Illinois Community Health Worker (CHW) Recruitment & Certification Campaign
Building Awareness. Strengthening the Workforce. Supporting Communities.
Illinois is launching a statewide Community Health Worker (CHW) recruitment and certification awareness campaign to increase visibility of the CHW role, support workforce growth, and prepare communities and employers for upcoming certification and Medicaid changes.
The campaign makes it easier for people to learn about CHW careers, for organizations to recruit and hire CHWs, and for partners to share clear, consistent information across Illinois.
What Is CHW Certification?
Once implemented, certification is expected to formally recognize CHWs’ skills, experience, and training while supporting workforce development and clear career pathways. It will also strengthen the role of CHWs within health and community systems and increase employers’ ability to bill for and receive reimbursement for CHW services, helping integrate CHWs more fully into care teams.
Who Will Certification Be For?
The certification process is being developed for current Community Health Workers and individuals interested in becoming a CHW.
Why Certification Matters?
Certification supports the long‑term strength of the CHW workforce by formally recognizing CHWs’ skills, experience, and community knowledge, strengthening their roles as essential members of healthcare and public health teams, and supporting clear career pathways and workforce development. It also helps move CHW positions away from reliance on short‑term grants by creating a more stable funding stream and enables Medicaid payment for eligible CHW services, improving job stability and sustainability across Illinois.
Recruitment Tools
This campaign includes a statewide, ready‑to‑use toolkit designed for employers, partners, and community organizations to support CHW recruitment efforts. The recruitment tools help organizations clearly explain what a Community Health Worker is and what they do, share simple and consistent messages about certification, and reach potential CHWs through trusted local voices. The toolkit also introduces CHW careers as an accessible and meaningful workforce pathway while helping reduce confusion about certification requirements by presenting information in a clear, straightforward way.
The toolkit includes CHWs explained materials, frequently asked questions, employer briefs, career pathway overviews, and ready‑to‑use social graphics and flyers, along with sample email copy and recruitment talking points.
CHW Tools - Flyers & Fillable Forms
These resources are designed to be easily shared, reshared, and adapted for local use, helping partners recruit Community Health Workers more effectively while maintaining clear and consistent messaging statewide.
Community Based Organization Templates
Who Should Use These Tools?
These tools are designed for community‑based and nonprofit organizations, health departments, clinics and hospitals, workforce development and training programs, CHW supervisors and employers, as well as community leaders and partner organizations involved in recruitment and workforce support. No communications or marketing experience is required—the materials are built to be plug‑and‑play, making it easy for any organization to use and share them effectively.
Stay Informed
The CHW certification program and recruitment campaign are rolling out in phases, with new tools and information becoming available over time. To stay up to date. Come back to this site, follow updates from the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), and watch your social media. This campaign supports CHWs today—while building a stronger, more stable CHW workforce for Illinois’ future.