Since January of 2019, The University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP) has partnered with the NC Office of Rural Health (ORH or Division) to evaluate core competency training for Community Health Workers (CHW) in North Carolina. DHHS organized the first state-wide workforce assessment of CHWs and established goals to move the work of CHWs in NC forward. UNCP seeks to continue building on these efforts in partnership with ORH to become a hub for CHW research. UNCP’s connection to and history of working with underserved rural communities gives UNCP unique expertise to carry out the goals of this project. 

UNCP serves as the evaluator for the CHW standardized core competency training (SCCT) which is offered through the NC community college system around the state. Effective core competency training in each key area of communication, capacity building, outreach, interpersonal relationships, advocacy, knowledge, service, education, and personal skills for CHWs is crucial to increasing the capacity and role of CHWs throughout NC.

**Please note that data includes only CHWs who opted to participate in the UNCP CHW SCCT. Not all eligible students in the SCCT consented to participate in the study; the number of participants represents a portion of students overall participating in the SCCT. Furthermore, not all study participants opted to pursue certification.