By Tim Mastro

LEWES — Thanks in part to $750,000 in Sussex County American Rescue Plan Act grant funds, Beebe Healthcare is offering scholarships for Delaware Tech’s Community Health Worker course.

The funds also support the launch of Beebe Healthcare’s Community Health Worker program and will allow Beebe to hire six health workers over the next 18 months. Positions will be posted here.

Anyone interested in enrolling in the Community Health Worker Program is encouraged to reach out to Jillian Whitney, department chair, Workforce Development and Community Education, at jillian.whitney@dtcc.edu or 302-259-6364. The next CHW certification course begins Monday.

It is a 250-hour course designed to prepare students to work as frontline public health workers who are trusted members of the community served. Community Health Workers serve as liaisons between health, social services, and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery.

The course consists of 210 hours of lecture and 40 hours of an internship experience. A limited number of scholarships are available through the Next Generation Community Health Workforce Collaborative.

Del Tech began the program at their Wilmington campus and expanded it in 2021 to the college’s Stanton and Georgetown campuses to improve health outcomes and disparities, especially in underserved communities.