OBJECTIVES To determine common illnesses identified and referred to the health facility for care by community health workers during routine household visitations. METHODS Quasi -experimental study was carried out in two sub- locations in rural Kenya where one hundred community health workers were trained on community based referral and counter referral model and issued with referral tools. Each was assigned 25 households, instructed to regularly visit them in order to identify sick persons counsel and refer them to link hospitals. One hundred villages comprising 2209 households with a population of 11,000 people were covered where the counter referral model was implemented. RESULTS In total the community health workers identified, counseled and referred 322 sick persons to health facilities for health care. Those identified for referrals were categorized as either below or above five years. Under fives referrals accounted for 30% (97/322)  where the top five reasons for referrals included ; general illnesses for under fives ,5.2 (18%); post natal care for infant , 30 (9.3%); immunization defaulters (3.1%); malaria, 3 (.9%) and diarrhea, 3 (.9%). Top five reasons for above five referrals included; general illnesses for above fives, 89 (27.6%); ANC clinic 34, (12.7%); health check up, 24 (7.5%); Chronic cough, 19 (5.9%) and PNC for mother 6 (1.9 %.) CONCLUSIONS Community Health Workers were able to identify, counsel and refer 322 persons with 38 various types of ailments. The study concludes that if CHWs are trained well, supplied with referral tools and provided with regular support supervision, they have the capacity to identify common ailments at household level and provide advice on the appropriate   health action required to be taken. It is the view of the authors that community health workers referral model be scaled up.