The Promotor(a) or Community Health Worker Training and Certification Program provides leadership to enhance the development and implementation of statewide training and certification standards and administrative rules for the Promotor(a) or Community Health Worker (CHW) Training and Certification Program.
Senate Bill 1051 (77th Texas Legislative Sessions) calls for the Texas Department of State Health Services to establish and operate a training and certification program for persons who act as promotores or community health workers, instructors and sponsoring institutions/training programs.
Contact us:
Phone: (512) 776-2570 or (512) 776-2624
Email: chw@dshs.state.tx.us
Mail: Texas Department of State Health Services
P.O. Box 149347 MC1922
Attn: CHW Training and Certification Program
Austin, TX 78714-9347
Who is a Promotor(a) or Community Health Worker?
A person who, with or without compensation is a liaison and provides cultural mediation between health care and social services, and the community. A promotor(a) or community health worker: is a trusted member, and has a close understanding of, the ethnicity, language, socio-economic status, and life experiences of the community served. A promotor(a) or community health worker assists people to gain access to needed services and builds individual, community, and system capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, patient navigation and follow-up, community health education and information, informal counseling, social support, advocacy, and participation in clinical research.
04/01/2013 - Talking Points – Key facts and current certification information for the Promotor(a) or Community Health Worker Training and Certification Program
3/1/2013 – Community Health Worker networks or associations are being developed and expanded across Texas. Click
here to find a list of CHW networks or associations and contact information.
1/7/2013 - Health and Safety Code, Chapter 48, was amended through HB2610, 82
nd Legislature, Regular Session. Amended rules for the Community Health Worker Training and Certification Program to comply with changes in Chapter 48 were published in the Texas Register on December 23, 2011. DSHS, in conjunction with the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), conducted a study required by HB2610 and developed recommendations related to: maximizing employment of and access to promotores and community health workers to provide publicly and privately funded health care services; and identifying methods of funding and reimbursement.
The Texas Community Health Worker Study report has been submitted to the Texas Legislature.
12/2012 – The Community Health Workers Across Texas Working Together for Healthy Texas Babies Conference was held in San Marcos, Texas August 6-8, 2012. The conference brought together over 300 community health workers, speakers, and others from across the state and was a great opportunity for learning and networking. Please see the
conference evaluation report for more information about the conference, including conference highlights, suggestions for improvement, conference workshops or skills that attendees indicated that will take and use in their work, and suggested topics for future conferences or workshops.
Advisory Committee Meetings and Conference Calls - Agendas and Minutes - A comprehensive list of current and prior meetings or conference calls
Advisory Committee Membership and Nominations -
Current advisory committee membership and information, please click here.
Texas CHW Networks and Associations
Community Health Worker networks or associations are being developed and expanded across Texas. Click here to find a list of CHW networks or associations and contact information.
Requirements for Certification and Renewal – Quick reference to requirements for certification as a Promotor(a) or Community Health Worker, Instructor, or Training Program/Sponsoring Organization. Click here for CHW Core Competencies
Certification and Renewal Applications - Download an application in English or Spanish to apply for certification or renewal as a promotor(a) or community health worker or instructor. Download an application in English to apply for certification or renewal as a training program/sponsoring organization to provide certification training or continuing education for promotores(as) or community health workers and/or instructors. Applications have been revised to reflect new changes as of October 24, 2010.
Training Programs and Continuing Education Information -Check here for contact information for certified training programs approved by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to provide certification training or continuing education for promotores(as) or community health workers and/or instructors and for announcements of upcoming training opportunities.
Program Workforce Information - Annual Reports and data on location of Promotores/Community Health Workers by county
Texas Health Match [http://www.txhealthmatch.com/] supported by the East Texas Area Health Education Center, is a free statewide jobs website for careers in health care organizations. Employers can post job listings. CHWs and others can search job listings and post resumes. External links to other sites are intended to be informational and do not have the endorsement of the Texas Department of State Health Services. These sites may also not be accessible to people with disabilities.
Rules and Legislation - Administrative Rules concerning training and certification and legislation related to the program includes amended rules effective 12-31-2011.
Complaint Procedure – Provides information for filing a complaint with the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) if an individual or a representative of an organization feels that a community health worker, instructor, or training program has violated Chapter 48, Texas Health and Safety Code or 25 Texas Administrative Code, §§146.1-146.12.
Articles and Research Material - Publications and Web citations that serve as resource material for promotores, community health workers, instructors and training programs