frontline community health data and worker observations into recommendations for health equity programs at the organizational or governmental level.
  3. Staff and trainee development — design and deliver competency-based training curricula for emerging and developing community health workers, applying adult learning and instructional systems principles.
  4. Cross-sector partnerships with health systems, social services, and community-based organizations — cultivate and sustain to expand referral networks and coordinate population-level health interventions.
  5. Organizational data infrastructure — oversee by directing the implementation and quality assurance of electronic record systems, reporting dashboards, and outreach tracking platforms.
  6. Community health needs assessments — commission and lead at a population scale, integrating qualitative field intelligence with quantitative health data to drive strategic program investments.
  7. Grant proposals, program reports, and executive communications — author and present using advanced writing and presentation skills to secure funding and demonstrate program impact to stakeholders.
  8. Complex organizational challenges involving resource constraints, health disparities, and policy barriers — resolve through systems-level critical thinking and collaborative problem-solving with executive leadership.
  9. Quality improvement initiatives — direct by establishing monitoring frameworks, reviewing program outcome data, and leading continuous improvement cycles across the community health workforce.
  10. Organizational culture of empathy, sincerity, and community trust — model and institutionalize by embedding values-driven practices into hiring, supervision, and community engagement standards.

AI-at-Work Competency Framework

Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

A 4-level framework describing how a worker at each mastery level uses, directs, and evaluates AI tools in this occupation. Each statement cites its evidence inline. Subscribe for $19.99/mo to read the full framework — or sign in if you have a subscription.

  1. Emerging
  2. Developing
  3. Proficient
  4. Advanced
Monthly subscription · Stripe-hosted · unlocks AI-at-Work and Pathsmith™ Durable Skills across the full library

Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework

Sources:Pathsmith™ Durable SkillsPathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Ten durable-skill domains mapped to four proficiency levels for this occupation. Subscribe to unlock the full Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework across all 1,016 occupations.

Monthly subscription · Stripe-hosted · unlocks AI-at-Work and Pathsmith™ Durable Skills across the full library
Show O*NET source anchors60 anchors · skillscrosswalk.com

O*NET enrichment · skillscrosswalk.com

Suggest an O*NET correction

Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Community Health Worker · Apprise Counselor · Behavioral Health Advocate · Behavioral Health Worker (BHW) · Benefits Outreach Specialist · Community Development Coordinator · Community Health Advisor · Community Health Advocate · Community Health Agent · Community Health Assistant · Community Health Counselor · Community Health Navigator
RAPIDS apprenticeships
0288 · Community Health Worker
O*NET skills
SpeakingSocial PerceptivenessActive ListeningWritingReading ComprehensionService OrientationCritical ThinkingCoordinationActive LearningPersuasionInstructingComplex Problem SolvingLearning StrategiesMonitoringSystems AnalysisTime ManagementJudgment and Decision MakingManagement of Personnel ResourcesSystems EvaluationNegotiation
Knowledge domains
Customer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageEducation and TrainingAdministration and ManagementMedicine and DentistryPsychologyAdministrative
Abilities
Oral ComprehensionOral ExpressionWritten ComprehensionProblem SensitivitySpeech RecognitionSpeech ClarityWritten ExpressionDeductive ReasoningNear VisionInductive Reasoning
Work styles
EmpathyCooperationDependabilityOptimismSocial OrientationSincerity
Technology
Operating system softwareData base user interface and query softwareMedical softwareOffice suite softwareSpreadsheet softwareElectronic mail softwarePresentation softwareDesktop publishing softwareWord processing softwareGraphics or photo imaging software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Maintain updated client records with plans, notes, appropriate forms, or related information.
  2. Advise clients or community groups on issues related to improving general health, such as diet or exercise.
  3. Identify or contact members of high-risk or otherwise targeted groups, such as members of minority populations, low-income populations, or pregnant women.
  4. Contact clients in person, by phone, or in writing to ensure they have completed required or recommended actions.
  5. Distribute flyers, brochures, or other informational or educational documents to inform members of a targeted community.
  6. Refer community members to needed health services.
  7. Attend community meetings or health fairs to understand community issues or build relationships with community members.
CIP education codes
09.090551.000151.150451.220151.220751.220851.220951.221251.3206

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me®, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.