Certificate of Proficiency (COP)
Community, Health, and Wellness Advocate
About the Program
The Community, Health, and Wellness Advocate (CHWA) is a multi-skilled care manager who helps the patient navigate the complex maze of health and social service providers to find appropriate care. The CHWA educates patients and family members about healthy behaviors, monitors compliance with care management plans, and can accompany a patient on healthcare appointments. The advocate fosters mutual trust with a patient to develop an ongoing professional relationship. Health and Wellness Advocates are required to have a wide-ranging skill set and knowledge base. Through a solid foundation in medical ethics and cultural awareness, the CHWA addresses the physical health, mental health, drug use, and social factors affecting a patient's health and wellness. The advocate must be familiar with the appropriate local, state, regional, and national agencies available to assist the patient, including familiarity with health information systems and healthcare funding.
For a roadmap that identifies the preferred sequencing of courses and other specific recommendations from faculty, please see the corresponding program map(s):
Certificate Requirements
Total credits required to earn this certificate: 63 credits and pass each course listed in program requirements with a C or better.
LCC students must meet distribution requirements for associate degrees and specific certificates. See Diversity and Distribution Lists for more information.
General Education Requirements
-
Communications: 5 credits - ENGL& 101 English Composition I OR
BUS 119 Business Communications. -
Quantitative Skills: 5 credits – BUS 104 Business Math Applications OR
MATH& 107 Math in Society. -
Diversity: 5 credits – BTEC 165 Cultural Awareness for Care Professionals.
Program Requirements
| Course Code | Course Title | Number of Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AH 166 | Mental Health First Aid for Adults | 1 |
| BUS 100 | Foundations of Business Success | 3 |
| BTEC 104 OR CS 110 AND BTEC 146 |
Intro to Business Technology OR Intro to Microcomputer Applications AND Powerpoint Fundamentals |
5 |
| BTEC 111 | Word Processing I | 5 |
| BTEC 131 | Introduction to Spreadsheets | 5 |
| BTEC 160 | Medical Scribe | 3 |
| BTEC 164 | Medical Office Law & Ethics | 2 |
| BTEC 165 | Culture Awareness for Care Professionals:DIV | 5 |
| BTEC 170 | Community Health Advocacy | 5 |
| BTEC 176 | Social Determinants of Health | 5 |
| BTEC 177 | Trauma Informed Care | 5 |
|
BTEC 181 OR |
Medical Terminology I OR |
3 |
|
BTEC 182 OR |
Medical Terminology II OR |
3 |
| BUS 294 | Career Success | 2 |
| HLTH 105 | First Aid, CPR and Bloodborne Pathogens | 1 |
Program Outcomes
Students completing this program should acquire the following skills and abilities:
- Utilize a clinical decision support tool and electronic health records to view cross-system health and social service utilization to identify care opportunities
- Provide in-person client health assessments
- Accompany the client to critical appointments
- Engage the client in developing a health action plan
- Coordinate and mobilize treating/authorizing entities as necessary to reinforce and support the client's health action goals
- Deliver culturally appropriate interventions, educational and informational materials
Notes
Revised August 2023 (effective Summer 2024)
Program planning is based on information available at the time of preparation. It
is the student's responsibility to meet with their LCC advisor.
Consult the LCC catalog for LCC graduation requirements.