Mental Health for Community Health Workers

Mental Health for Community Health Workers is a practical, skills-first course that prepares CHWs to support individuals and families experiencing emotional distress, mental health challenges, or substance use concerns with confidence, compassion, and cultural responsiveness. Built for real-world outreach, the training strengthens core CHW practices such as trust-building, supportive communication, boundary setting, and crisis awareness while helping learners recognize common mental health concerns, respond appropriately to warning signs, reduce stigma, and connect clients to the right clinical, community, and social supports at the right time.

This training is intended for Community Health Workers who already possess fundamental CHW skills gained through prior training or certification and are seeking to deepen their ability to support mental well-being as part of whole-person care.


Course combines short lessons, job aids, and interactive practice so CHWs can apply new skills immediately

Learners practice navigating typical scenarios CHWs face every day. The course reinforces clear boundaries, consent and confidentiality, and effective follow-up so CHWs can collaborate across care teams without losing sight of client priorities.

Learners practice navigating the kinds of situations CHWs encounter every day: responding to a client who feels hopeless or overwhelmed, supporting someone experiencing anxiety, depression, or substance use concerns, helping a family address social needs that impact mental well-being, coordinating with behavioral health and community partners, and protecting client privacy while sharing information appropriately. The course reinforces clear boundaries, consent and confidentiality, crisis awareness, and effective follow-up so CHWs can collaborate across care teams while keeping the client’s voice and priorities at the center.


By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

  • Build stronger relationships with clients through respectful, trauma-informed, and stigma-reducing communication
  • Recognize common mental health concerns and identify warning signs that require escalation
  • Respond with supportive, non-clinical language that promotes safety, trust, and connection to care
  • Connect clients to appropriate behavioral health, primary care, and community resources
  • Use documentation and follow-up strategies that keep care coordinated and client-centered


Designed for online learning and busy schedules, the course combines short lessons, practical job aids, and interactive scenarios so CHWs can apply new skills immediately—supporting emotional well-being, strengthening access to care, and building more responsive, compassionate systems of support.
What We Offer

What's included in this online course?

Practical Resources

Provides links to real-world tools, guides, and trusted information CHWs can use right away in the field.

Unique learning experience

You will not learn just by watching many hours of videos. We are offering interactive courses with different media and case based scenarios, to improve your knowledge.

Study at your own pace

You can enroll in this course whenever you want, and study at your own time and pace.

HealthTeamWorks

HealthTeamWorks is a nonprofit with deep experience strengthening care delivery through training, practice facilitation, and quality improvement support. We partner with health systems, primary care practices, public health, and community-based organizations to build workforce skills, improve coordination, and help teams deliver culturally responsive care. Our work includes developing and delivering Community Health Worker training and other workforce programs, creating practical tools and job aids that translate evidence into day-to-day practice, and supporting teams addressing maternal and infant health and whole-person care. Through our merger with the Iowa Chronic Care Consortium (ICCC), we expanded our reach and expertise in community-based workforce development and implementation support, strengthening our ability to design CHW training that is practical, accurate, and ready to use..
Patrick Jones - Course author


This training was made possible through a grant in partnership with Iowa Total Care.