Is CHWTraining State-Approved? (CHW Certification vs. Training Documentation)

“Are you state-approved?” It’s the question we hear on nearly every conversation with California employers. The short answer: California doesn’t “approve” CHW training programs the way Texas or Ohio do. Instead, the state sets minimum qualification pathways for Medi-Cal billing, and your organization attests that each CHW meets one of them.

CHWTraining provides training documentation and, where applicable, continuing education credit. We do not issue state CHW certification. Certification, where required, is issued by the relevant state board or agency (e.g., Texas DSHS, Ohio Board of Nursing).

That nuance gets lost in the first email exchange, which costs you time and can create confusion for grant officers, supervisors, and CHWs. This article clarifies:

• What “state-approved” actually means in California (and why it’s not the right question)
• How CHWTraining’s program fits into Medi-Cal documentation
• What funders and grant officers need to see to accept your training as “competency-aligned”
• A quick checklist to evaluate any CHW training program before enrolling your team

What “State-Approved” Actually Means (It Varies by State)

There is no single national—or even Californian—“state-approved” stamp for CHW training. Here’s the reality:

• California: No state agency maintains an approved vendor list for CHW training. HCAI explicitly states it does not administer any statewide CHW certificate or training program accreditation. Medi-Cal billing eligibility depends on the CHW meeting one of two pathways (Certificate or Work Experience), with the supervising organization attesting to their qualifications.
• Texas: The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) certifies training programs and maintains a public list of approved providers. Employers enroll CHWs in DSHS-certified programs to meet certification requirements.
• Ohio: The Ohio Board of Nursing approves CHW training programs and publishes a list of approved providers. Certification is required for CHWs to practice.

When people come to us for help from Texas or Ohio, they expect a state-approved list. When they’re in California, they’re often surprised to learn there isn’t one, and that the burden of documentation falls on their organization, not the training provider.

Training Documentation vs. State Certification: What CHWTraining Provides

This is where the confusion costs the most time. Let’s separate the two:

State Certification	Training Documentation (What CHWTraining Provides)
Issued by a state licensing board (e.g., Texas DSHS, Ohio Board of Nursing)	Issued by the training provider (CHWTraining)
Grants a formal credential (e.g., “Certified CHW”) required to practice in that state	Provides a certificate of completion aligned to core competencies
Requires enrollment in a state-approved program	Requires completion of coursework
Verifiable via state database	Verifiable via CHWTraining records

We offer a Certificate of Completion to learners. When they finish our core competencies training …

• Your CHWs receive a certificate of completion that documents their training hours and competency alignment to the 11 C3 Core Skills (Communication, Interpersonal, Service Coordination, Capacity Building, Advocacy, Education/Facilitation, Assessment, Outreach, Professional Conduct, Evaluation/Research, Knowledge Base)
• Your organization can use this documentation to attest that CHWs meet the Certificate Pathway for Medi-Cal billing
• Funders and grant officers can verify that training aligns with California’s Core Competencies (which mirror the national C3 Core Consensus)

We don’t issue state certification. This is because California doesn’t have a state CHW certification body. It’s the design of California’s system.

State-by-State Snapshot: California, Texas, Ohio

California (Medi-Cal Certificate Pathway)

• Governing body: DHCS (Department of Health Care Services) sets Medi-Cal billing requirements; HCAI supports workforce development but does not approve training programs
• Pathways to qualify:
  1. Certificate Pathway: CHW completes a training program that covers core competencies (no state approval required because your organization attests)
  2. Work Experience Pathway: CHW has 2,000+ hours of paid or volunteer work in the past 3 years plus skills training
• What employers need: Documentation that training aligns with core competencies (e.g., CHWTraining’s courses with matching competency names) and CHW’s lived experience attestation from the supervising provider.

Texas (DSHS-Certified Programs)

• Governing body: Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) certifies CHW training programs and requires CHWs to complete a DSHS-certified program to become certified.

Ohio (Board of Nursing-Approved Programs)

• Governing body: Ohio Board of Nursing approves CHW training programs and requires CHWs to complete an approved program and apply for certification.

California is the outlier with no state-approved list and no certification requirement. The system is built on organizational attestation and competency alignment.

What to Check Before Enrolling a Team (Employer Checklist)

Use this checklist to evaluate any CHW training program, especially if you’re billing Medi-Cal or managing grant-funded teams.

• Does the training align with core competencies?
  Look for explicit mapping to the 11 C3 Core Skills (Communication, Interpersonal, Service Coordination, Capacity Building, Advocacy, Education/Facilitation, Assessment, Outreach, Professional Conduct, Evaluation/Research, Knowledge Base). Course names should match competencies.
• Will this documentation support Medi-Cal billing attestation?
  Confirm the certificate includes: CHW name, training hours, completion date, competency areas covered, and provider credentials. Your organization will use this to attest to the Certificate Pathway.
• Does the program offer CEUs?
  CEUs demonstrate ongoing competency development and are often required by funders (HRSA, DHCS, foundations). CHWTraining is certified by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) and can provide CEUs for courses.
• Can the provider supply documentation for grant reporting?
  Ask for sample certificates, syllabus mappings, and CEU verification processes. Funders want defensible evidence that training meets “documented CHW training aligned to core competency standards.”
• Does the provider offer org-level documentation?
  Ask whether completion records are held at the organizational level or only issued to individual learners. For Medi-Cal billing and grant reporting, you need audit-ready documentation that lives with your organization.

Does This Satisfy Our Funder’s Competency Requirement?

Yes, if your funder (HRSA, DHCS, a foundation) requires “documented CHW training aligned to core competency standards,” CHWTraining’s program is defensible. Here’s why:

• Core Competency alignment: Our courses are named after and mapped to the 11 C3 Core Skills, which form the basis of California’s Core Competencies and the national C3 Core Consensus.
• Documentation package: We provide certificates of completion, CEU records, and syllabus mappings that grant officers can review.

For more on grant budgeting, see How to Include CHW Training in a Grant Budget.

Will This Count Toward Medi-Cal CHW Billing Documentation?

Yes, but with nuance. Medi-Cal billing doesn’t require a “state-approved” training program. It requires that the CHW meets one of two pathways and that the supervising organization attests to their qualifications.

• Certificate Pathway: CHWTraining’s courses provide the training documentation your organization needs to attest that the CHW completed competency-aligned training.
• Work Experience Pathway: If your CHW has 2,000+ hours in the past 3 years, they qualify via experience, but still need skills training (which we also provide).

What your organization does:

1. Verify the CHW’s training (via our certificate) or experience (via your records)
2. Attest to DHCS/MCP that the CHW meets minimum qualifications
3. Submit claims with supporting documentation (CHW name, supervisor attestation, training certificate)

CHWTraining’s documentation is sufficient for Medi-Cal billing when paired with your organization’s attestation. We don’t need to be on a “state-approved list” because California doesn’t have one.

For more on Medi-Cal documentation requirements, see Medi-Cal CHW Documentation Requirements.