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Committee backs statewide certification for community health workers with 2‑year credential and background checks
Summary
Lawmakers approved a substitute bill to establish state certification standards and a registry for community health workers, set core competencies and training pathways, require fingerprint background checks and set a two‑year renewal cycle; committee amended application completeness notification from 30 to 15 days.
A House committee gave a due‑pass recommendation to a substitute bill establishing statewide certification and standards for community health workers, creating training criteria, a review committee, and a two‑year certification renewal process.
Representative Taylor presented the subcommittee bill, House Bill 291 (LC 520805S), saying it “establishes a foundation and a structure for community health care workers,” standardizes entry requirements and core competencies, and aims to expand the workforce in rural and underserved areas.
The bill identifies who qualifies as a community health worker, defines core competencies, and directs the Department of Public Health to house the certification program. Megan Andrews, assistant commissioner for policy at the Georgia Department of Public Health, confirmed the department’s role in implementation.
Key provisions discussed in committee include a two‑year certification period with renewal, use of existing training programs (Emory University, Morehouse School of Medicine, and the Department of Public Health) as eligible pathways, and a pilot result cited from Lowndes County showing an annual savings of $26,800 per patient from a community health worker program. The bill models certification‑hour standards after other states: the committee discussed 2,000 and 4,000‑hour thresholds used in Florida and Texas.
The substitute creates a time‑limited committee to draft certification requirements; the committee will dissolve in 2029 and responsibility will transfer to the Department of Public Health. The bill requires fingerprint background checks and records checks; some committee members questioned whether fingerprinting would be a barrier, while the Georgia CHW Network and some hospitals said background checks are already part of existing employment for many CHWs.
The committee debated administrative deadlines. Representative Reese and others asked for faster notification to applicants, and the committee approved an amendment changing the requirement that the committee notify applicants whether an application is complete from 30 days to 15 days.
Crischelle Brown, chair of the Georgia CHW Network steering committee and a CHW, testified in support, describing CHWs as “the bridge between health care systems and the communities they serve” and urged the committee to support certification.
Committee members expressed broad support for the measure. The committee voted by voice vote to pass the substitute as amended; committee members responded “aye” and no opposition was recorded in the transcript.
Next steps: the bill advances with the committee’s approval. The committee record does not include fiscal note amounts; the bill states it goes into effect only after appropriations are provided.
Direct quotes in this article are attributed only to speakers who appear in the committee record.
