New community health programs at UH Maui College
Prospective students interested in community health can take advantage of two new short-term certificate programs launching this fall at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College. The certificates can be earned in one or two semesters, with class schedules designed for participants already balancing work and family obligations.
The new Community Health Worker/Health Navigator 1 Certificate of Competence requires 15 credits, and will allow participants to finish in less than a year. A partnership with Kapiʻolani Community College and the Department of Education (DOE) will also bring Kapiʻolani’s popular School Health Aide program to Maui for the first time this fall. Distance learning options for aides on Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi are planned for next year.
The Community Health Workers certificate was developed with input from local healthcare, public health and social service employers, as well as national and state efforts like Hawaiʻi’s Healthcare Innovation Plan, and workforce studies conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Project partners include Lānaʻi Community Health Center and Na Puʻuwai. Leadership and key staff from Lānaʻi Community Health Center, Na Puʻuwai, Hui No Ke Ola Pono, Mālama I Ke Ola, Maui Family Support Services, Mālama Family Recovery Center, the Maui District Health Office, and other organizations have also participated in interviews to assess their workforce needs.