Certified Community Health Worker Credential Now Available in Pennsylvania

To more formally recognize the value of Community Health Workers in the workforce and enhance recognition of CHWs, a new CHW certification is now being offered by the Pennsylvania Certification Board (PCB).

A time-limited (one-year) grandparenting process for those who meet the Certified CHW (CCHW) requirements and wish to obtain the new full certification is being provided. The grandparenting period will end December 31, 2020.

The requirements to become grandparented are:

One year of full-time volunteer or paid employment or 2000 hours of part-time volunteer or paid employment as a Community Health Worker. Employment or volunteer experience must have been obtained within the last five (5) years.
Sixty (60) hours of supervision of the volunteer or paid employment specific to the CHW domains (listed below).
Seventy-five (75) hours of education/training relevant to the field of community health.
Complete the CCHW Grandparenting Application.

CCHW Domains

Community Health Concepts; Advocacy and Capacity Building; Care Coordination; Health Literacy and Education; Safety and Self-Care; Cultural Competency; Communication and Interpersonal Skills; Ethical Responsibilities and Professionalism. Summary of CCHW Domains (.pdf document)

The new CCHW certification will be valid for two years. A recertification process will be required every two years to maintain the CCHW credential. Recertification requires obtaining 30 hours of relevant education/training.

Once the grandparenting period ends on December 31, 2020, the 75 hours of education/training must be received from an approved CHW training program. A PCB CHW Advisory Council will create a process for this in 2020. CCHW Grandparenting Application (.pdf document)

Questions about the new CCHW credential should be directed to the PCB:
Phone: 717-540-4455 | Email: info@pacertboard.org

The following organizations participated in the development of the new certification process: