Most state certification programs to date have also required certification or approval of training programs or curricula, and/or individual instructors, generally providing that successful completion of an approved program entitles a CHW to individual certification. This in turn requires development of standards for training, including curriculum content.[footnote MN use of single standard curriculum] Where training is used as a benchmark, the individual must usually make an application for issuance of the actual individual certification, but a state has the option of bypassing that step, in which case the responsible authority (again, not necessarily a state agency) may issue the certification based on graduation records received from approved training programs. The education-based options have been attractive to states because it places the burden on the training program to assess the individual’s proficiency in required skills.

## Basic components of a certification program

Any certification system will have certain elements which are necessary for it functioning. These include:

- • of the occupation and core competencies; • of the occupation and core competencies;
- • of practice: the full range of CHW duties (understanding that a specific CHW • of practice: the full range of CHW duties (understanding that a specific CHW position may have a more limited job description), and boundaries with other professions
- • standards (these may be defined in varying levels of detail, and may be • standards (these may be defined in varying levels of detail, and may be promulgated separately by a state CHW association) – violations may be grounds for revoking a certification;
- • for assessing applicant's proficiency in required skills; • for assessing applicant's proficiency in required skills;
- • criteria and application process; • criteria and application process;
- • home: an important consideration is how to finance the cost of • home: an important consideration is how to finance the cost of administering the certification program;
- • education requirements; and • education requirements; and
- • to renew, to revoke (for cause or failure to renew), and for applicants to • to renew, to revoke (for cause or failure to renew), and for applicants to appeal an adverse decision.

## Creating a responsive certification system

As noted earlier, the duties and skills of the CHW are fundamentally different from those of other occupations. Further, the kinds of people who become CHWs may face particular challenges in their own lives which must be considered in developing policies and procedures for certification, in order to avoid creating unnecessary barriers to entry. As lessons learned from early adopter states, attention should be paid to the following features of the certification process:

- • paths to entry should be available, including a path based on experience • paths to entry should be available, including a path based on experience (“grand-parenting”);
- • application process should be user friendly, without unnecessary barriers of • application process should be user friendly, without unnecessary barriers of education requirements, language, citizenship status;
- • training required for certification should be available in familiar, accessible settings; • training required for certification should be available in familiar, accessible settings;
- • skills should be taught using appropriate methods (e.g., adult/popular education; • skills should be taught using appropriate methods (e.g., adult/popular education; many programs emphasize using experienced CHWs as trainers);
- • should be easy access to CEUs, including distance learning options; and • should be easy access to CEUs, including distance learning options; and

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