The Oregon Office of Rural Health (ORH) has partnered with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to coordinate a CDC grant-funded program that will support the capacity of Oregon’s rural public health agencies, hospitals and clinics by growing the Community Health Worker (CHW) workforce in rural Oregon. 

This is a grant program to fund the training of CHWs for employment at rural hospitals, clinics and/or public health departments in Oregon.

Apply here for a CHW training grant

PROGRAM DETAILS:

• CHWs must be currently employed at a rural Oregon hospital, clinic or rural public health department;
• The hospital, clinic or public health department must be located in a rural area, as defined by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (check to see if your location qualifies as rural using the Am I Rural? Tool);
• ORH will coordinate training of 24 CHWs through 2026.
• ORH grant will cover CHW training tuition through NEON (a $1,500 value);
• Trainees will be added to the Rural CHW Network
• Participating hospitals, clinics or public health departments must have capacity to employ the CHW trainee.

COHORT OPTIONS:

CHWs have the option to enroll in one of these upcoming cohorts:

• January 2026 Cohort (12:45 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. PST - every other Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 6-May 26)
  • Jan. 6, 7, 20 ,21
  • Feb. 3, 4, 17, 18
  • Mar. 3, 4, 17, 18, 31
  • Apr. 1, 15, 28, 29
  • May 12, 13, 26

• February 2026 Cohort (8:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. PST - Thursday/Friday mornings, Feb. 12 - June 26)
  • Feb. 12, 13, 26, 27
  • Mar. 12, 13, 26, 27
  • Apr. 9, 10, 23, 24
  • May 7, 8, 21, 22
  • Jun. 4, 5, 18, 26

To participate in this program, administrators can sign up their CHW trainee here: Apply for CHW training

CONTACT:

For more information on this program, please contact Stepha Dragoon at dragoon@ohsu.edu