Certification

• There is a grandfathering process to recognize and certify existing CHWs based on work or volunteer experiences.
• Applicants who are new to the field will be required to complete a Department of Health approved training program before applying for NM state certification.
• Everyone is expected to demonstrate proficiency in the CHW core competencies.
• Specialist certification will be available for applicants who have training in department approved specialty tracks.
• All applicants eligible for certification will have to pay a $59 back ground with IDEMIA IdentoGO upon application eligibility requirements.
• Certificates will be valid for two (2) years. In order to be recertified, applicants will have to complete 30 hours of department approved continuing education (15-NMDOH OCHW Endorsed Trainings and 15 Self-Select training OR 30-NMDOH OCHW Endorsed Trainings).
• An application fee of $45 for "generalist" certification. Specialty certification for demonstrated additional education/training will be an additional $10 per specialty area.

Thank you for your interest in applying for Initial Certification Pathway, which offers two (2) paths. Please visit the Community Health Workers Application System to submit all required State CHW certification documentation.

The NMDOH, OCHW offers two (2) state CHW certification paths:

• Grandfathering process:
  
  1. Applicants may be eligible to become state CHW certified via the grandfathering process pending alignment of the curriculum and skill building within the required MVAC Membership Application.
  2. Proof that applicant is at least 18 years of age by submission of a color copy of a photo ID (i.e. Government issued ID or Certificate of Indian Blood Card)
  3. Verification of proficiency in the core competencies through training and/or experience, signed by a current or former supervisor.
  4. Documentation of 2000 hours of work and/or volunteer experience as a CHW in the 2 (two) years prior to application or documentation of at least half-time paid or volunteer employment as a CHW in the 5 (five) years prior to application. You must verify that you have paid/volunteer experience before 5/21/2014.
  5. Two letters of reference.
  6. Verification of specialty training certificates that you have successfully completed and may qualify you to be considered as specialist I, II, or III.
• Formalized training program completion: 100 hours of Core Competency instruction hours:
  1. Proof that applicant is at least 18 years of age by submission of a color copy of a photo ID (i.e. Government issued ID or Certificate of Indian Blood Card)
  2. Verification of education, including documentation that the applicant has at least a high school diploma or certificate of high school equivalency.
  3. Verification of proficiency in the core competencies by providing a certificate of completion from a Department of Health, Office of Community Health Workers (NMDOH/OCHW) Certification Training Program or other NM endorsed training programs that contain an examination component for each of the core competencies. Include copies of the Certificates of Completion provided by the training organization.
     1. Approved OCHW training provider (see Training Button for list)
     2. TRAIN New Mexico at: TRAIN NM
     3. Completion of Indian Health Service (IHS) Community Health Representatives (CHR) Basics Training (125 hours) at: 2023 Overdose Prevention and Pain Management Council Meeting Recording from September 8
• CHW certification requirements:
  1. Successful completion of Core Competency (CC) training program; or
  2. Successful completion of Indian Health Service (IHS) Community Health Representatives (CHR) Basics Training; and
  3. Forty (40) hours of experiential learning placement.

Require Core Competencies: The CHW Profession, Effective Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Health Coaching, Service Coordination, Advocacy, Technical Teaching, Community Health Outreach, Community Knowledge & Assessment. Clinical Support is an optional for those who desire to enhance their skills or whose jobs require it. Please refer to the NMCHW Core Competency Blue Wheel.

Please visit the Community Health Workers Application System to submit all required State CHW re-certification documentations.

For state CHW recertification, applicants will need to have the following within the date of your certification issuance and certification expiration date:

• 30 Continuing Education Units in total
• 15 CEUs are required from an NMDOH, Office of Community Health Workers endorsed training entity, and 15 self-select trainings; or
• 30 CEUs of NMDOH OCHW endorsed training in total

Approval for CEUs includes the following on the actual certificate received from the training provider:

• Title of Training, Dates of the Training, Training Facilitator Signature Verification, Number of Training Contact Hours, Logos, etc.

Note: Verification will be approved from NMDOH OCHW upon meeting the requirement for recertification criteria of CEU certificates.

To enhance your Generalist CHW certification status, we offer NMDOH OCHW endorsed specialty content areas as a Specialist I, II, and III.

For new specialty requests, please see the following CHW Specialty Endorsement Criteria below:

• Training entity approved by NMDOH/OCHW and specialty training is twelve (12) or more consecutive instruction hours. This is for an applicant who has not requested a specialty on their certification application and plans to add a Specialty I, II, and III.

If the applicant has previously had a specialty on their certification, please see the following renewal CHW Specialty Endorsement Criteria:

• Training entity approved by NMDOH OCHW and specialty training is four (4) CEUs of continuous training hours from one training entity per content area.

Please note that specialty CEUs content areas are not to be duplicated with general recertification CEUs. Additionally, they should be actively renewed during each 2-year cycle of recertification and not used in previous applications.

Specialty Payment: $10.00 for each Initial or Renewal Specialty requested on the application. To send payments, please see Certification Payment below.

To process your Initial, Renewal, and/or Specialty Certification application, please see the following fees associated with each certification pathway:

• Generalist: $45.00 (Grandfathering or Formalized Core Competency Training; Renewal Certification)
• Specialist: $10.00 for each requested NMDOH OCHW endorsed content area
• Specialty I: $55.00 for an applicant who is first certified as a Generalist and has received formal training in one specialty field.
• Specialty II: $65.00 for an applicant who is first certified as a Generalist and has received formal training in two specialty fields.
• Specialty III: $75.00 for an applicant who is first certified as a Generalist and has received formal training in three specialty fields.

Submission Guidelines: Please submit fees in the form of a personal check, money order, or cashier's check to the following address:

Attn: Office of Community Health Workers
NM Department of Health-Public Health Division
1190 St. Francis Drive, S1109
Santa Fe, NM 87052
Account: XXXXXX7789

Note: Please keep a copy of all submitted materials and proof of mailing. All fees are non-refundable.

Once our office has received your application and performs a thorough review meeting all state CHW requirements for eligibility certification, a background check will be required for next steps. The applicant will be prompted to complete your background check with Mission Unleaded: How to test children for lead with maximum accuracy. The fee for the required background check is $59.00.

Please be aware that background checks are due every four (4) year cycle to ensure certification is in compliance with the New Mexico Department of Public Safety protocols. The results of the background check are confidential and is the final determining factor in becoming certified by the State of NM.

If you have any questions and/or concerns, please circle back to the Office of Community Health Workers.

Please look at our helpful Frequently Asked Questions for answers to many of the most common questions we receive about certification.

Q. What is a Community Health Worker, (CHW)?

A. CHWs, also known as a tribal community health representative or promotor/a, are frontline public health workers who are trusted members of the community. They may live in the same community and/or have an unusually close understanding of the community they serve. They are critical members of health care delivery teams who may focus on the social aspects of care that support and enhance critical clinical activities such as diagnosis, treatment, or clinical procedures. Because CHWs are trusted members of the community they serve and may face the same barriers as the individuals and families they serve, and because they often share the same language, ethnicity, cultural, educational, and class background, they are uniquely positioned to act as bridges between their communities and the health and social community service systems.

Q. What are the job duties of the CHW?

A. A CHW provides support services and assists individuals to navigate the health care system. A CHW encourages self-sufficiency by providing education on self-care and strategies to improve health by helping them understand their health condition(s) and optimize individual, family and community outcomes. As members of care delivery teams, CHWs can assist individuals in managing their own health by keeping medical appointments, screenings, treatment and follow up care. A CHW must deliver health information using culturally appropriate terms and concepts. Many CHWs community outreach includes traveling to individual homes or meeting with clients outside of the clinical setting. Job duties may vary depending on the requirements of the employer.

Q. What is the role of the NM Department of Health (NMDOH), Office of Community Health Workers (OCHW)?

A. The Office of Community Health Workers (OCHW) is charged with developing a statewide training and certification process for CHWs, processing applications and issuing certificates. The mission of the OCHW is to fully integrate CHWs into New Mexico health and social systems of care by providing training, certification, advocacy, and support.

Q. What are core competencies?

A. A combination of qualities, practical skills and knowledge essential to the provision of services by community health workers, demonstration of which is required for certification.

Q. What are the required competencies?

A. The CHW Profession, Effective Communication, Interpersonal skills, Health Coaching, Service Coordination, Advocacy, Technical Teaching, Community Health Outreach, Community Knowledge & Assessment. Clinical Support Skills is optional for those who desire to enhance their skills or whose jobs require it. (A description of the competencies is attached to the application).

Q. What does “Grandfathering” mean?

A. Grandfathering is a process by which experienced CHW professionals will obtain certification, if they were practicing CHWs before the Community Health Workers Act became law.

Q. Will there be a grandfathering option for experienced CHWs?

A. Yes

Q. What are the criteria to apply for state certification through the grandfathering process?

• Proof that applicant is at least 18 years of age
• Verification of proficiency in the core competencies through training or experience
• Two letters of reference
• 2000 hours of work or volunteer experience as a CHW in the Two (2) years prior to application or at least half-time paid or volunteer employment as a CHW in the last five (5) years prior to application

Q. Will certification or licensure be required?

A. Voluntary state certification will be offered to those meeting the core competencies and who apply for certification. Licensure is not offered or required.

Q. Is U.S. citizenship required?

A. No, citizenship is not required; however, applicants have to submit to a national background check and may be required to meet the requirements of an employer, which may include proof of citizenship.

Q. Do you have to be a New Mexico resident to be certified in New Mexico?

A. No

Q. Is there reciprocity between states?

A. Not at this time; however, the NMDOH, OCHW is working on revising the NMAC governing the CHW statute to include reciprocity between bordering states and towns.

Q. Will there be a fee for certification?

A. Yes. A $45.00 fee for initial certification as a Generalist is required to be submitted with the application. Specialty tracks will require an additional $10.00 per Specialty. Fees are nonrefundable.

Q. What type of payment will be accepted?

A. Personal check, money orders or cashier's check. No cash will be accepted.

Q. Will a background check be required?

A. Yes, approved applicants will be sent instructions by the Department for completing the background check process. A $59.00 fee will be required and paid to the entity conducting the background check.

Q. What levels of certification will be offered?

• Generalist
• Specialist I

Certification as a Specialist I in Basic Clinical Support Skills is available for applicants applying for certification through grandfathering.

Q. Who determines eligibility requirements for CHW certification?

A. The New Mexico CHW Certification Board

Q. What type of credential will a community health worker receive?

A. Individuals who meet all eligibility requirements, including a background check, will receive a Certified Community Health Worker (CCHW) certificate. A CCHW shall carry the CCHW card and present it upon request.