Pennsylvania Medicaid: Community health worker certification now required

Effective Jan. 1, 2026, HealthChoices requires all Medicaid community health workers (CHWs) who work with managed care organizations (MCOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), vendors and provider partners to be certified through the Pennsylvania Certification Board, unless already certified.

CHWs employed outside of UnitedHealthcare will have until Dec. 31, 2026, to obtain certification. The MCO will request quarterly updates on certification progress, and the Department of Human Services (DHS) will also monitor compliance.

Resources

You can find more information about CHW certification and training on the Pennsylvania Certification Board page.