Training curricula for Community Health Workers (CHWs) or CHW instructors (CHWIs) must be certified by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). A CHW or CHWI will only receive DSHS-certified CEU for approved training offered in Texas.

The curriculum certification application packet must meet the standards and requirements laid out in the DSHS CHW Program Policy. DSHS certified curricula are approved to be offered only in the state of Texas.

Curriculum Submission

Certified training programs must use the Training Program Curriculum Submission Form to submit the curriculum for review and approval for CHW or CHW instructor DSHS-certified contact hours.

Initial Certification Course

The application packets for the initial CHW certification curriculum must include:

• Curriculum Submission Form
• A 180-hour CHW certification curriculum with 20 hours per each of the nine (9) core competencies divided in modules in a PowerPoint format
• CHW certification curriculum syllabus and lesson plan in the template provided by the CHW Program
• Sample certificate of completion on a template provided by the CHW Program
• Pre/post test
• Curriculum authorization release letter or e-mail (if curriculum was developed by another entity, please request an email or letter from the curriculum developer granting permission to use for training CHWs.)

Continuing Education Course

The application packets for a continuing education curriculum must include:

• Curriculum Submission Form
• Continuing education curriculum in a PowerPoint format
• Lesson plan in the template provided by the CHW Program
• Sample course certificate of completion on a template provided by the CHW Program
• Pre/post test

DSHS Templates

All certified CHW or instructor training programs should use the corresponding DSHS curriculum lesson plan and course certificate of completion templates below when submitting the curriculum for review and approval for community health worker or instructor DSHS-certified contact hours.

CHW Certification Curriculum Lesson Plan Template

180-Hour CHW Course Certificate of Completion Template

180-Hour CHWI Course Certificate of Completion Template

CHW CEU Course Certificate of Completion Template

CHW/CHWI Certificate of Completion Template

Curriculum Expiration and Renewal

DSHS certified training programs must re-submit certified curricula every five years from the date it was certified to renew certification, if the curricula are still being used in any method.

The DSHS certified training program that owns the curricula must submit an assurance statement every two years with the training center certification renewal packet stating the curricula is accurate and relevant with the most current research available.

Training programs should proactively make any updates or revisions needed and resubmit the curricula for certification before offering it.

Approved Shareable CHW or Instructor Curriculum

Some training programs have agreed to share curriculum approved for DSHS-certified CEUs. The list of shared curricula is subject to change and will be updated quarterly. The list is divided by topic, number of CEUs, and the name of the training program that “owns” the curriculum. Curricula for instructor training is located at the end of the list.

Training programs that would like to use a shared curriculum must contact the training program specified on the shared curricula list. Programs must email the CHW Training and Certification Program at chw@dshs.texas.gov when they share a curriculum with another training program. Please include the curriculum name and the training program requesting the curriculum.

View the Certified Training Programs for contact information.

Request Approval of Guest Instructor

Certified CHW and instructor training programs may request to use a guest instructor to provide DSHS-certified contact hours. The guest instructor must be approved by DSHS well in advance of the proposed training.

Read the Guest Instructor Procedure and submit the Guest Instructor Request Form for review and approval.

Request a Training Announcement

Training programs may email information on upcoming training offering DSHS-certified contact hours to chw@dshs.texas.gov. If appropriate, DSHS will disseminate the training announcements through the CHW Program Friday Digest to certified CHWs and CHW Instructors.

The CHW Friday Digest is distributed the 2nd and 4th Friday of the month. Requests for announcements are due two weeks before the issue date. Please send your submission on time to allow for review and consideration for inclusion in the upcoming edition.

Please include the following information in the email message:

1. Name of the training program
2. Title
3. Instructor(s)
4. Date
5. Time
6. Method (i.e. in-person, distance learning)
7. Location
8. Number of DSHS-certified hours (note whether CEUs are for CHWs instructors, or both)
9. Competencies
10. Cost
11. Language
12. Registration information
13. Contact information for questions