Tuition-Free CHW Career Pathway Available to Perry County High School Students

Perry County high school students now have access to a tuition-free Community Health Worker (CHW) career pathway created through a partnership of the UK Center of Excellence in Rural Health (UK CERH), UnitedHealthcare, Hazard Community & Technical College (HCTC) and Kentucky Advanced Technical College High (K-TECH). The program is designed to prepare students for entry-level roles in health settings that serve underserved communities and to build a local workforce that understands rural needs.

Program materials indicate the coursework is modular and concise: Required courses include HUSV 500A: Community Health Worker I (first 7-week course) and HUSV 500B: Community Health Worker II (second 7-week course). Organizers note, "Currently, this program is offered exclusively online." Students who complete the pathway are expected to gain career clarity and job readiness; program learning outcomes state students will be able to explain CHW career opportunities, "demonstrate skills for placement in entry-level volunteer, internship, or paid opportunities," and "determine a successful pathway to reach career goals as a community health worker."

Local support aims to reduce common rural barriers to online learning. Program literature says, "BCC provides WiFi hotspots, Chromebooks, and text books for this program." Organizers also highlight additional supports, noting, "We also have multiple student support programs to give you wrap around support." Those measures could increase access for Perry County youth who lack reliable internet or devices at home.

Community health worker roles connect directly to public health needs in Perry County. Program descriptions included in partner materials list potential career options such as Health Educator, Information Resource personnel for health facilities and the community, Organizer, Interpreter, and Health Advocate. The pathway also links to further academic study by providing core coursework that can feed into Health, Human Services, or Behavioral Sciences programs.

Across the country, CHW programs are often used to strengthen health outreach in underserved neighborhoods and rural areas. Local availability of a tuition-free CHW pathway offers Perry County a chance to cultivate homegrown talent who can help bridge gaps in preventive care, patient navigation, language access and trust between providers and patients.

Some operational details remain to be confirmed publicly. Program excerpts do not list department contacts, exact eligibility rules for Perry County high school students, or whether the credential issued locally is a college certificate or a state-recognized CHW credential. Prospective students are asked to complete an interest survey to enroll; organizers are expected to provide enrollment contacts and scheduling information through school and college channels.

For Perry County families and school counselors, the pathway represents a low-cost route into health careers without relocating. As the program enrolls students, it could also inform local workforce planning and health policy discussions about investing in community-centered care and career pipelines for rural youth.