Community Health Worker Program
This page provides information about Community Health Worker Program.
The Community Health Worker (CHW) or Promotor(a) Training and Certification Program provides leadership to enhance the development and implementation of statewide training and certification standards.
What is a Community Health Worker or Promotor(a)?
A Community Health Worker (CHW) or Promotor(a) de Salud is a person who, with or without compensation, helps connect people in their community with healthcare and social services. They understand the culture, language, and life experiences of the people they serve.
CHWs help individuals find the services they need and strengthen the community as a whole. They provide information about health, help people become more independent, and offer support through activities like outreach, guiding patients, teaching about health, giving informal advice, and assisting in patient information gathering and evaluation.
What We Do
The CHW or Promotor(a) Training and Certification Program (CHW Program) manages the policy framework and rules for the training and certification of CHWs.
The CHW Program provides certification for CHWs, CHW instructors, CHW training centers, and training curriculums. It also provides resources, reports, articles, and research material to foster sustaining employment for current and future community health workers.
Announcements
Training Opportunities for the 180-Hour CHW Initial Certification Course
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is pleased to share information about the DSHS-certified training programs below that have been approved to offer the 180-hour Community Health Worker (CHW) certification course. These programs have met DSHS CHW course standards and are authorized to provide the required instruction for initial CHW certification.
The training programs listed below have granted DSHS permission to share their contact information to assist individuals seeking CHW certification training opportunities. Please feel free to contact them for your training needs or share this information with interested parties.
Mi Promotor de Salud
Contact person: Betty Nava
Phone: (832) 377-1948
Email: b.nava@mipromotordesalud.org; info@mipromotordesalud.org
Mode: Virtual
UNT Health Fort Worth
Contact person: Teresa Wagner, DrPH
Phone: (817) 735-2404
Email: Teresa.Wagner@unthealth.edu
Mode: Virtual
West Texas Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Program
Contact person: Catherine Hudson
Phone: (806) 743-1375
Email: CHWBridge@ttuhsc.edu; Jesus.Gonzalez@ttuhsc.edu; catherine.hudson@ttuhsc.edu
Mode: Virtual
Additional training centers approved to offer the 180-hour CHW and CHW instructor certification course will be added as approvals are granted and as training centers authorize DSHS to post their contact information.
For more information about DSHS-certified training centers and to find DSHS-certified Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for CHWs and CHW Instructors, visit the CHW and CHW Instructor Training webpage.
Renewal Application Processing and Continued Certification
In response to an increasing number of pending Community Health Worker (CHW) renewal applications, the DSHS CHW Program is recognizing the validity and continuation of current CHW and Community Health Worker Instructor (CHWI) certifications for all complete renewal applications received before the certification expiration date.
Applicants who submit a complete renewal application before their certification expiration date will remain in active status during the processing period. To allow sufficient time for processing, applicants should continue to submit renewal applications at least 90 days before their certification expiration date. Applicants may serve and be employed as part of the CHW and/or CHWI workforce in Texas without requesting a 90-day certification extension.
As of September 19, 2026, applicants who submit complete renewal applications before their certification expiration date will receive an email confirming receipt of the renewal application and documenting the continued validity of their certification while the application is being processed.
Learn More
Becoming a CHW
Discover more about Community Health Workers and what it takes to be certified.
Becoming a CHW Instructor
Ready to move up? Learn what it takes to become a Community Health Worker Instructor.
Receive notices from the CHW Program, including CHW courses and continuing education units (CEUs) by signing up for email and text updates.
Becoming a Certified Training Program
Learn about CHW and CHW instructor training programs and what it takes to be a DSHS-certified training program.
Subscribe to Receive Updates on the CHW Program
Sign up for email and text updates to receive information about the CHW Program, including CHW courses and continuing education units (CEUs).