At a Sept. 10 meeting, Fort Bend County commissioners approved a community health worker certification program between Fort Bend County Health & Human Services and LCISD’s Health Science Career and Technical Education program.
What it means
The program will provide high school students, age 16 and older, the opportunity to receive a community health worker certification from the Texas Department of State Health Services by working with county health workers.
A community health worker is defined as a “trained and certified individual who serves as a liaison and provides essential health education and outreach services to the community, particularly focused on underserved populations,” according to agenda documents.
“This program is unique in that it integrates public health training directly into the high school curriculum, allowing students to earn a valuable certification before they graduate,” Kaila Williams, Fort Bend County Health & Human Services communications director, said in an email.
The first cohort will begin at Lamar High School with 20 students in a designated health science course, she said. Students will complete 160 hours of a mix of classroom instruction and practical training provided by the county.
The cost
LCISD will be responsible for paying the county $750 per participant ahead of the program start date, according to agenda documents.
Additional funding will be provided through existing county health outreach and education budgets, Williams said.
Why it matters
The program will help to increase the number of certified community health workers in the county who can address local public health needs, Williams said.
“With a growing and diverse population, Fort Bend County faces a rising demand for culturally competent health workers who understand the community,” she said. “This program helps fill that gap by training students to work in health care roles that support prevention, education and outreach.”
Going forward
The first cohort is expected to begin later this fall at Lamar High School and will run through the rest of the 2024-25 school year, Williams said. Following the pilot program, the county plans to run the program annually with the potential to expand to additional schools in LCISD and other school districts in the area.
“Our long-term vision is to equip as many students as possible with the skills to serve as community health workers, supporting public health efforts across the county,” she said.
