New on MCD Learn: Free Community Health Worker Specialty Tracks

February 24, 2026

MCD Learn has launched two new, free specialty tracks for community health workers (CHWs) focused on behavioral health and early childhood development. These tracks build on MCD Global Health’s growing portfolio of CHW Specialty Tracks, designed to support career development, specialization, and long-term workforce retention for CHWs nationwide.

Both self-paced tracks complement the CHW Core Competency Training and focus on practical, role-aligned skills CHWs can apply directly in community settings. Access to both tracks is available to anyone with a free MCD Learn account.

Each specialty track was developed in collaboration with subject-matter experts and community partners and informed by CHW feedback to ensure cultural relevance, real-world applicability, and alignment with CHW roles and scopes of practice.

	CHW Behavioral Health Specialty Track	CHW Early Childhood Development Specialty Track
Background information	The three modules are approximately 75 minutes long. Funded by Healthy Acadia	The modules will take approximately four-and-a-half hours across multiple short modules. Funded by Funded by the Office of Child and Family Services in Maine's Help Me Grow Program
Who's it for?	CHWs who support individuals experiencing mental health challenges, substance use disorders, or behavioral health–related needs.	CHWs who support young children and families, including those working alongside early childhood education, health care, and social service systems.
Who will benefit?	CHWs working in outreach, care coordination, recovery support, risk reduction, crisis response, and community-based behavioral health roles.	This track was developed with a strong Maine-state focus, reflecting state-specific systems and priorities; however, CHWs in other states may also benefit from the foundational content related to early childhood development, family engagement, developmental screening, cultural responsiveness, and early childhood mental health.
What will learners gain?	This short, practical track strengthens CHWs’ confidence in supporting behavioral health needs by building foundational knowledge and reinforcing trauma-informed communication, crisis response, stigma reduction, and resource navigation skills. The track also emphasizes CHW well-being and sustainable frontline practice.	This comprehensive track builds CHWs’ understanding of early childhood development while strengthening practical skills for working with parents, children, and early childhood professionals. Learners gain tools to support developmental monitoring, culturally responsive communication, early childhood mental health, and coordinated care across systems.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provided financial support for this project. The award provided 7% of total costs and totaled $17,000. The contents are those of the author. They may not reflect the policies of HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.

2026

MCDLearn

CHW

eLearning