25 LC 52 0707
House Bill 291
By: Representatives Taylor of the 173
rd
, Dempsey of the 13
th
, Cooper of the 45
th
, Mathiak of
the 82
nd
, Hawkins of the 27
th
, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health, so as to
1
provide for the certification of community health workers; to provide for definitions; to2
provide for the establishment of the Georgia Community Health Worker Certification3
Committee; to provide for membership, powers, and duties of the committee; to provide for4
the approval of training programs; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective5
date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.6
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:7
SECTION 1.8
Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health, is amended by revising9
Chapter 31, which is reserved, as follows:10
"CHAPTER 3111
31-31-1.12
As used in this chapter, the term:
13
H. B. 291
- 1 - 25 LC 52 0707
(1) 'Certified community health worker' means an individual to whom the committee has14
issued a certificate to serve as a certified community health worker based on standards15
and requirements established by the committee.16
(2) 'Committee' means the Georgia Community Health Worker Certification Committee17
established by Code Section 31-31-2.18
(3) 'Community health worker' means a frontline health worker who is a trusted member19
of a community or has a demonstrated knowledge or unusually close understanding of20
the community and individuals served and:21
(A) Provides culturally appropriate health education, information, and outreach in22
community based settings such as homes, schools, clinics, shelters, local businesses,23
and community centers;24
(B) Bridges or culturally mediates between individuals, communities, and health and25
human services, including actively building individual and community capacity;26
(C) Assures that community members access the services they need;27
(D) Provides direct services, such as informal counseling, social support, care28
coordination, and health screenings;29
(E) Advocates for individual and community needs; and30
(F) Provides any additional services as may be identified by the committee that may31
emerge in the development of community health worker practice.32
(4) 'Core competencies' means the knowledge and skills a certified community health33
worker is expected to demonstrate in order to carry out the mission and goals of the34
profession. Such term includes, but is not limited to, communication skills; interpersonal35
and relationship-building skills; service coordination and navigation skills;36
capacity-building skills; advocacy skills; education and facilitation skills; individual and37
community assessment skills; community outreach and engagement skills; professional38
skills and conduct; evaluation and research skills; and knowledge base.39
H. B. 291
- 2 - 25 LC 52 0707
(5) 'Training program' means an education and training program that meets the40
curriculum and training required for a community health worker to be eligible for41
certification and that has been approved by the committee based on standards and42
requirements established by the committee. Reserved.43
31-31-2.44
(a) There is established the Georgia Community Health Worker Certification Committee. 45
The Commissioner shall appoint the 11 voting members of the committee as follows:46
(1) One licensed physician with a specialization in primary care or family medicine;47
(2) One licensed physician or certified nurse midwife with a specialization in maternal48
and child health;49
(3) One licensed physician or nurse practitioner with a specialization in geriatrics;50
(4) One licensed social worker;51
(5) Two community health worker employers, with special consideration given to care52
management organizations;53
(6) Two persons representing training program providers;54
(7) One person with experience and training in public health policy, with special55
consideration given to the Georgia Community Health Worker Advocacy Coalition; and56
(8) Two practicing community health workers, with special consideration given to57
persons active in the Georgia Community Health Worker Network, provided that such58
persons are eligible for certification as community health workers in this state and shall59
obtain such certification within a time frame specified in rules adopted by the committee.60
(b) The Commissioner shall appoint two agency representatives to serve as nonvoting61
members of the committee.62
(c) No member shall serve on the committee for more than two consecutive full terms. A63
member appointed for less than a full term may serve two consecutive full terms, and a64
former member shall be eligible again for appointment after a lapse of one or more years.65
H. B. 291
- 3 - 25 LC 52 0707
(d) Members of the committee may be removed from office under the same conditions for66
removal from office of members of professional licensing boards provided in Code67
Section 43-1-17.68
(e) Members shall serve without compensation, but they may be reimbursed by the69
department, subject to fund availability, in the same manner as state officials and70
employees for travel and other expenses actually incurred by them in carrying out their71
duties as members of the committee.72
31-31-3.73
(a) The committee shall meet at least quarterly and may meet at such other times at the call74
of the chairperson or by a majority of the members as necessary to transact its business. 75
Such meetings may be conducted in person, by telephone, by virtual means, or any76
combination thereof.77
(b) The committee shall elect a chairperson, vice chairperson, and secretary from among78
its membership. Such officers shall serve for terms of two years.79
(c) A majority of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum and shall have80
the authority to act upon any matter properly brought before the committee. The81
committee shall follow all policies and procedures of Chapter 14 of Title 50, relating to82
open and public meetings.83
(d) The department shall provide reasonably necessary administrative support for84
committee activities.85
(e) The committee shall have the following powers and duties:86
(1) To set standards and requirements for approval of training programs and to provide87
a means for programs providing education and training to community health workers88
prior to January 1, 2026, to become approved training programs;89
H. B. 291
- 4 - 25 LC 52 0707
(2) To set standards and requirements for the certification of community health workers90
and to provide a means for individuals employed or engaged as community health91
workers prior to January 1, 2026, to become certified community health workers;92
(3) To set standards and a means to assess the mastery of core competencies necessary93
for an individual to become a certified community health worker;94
(4) To provide for an expedited means for a community health worker duly certified in95
another jurisdiction to become a certified community health worker in this state;96
(5) To establish tiered levels of practice as a certified community health worker and the97
requirements for each established level, including a level that qualifies a certified98
community health worker to act as an educator or trainer in an approved training99
program;100
(6) To establish grounds for complaints related to the practice of certified community101
health workers and to establish and implement procedures for the review, investigation,102
and resolution of such complaints;103
(7) To establish the disciplinary procedures and actions available to the department in104
connection with complaint resolution; such actions may include a fine, reprimand,105
probation, censure, suspension, revocation, denial of a certificate issued, or a combination106
of the foregoing; and107
(8) To perform such other functions and duties in order to protect public health, safety,108
and welfare as may be required to carry out this chapter.109
31-31-4.110
(a) All training programs in this state shall be approved by the committee with oversight111
from the department. No entity shall hold itself out as providing training and education for112
certified community health workers in this state unless its training program has been113
approved by the committee.114
H. B. 291
- 5 - 25 LC 52 0707
(b) The department shall post on its website the requirements and the application form for115
a training program to become approved.116
(c) To obtain approval for a training program, an applicant shall submit an application to117
the committee demonstrating satisfaction of the requirements for a training program and118
pay a fee set by the department.119
31-31-5.120
(a) All community health workers in this state shall be certified by the committee with121
oversight from the department. No person shall act as a community health worker in this122
state unless certified by the committee or otherwise authorized by the committee or123
department.124
(b) The department shall post on its website the requirements and the application form for125
a community health worker to become certified.126
(c) An applicant shall submit an application to the committee demonstrating satisfaction127
of the requirements for a certified community health worker and pay a fee set by the128
department."129
SECTION 2.130
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law131
without such approval.132
SECTION 3.133
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.134
H. B. 291
- 6 -