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1. You are taking the Community Health Worker training to become a Community Health Worker or are in a similar, non-clinical role in your community and want to improve your skills to connect people to services.
2. You are not currently in a federal program where you will receive a stipend.
3. You have a high school diploma or a GED.
4. You are a U.S. Citizen.

• Stipends are dispersed to trainees once certain milestones have been completed. Not all trainees are eligible for the stipend.
• Stipends are mailed as checks to the name and address you used in Payment Works. If you need to update your address, do so as soon as possible in Payment Works following these instructions. Plus notify us at ccfwd@umontana.edu. If your address is not the same between our systems, this will delay your payment.
• Please expect 4 to 6 weeks after completing the milestone to receive the check. 
• The stipends, including the tablet stipend, count as income and are taxable.
• If you are participating in any state or federal programs with income limits, please consider the potential impact of this stipend on your total income. Contact Mackenzie Petersen if you have questions or concerns.
• Please note that we will be tracking your progress in the curriculum, so you will not need to notify the Center once you reach your milestones.
• If you are at risk of missing a milestone, we will be in contact.
• Missing milestones will significantly delay payment. Please complete coursework by the dates listed in the course schedule.

Steps to Enroll in Payment Works:

1. You will receive an email invitation from Payment Works and a separate email from ccfwd@umontana.edu. Don't forget to check your junk email folder.
2. Open the email from Payment Works, select the link, and follow the instructions in Payment Works.
3. You will create an electronic W-9 form as part of this process. The system will prompt you to create and fill out the form. Complete this form as an individual (you will need your social security number).
4. Once you have completed the prompts from Payment Works, you will be enrolled in the system and stipend(s) with be issued upon the milestone completion dates.
5. It will take four to six weeks to receive your checks once you have reached the milestone completion dates.
6. You can monitor your check's progress within Payment Works, but be aware that checks may not show up for four to six weeks from the time the process starts.

There could be several reasons for this. Your check may be in process or is currently in the mail, you may have moved during the process, or you may not have officially completed your milestones. Re-check your progress in the curriculum.

Stipends will be dispersed to eligible trainees once milestones have been completed. Milestones are listed below. Please refer to your course schedule to know the exact dates of completion.

• Course Registration: After successfully registering in Payment Works, you will be eligible for a $800 stipend for a tablet purchase. We strongly advise selecting a tablet that is both portable and durable. While it's a suggestion to acquire a tablet for enhanced mobility during the course and for efficient client encounter data collection, there are no specific requirements regarding the tablet type.
• Completion of Modules 1-3 and First Tele-Coaching Session: Upon completion of these pieces you will be rewarded with a $2,000 stipend.
• Completion of Modules 4-5 and Participation in Tele-Coaching Sessions: Completion of these milestones unlocks eligibility for a $1500 stipend. The last tele-coaching session is approximately six months after the start date. 

You can expect to receive your check approximately 4 to 6 weeks after the milestone completion dates. Please note that we will be tracking your progress in the curriculum, so you will not need to notify the Center once you reach your milestones. 

The stipends — including the tablet stipend — count as taxable income. If the stipend may impact your eligibility for specific assistance programs, please get in touch with our staff to discuss your options.

We recognize that telecoaching sessions may not accommodate everyone's schedule. We will allow 'make-up' sessions for every tele-coaching session; however, we strongly encourage everyone who can participate in the live sessions to do so.

Unfortunately, no. The HRSA guidelines require all participants to have their GED or high school diploma before beginning the training program.