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Georgia Senate Bill SB290

Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia Senate Bill SB290 Compare Versions

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11 25 LC 52 0799
22 Senate Bill 290
33 By: Senator Anavitarte of the 31st
44 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
55 AN ACT
66 To amend Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health, so as to
77 1
88 provide for the certification of community health workers; to provide for definitions; to2
99 provide for the establishment of the Georgia Community Health Worker Certification3
1010 Committee; to provide for membership, powers, and duties of the committee; to provide for4
1111 committee abolishment and transfer of powers and duties to the Department of Public Health;5
1212 to provide for administrative support; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for6
1313 standards; to provide for the approval of training programs; to provide for application7
1414 procedures; to provide for requirements; to provide for related matters; to provide for an8
1515 effective date conditioned on appropriations; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other9
1616 purposes.10
1717 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:11
1818 SECTION 1.12
1919 Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health, is amended by revising13
2020 Chapter 31, which is reserved, as follows:14
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2323 "CHAPTER 31
2424 15
2525 31-31-1.16
2626 As used in this chapter, the term:
2727 17
2828 (1) 'Certified community health worker' means an individual to whom the committee has18
2929 issued a certificate to serve as a certified community health worker based on standards19
3030 and requirements approved by the department.20
3131 (2) 'Commissioner' means the commissioner of public health.21
3232 (3) 'Committee' means the Georgia Community Health Worker Certification Committee22
3333 established by Code Section 31-31-2.23
3434 (4) 'Community health worker' means a frontline public health worker who is a trusted24
3535 member of a community or has a demonstrated knowledge of a community and25
3636 individuals served and:26
3737 (A) Provides culturally appropriate health education, information, and outreach in27
3838 community based settings such as homes, schools, clinics, shelters, local businesses,28
3939 and community centers;29
4040 (B) Bridges or culturally mediates between individuals, communities, and health and30
4141 human services, including actively building individual and community capacity;31
4242 (C) Assures that community members access the services they need;32
4343 (D) Provides direct services, such as informal counseling, social support, care33
4444 coordination, and health screenings;34
4545 (E) Advocates for individual and community needs with an emphasis on healthcare35
4646 needs; and36
4747 (F) Provides any additional services that may emerge in the development of37
4848 community health worker practice.38
4949 (5) 'Core competencies' means the knowledge and skills a certified community health39
5050 worker is expected to demonstrate in order to carry out the mission and goals of the40
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5353 profession. Such term includes, but is not limited to, communication skills; interpersonal41
5454 and relationship-building skills; service coordination and navigation skills;42
5555 capacity-building skills; patient advocacy skills; education and facilitation skills;43
5656 individual and community assessment skills; community outreach and engagement skills;44
5757 evaluation and research skills; and knowledge base.45
5858 (6) 'Department' means the Department of Public Health.46
5959 (7) 'Training program' means an education and training program that meets the47
6060 curriculum and training required for a community health worker to be eligible for48
6161 certification and that has been approved by the department based on standards and49
6262 requirements recommended by the committee. Reserved.50
6363 31-31-2.51
6464 (a) There is established the Georgia Community Health Worker Certification Committee.52
6565 The commissioner shall appoint the 11 voting members of the committee as follows:53
6666 (1) One licensed physician with a specialization in primary care or family medicine;54
6767 (2) One licensed physician with a specialization in maternal and child health;55
6868 (3) One licensed physician with a specialization in geriatrics;56
6969 (4) One licensed social worker;57
7070 (5) Three representatives of community health worker employers, one of whom shall58
7171 represent hospitals, one of whom shall represent a federally qualified health center, and59
7272 one of whom shall represent a community based organization;60
7373 (6) One person with experience and training in public health policy, with special61
7474 consideration given to an active member of the Georgia Community Health Worker62
7575 Advocacy Coalition;63
7676 (7) Two practicing community health workers, provided that such persons are eligible64
7777 for certification as community health workers in this state and shall obtain such65
7878 certification within a time frame specified in bylaws adopted by the committee; and66
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8181 (8) One active member of the Georgia Community Health Worker Advisory Board.67
8282 (b) The commissioner shall appoint two department representatives to serve as nonvoting68
8383 members of the committee.69
8484 (c) Any voting member of the committee shall serve a two-year term, and no such member70
8585 shall serve on the committee for more than two consecutive full terms. A member71
8686 appointed for less than a full term may serve two consecutive full terms, and a former72
8787 member shall be eligible again for appointment after a lapse of one or more years.73
8888 (d) If there is a vacancy on the committee, such position shall be filled in the same manner74
8989 as the original appointment. Members of the committee may be removed from office by75
9090 the commissioner under the same conditions for removal from office of members of76
9191 professional licensing boards provided in Code Section 43-1-17.77
9292 (e) Members shall serve without compensation, but they may be reimbursed by the78
9393 department, subject to fund availability, in the same manner as state officials and79
9494 employees for travel and other expenses actually incurred by them in carrying out their80
9595 duties as members of the committee.81
9696 (f) The committee shall be abolished June 30, 2029, and the powers and duties of the82
9797 committee shall transfer to the department upon such abolishment.83
9898 31-31-3.84
9999 (a) The committee shall meet at least quarterly and may meet at such other times at the call85
100100 of the chairperson or by a majority of the members as necessary to transact its business.86
101101 Such meetings may be conducted in person, by telephone, by virtual means, or any87
102102 combination thereof.88
103103 (b) The committee shall elect a chairperson, vice chairperson, and secretary from among89
104104 its membership. Such officers shall serve for terms of two years.90
105105 (c) A majority of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum and shall have91
106106 the authority to act upon any matter properly brought before the committee. The92
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109109 committee shall follow all policies and procedures of Chapter 14 of Title 50, relating to93
110110 open and public meetings.94
111111 (d) The committee shall have the following powers and duties:95
112112 (1) To make recommendations to the department on the standards and requirements for96
113113 approval of training programs and a means for programs providing education and training97
114114 to community health workers prior to July 1, 2026, to become approved training98
115115 programs;99
116116 (2) To make recommendations to the department on the standards and requirements for100
117117 the certification of community health workers and a means for individuals employed or101
118118 engaged as community health workers prior to July 1, 2026, to become certified102
119119 community health workers;103
120120 (3) To make recommendations to the department on the standards and a means to assess104
121121 the mastery of core competencies necessary for an individual to become a certified105
122122 community health worker;106
123123 (4) To provide for an expedited means for a community health worker duly certified in107
124124 another jurisdiction to become a certified community health worker in this state;108
125125 (5) To make recommendations to the department on the establishment of tiered levels of109
126126 practice for certified community health workers and requirements for each established110
127127 level, including a level that qualifies a certified community health worker to act as an111
128128 educator or trainer in an approved training program;112
129129 (6) To establish a process for the receipt, review, approval, and denial of applications for113
130130 certification;114
131131 (7) To establish a process for the receipt and review of complaints related to the practice115
132132 of certified community health workers;116
133133 (8) To establish disciplinary procedures and actions, including revocation or denial of117
134134 a certificate issued, or a combination of the foregoing; and118
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137137 (9) To perform such other functions and duties in order to protect public health, safety,119
138138 and welfare as may be required to carry out this chapter.120
139139 (e) The department shall provide reasonably necessary administrative support for121
140140 committee activities.122
141141 (f) The department shall be authorized to promulgate rules and regulations necessary to123
142142 implement the provisions of this article, including recommendations from the committee.124
143143 31-31-4.125
144144 (a) All training programs in this state shall satisfy the requirements established by the126
145145 department. No entity shall hold itself out as providing training and education for certified127
146146 community health workers in this state unless its training program has been approved by128
147147 the committee.129
148148 (b) The department shall post on its website the requirements and the application form for130
149149 a training program to become approved and for the renewal of such approvals. Such131
150150 requirements shall include 45 hours of core competency training, of which 16 hours shall132
151151 include training on specific health topics.133
152152 (c) An applicant for an approved training program shall submit an application to the134
153153 committee demonstrating satisfaction of the requirements for a training program and pay135
154154 a fee set by the department; provided, however, that, if an applicant provided education and136
155155 training to community health workers prior to July 1, 2026, such applicant shall submit an137
156156 application to the committee demonstrating satisfaction of requirements for such program,138
157157 pay a fee set by the department, and provide a list of students who successfully completed139
158158 such program at any time from January 1, 2016, to July 1, 2026.140
159159 (d) An application is not complete until the committee has received all the required141
160160 materials. The committee shall notify the applicant within 30 calendar days after receipt142
161161 of an application whether such application is complete or incomplete and identify any143
162162 materials that are needed to complete such application. When the applicant fails to provide144
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165165 the required documentation within 120 calendar days of notification, the committee may145
166166 administratively close such application or deny the application. An applicant whose146
167167 application is administratively closed or denied may reapply and submit a new application147
168168 and a new application fee.148
169169 (e) The approvals of training programs under this Code section shall be valid for up to two149
170170 years and shall expire biennially unless renewed. Suspension and revocation of approvals150
171171 shall be subject to the administrative procedures contained in Chapter 13 of Title 50, the151
172172 'Georgia Administrative Procedure Act.'152
173173 31-31-5.153
174174 (a) The title 'certified community health worker' shall only be used by individuals who154
175175 have met the requirements and qualifications for certification as a community health155
176176 worker as established by the committee and have been duly certified by the committee. An156
177177 individual certified as a community health worker shall identify himself or herself as a157
178178 certified community health worker during any patient interactions and shall not utilize any158
179179 other titles that such individual is not certified or licensed to use.159
180180 (b) The department shall post on its website the requirements and the application form for160
181181 a community health worker to become certified and for the renewals of such certificates.161
182182 (c) An applicant for a certified community health worker shall submit an application to the162
183183 committee demonstrating satisfaction of the requirements for a certified community health163
184184 worker and pay a fee set by the department. A certified community health worker shall:164
185185 (1) Be 18 years of age or older;165
186186 (2) Possess a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent;166
187187 (3) Not be ineligible for certification on grounds established by the committee;167
188188 (4) Provide professional references, one of which shall be a current or former supervisor,168
189189 with direct knowledge of the applicant's work and ability in the core competencies for169
190190 community health workers;170
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193193 (5) Have received satisfactory results from a fingerprint record check report conducted171
194194 by the Georgia Crime Information Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as172
195195 determined by the committee. Application for the issuance of a certificate under this173
196196 chapter shall constitute express consent and authorization for the department to perform174
197197 a criminal background check. Each applicant who submits an application to the175
198198 committee for a certificate agrees to provide the department with any and all information176
199199 necessary to run a criminal background check, including, but not limited to, classifiable177
200200 sets of fingerprints. Such applicant shall be responsible for all fees associated with the178
201201 performance of such background check;179
202202 (6) Submit proof of successful completion of an approved training program and 2,000180
203203 hours of employment as a community health worker within ten years of the date of181
204204 application; and182
205205 (7) Any other requirements established by rules and regulations promulgated by the183
206206 department.184
207207 (d) An applicant may satisfy the requirement provided in paragraph (6) of subsection (c)185
208208 of this Code section if such applicant submits an application prior to July 1, 2027, and186
209209 proof of:187
210210 (1) Successful completion of an education and training program for community health188
211211 workers completed between July 1, 2016, and July 1, 2026, and 2,000 hours of189
212212 employment as a community health worker within ten years of the date of application as190
213213 established by the committee; or191
214214 (2) At least 4,000 hours of employment as a community health worker within ten years192
215215 of the date of application and an attestation from an employer that such applicant193
216216 performed duties that included core competencies and is competent to perform activities194
217217 as a certified community health worker as established by the committee.195
218218 (e) An application for a certified community health worker is not complete until the196
219219 committee has received all the required materials. The committee shall notify the applicant197
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222222 within 30 calendar days after receipt of an application whether such application is complete198
223223 or incomplete and identify any materials that are needed to complete such application.199
224224 When the applicant fails to provide the required documentation within 120 calendar days200
225225 of notification, the committee may administratively close such application or deny the201
226226 application. An applicant whose application is administratively closed or denied may202
227227 reapply and submit a new application and a new application fee.203
228228 (f) Certificates issued pursuant to this Code section shall be valid for up to two years and204
229229 shall expire biennially unless renewed. Suspension and revocation of certificates shall be205
230230 subject to the administrative procedures contained in Chapter 13 of Title 50, the 'Georgia206
231231 Administrative Procedure Act.'"207
232232 SECTION 2.208
233233 (a) This Act shall become effective only if funds are specifically appropriated for the209
234234 purposes of this Act in an appropriations Act enacted by the General Assembly.210
235235 (b) If funds are so appropriated, then this Act shall become effective on the later of:211
236236 (1) The date on which such appropriations Act becomes effective; or212
237237 (2) The beginning date of the fiscal year for which such appropriations are made.213
238238 SECTION 3.214
239239 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.215
240240 S. B. 290
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