Community Health Aide Program

Training and Certification Planning Tools

Use these tools below to understand requirements for Community Health Aide training and certification, track competencies, and recertification.

CHA Levels of Practice and Certification Requirements

Community Health Aide certification is overseen by the CHAP Certification Board and includes five progressive levels of practice: Community Health Aide I (CHA I), Community Health Aide II (CHA II), Community Health Aide III (CHA III), Community Health Aide IV (CHA IV), and Community Health Practitioner (CHP). Each level reflects increasing training, field experience, and clinical scope of practice.

To become certified, applicants must complete the required Basic Training sessions and Field Training Requirements and submit documentation to the Certification Board for approval. CHPs are certified upon completion of their Preceptorship.

Maintaining certification requires ongoing continuing education and demonstrated clinical competency, and CHA/Ps must reapply for certification every two years.

Certification Tools and Forms

CHA I

CHA I is your entry point into the CHA/P program. You’ll build foundational skills in patient history-taking, basic physical exams, and specimen collection, using the Community Health Aide Manual (CHAM) under the close direction of your supervising physician. 

Session I Training

Session I Basic Training is a 4-week course provided by a certified CHA training center.

Topics covered: Ear, eye, respiratory, digestive, skin, suturing, injections, IV therapy, labs, and wound care.

Pre-requisite: To be eligible for Session I training, the trainee must complete a Board approved Presession course. 

The Presession course has 8 lessons and can take a trainee an average of 8 hours to complete. A course is available via the Distance Learning Network. The Presession Skills Checklist is a guide that can be found on the Resources page. The Presession course certificate of completion should be included in the application for Session I Basic Training.

Field Training Requirements

After the completion of Session I Training, the trainee returns to their home community to complete the Field Training Requirements within 6 months of the Training Center portion. Session I Field Training Requirements include:

  • Complete Post-Session Learning Needs (PSLN), 
  • 5 Patient Encounter Form (PEF) Chart Reviews 
  • Direct on-site observation of CHA patient care on a minimum of 3 patients, 
  • 3 Medical Traffic Evaluations, and
  • 20 full History Exam Assessment Plan (HEAP) patient encounters.

 

The CHA Trainee should work full time in a village clinic between sessions I and II. 

Applying for CHA I Certification

Documents you will need to apply for certification as a CHA I:

  • Session I Certificate
  • Current EMT/ETT

The application is accessed via the CHAPCB webpage.

CHA II

CHA II builds on your CHA I foundation with a wider range of acute care skills, including medication administration and treatment of common illness and injury, still working closely with your supervising physician.

Session II Training

Session II Training is a 4-week course provided by a certified CHA training center.

Topics covered: Remaining body systems, mental health, suturing, injections, IV therapy, labs, wound care

Field Training Requirements

After the completion of Session II Training, the trainee returns to their home community to complete the Field Training Requirements within 6 months of the Training Center portion. Session II Field Training Requirements include:

  • Complete Post-Session Learning Needs (PSLN), 
  • 5 Patient Encounter Form (PEF) Chart Reviews 
  • Direct on-site observation of CHA patient care on a minimum of 3 patients, 
  • 3 Medical Traffic Evaluations,
  • 200 hours clinical field experience, and
  • 60 full History Exam Assessment Plan (HEAP) patient encounters.

Applying for CHA II Certification

Documents you will need to apply for certification as a CHA II:

  • Session II Certificate
  • Current EMT/ETT

The application is accessed via the CHAPCB webpage.

CHA III

CHA III expands your scope to more complex acute and chronic conditions, with greater independence in patient assessment and treatment decisions under physician oversight.

Session III Training

Session III Training is a 3-week course provided by a certified CHA training center.

Topics covered: Maternal and child health, emergency delivery, prenatal care, IV therapy, wound care

Field Training Requirements

After the completion of Session II Training, the trainee returns to their home community to complete the Field Training Requirements within 6 months of the Training Center portion. Session III Field Training Requirements include:

  • Complete Post-Session Learning Needs (PSLN), 
  • 5 Patient Encounter Form (PEF) Chart Reviews 
  • Direct on-site observation of CHA patient care on a minimum of 3 patients, 
  • 3 Medical Traffic Evaluations,
  • 200 hours clinical field experience, and
  • 60 full History Exam Assessment Plan (HEAP) patient encounters.

Applying for CHA III Certification

Documents you will need to apply for certification as a CHA III:

  • Session III Certificate
  • Current EMT/ETT

The application is accessed via the CHAPCB webpage.

CHA IV

CHA IV is the most advanced level of CHA practice, covering the full range of conditions addressed in the CHAM with the greatest degree of independent clinical judgment prior to CHP.

Session IV Training

Session IV Training is a 4-week course provided by a certified CHA training center.

Topics covered: Review of body systems, chronic care, preventative care, injury prevention, IV therapy, wound care

Field Training Requirements

After the completion of Session IV Training, the trainee returns to their home community to complete the Field Training Requirements within 6 months of the Training Center portion. Session IV Field Training Requirements include:

  • Complete Post-Session Learning Needs (PSLN), 
  • 5 Patient Encounter Form (PEF) Chart Reviews 
  • Direct on-site observation of CHA patient care on a minimum of 3 patients, 
  • 3 Medical Traffic Evaluations,
  • 200 hours clinical field experience, and
  • 60 full History Exam Assessment Plan (HEAP) patient encounters.

Applying for CHA IV Certification

Documents you will need to apply for certification as a CHA IV:

  • Session IV Certificate
  • Current EMT/ETT

The application is accessed via the CHAPCB webpage.

CHP

The CHP is the highest level of CHA/P certification. CHPs manage the most complex clinical care, often serve as team leads, and mentor CHAs across all levels.

Preceptorship

To verify the CHA/P’s clinical competency and help ensure quality health care is provided:

  • A Community Health Aide (CHA) who has completed all four Basic Training sessions and the
    required Field Training Requirements is eligible to apply for an initial Preceptorship.
  • Once the Preceptorship process is started, it must be completed within 6 months.
  • When the Preceptorship is completed, the CHA will receive their initial credential as Community Health Aide Practitioner (CHP).
  • CHP Preceptorship is valid for six years and must be renewed by completing a re-evaluation
    Preceptorship.

Preceptorship Resources:

Applying for CHP Certification

Documents you will need to apply for certification as a CHP:

  • CHP Credential
  • Current EMT/ETT

The application is accessed via the CHAPCB webpage.

Renewal

Prior to the expiration of the CHAPCB certification, a CHA/P must complete continuing education and a skills evaluation.

Note: Certification as a CHP is different from the CHP credential.  A CHP Preceptorship must be renewed every 6 years by a Training Center and the requirements for CHP credential renewal are the same as for the initial Preceptorship.

Continuing Education Requirements for Renewal

Continuing education activities must be approved and relevant to your scope of practice. To qualify for renewal, applicants must complete at least 48 hours of continuing education during the two years preceding their renewal application. Of those hours, no more than 24 hours may be related to emergency medical topics.
 
A current list of approved trainings is available here: CHA Website CE List Rev 07.23.26
 
You may request approval of additional trainings by completing the CE Request Form. Email the request form and appropriate attachments to akchap@anthc.org. 

Skills Evaluation Requirements for Renewal

The CHA/P must demonstrate competency at the level for which they are seeking certification renewal. Within the two years prior to the renewal application one of the following skills evaluations must be completed:  

A Note Regarding Re-entry Evaluations: 

CHA/Ps who have not worked 80 clinical hours and seen 30 patients in the 6 months prior to applying for certification must complete a Re-Entry Evaluation.

A Re-Entry Evaluation is conducted to assess a CHA/P’s demonstrated skills and competencies, allowing the employer to determine the most suitable level of practice.

Additional information about Re-Entry Evaluation is available under Resources.

Applying for Certification Renewal

Documents you will need to apply for certification renewal: 

The application is accessed via the CHAPCB webpage.

Training Centers

Alaska Community Health Aides are selected by their communities prior to receiving training.

There are Training Centers are located in Anchorage, Bethel, Nome, and Fairbanks. Traditionally, there are 4 CHA training sessions with each session lasting 3-4 weeks. Currently, there are distance learning opportunities for session training limiting time spent away from one’s community. Between sessions, CHAs work in their clinics completing a skills list and practicum. After successfully completing the four-session training curriculum and a clinical skills preceptorship and examination, the CHA qualifies as a Community Health Practitioner (CHP). CHA/Ps at any level of training may obtain certification by the Community Health Aide Program Certification Board (CHAPCB).

Alaska Native Tribal Health Center (ANTHC)

The Community Health Aide Program is a network of about 550 Community Health Aides/Practitioners (CHA/Ps) in more than 170 rural Alaska villages. CHA/Ps are part of an established referral relationship that includes mid-level providers, physicians, regional hospitals, and the Alaska Native Medical Center. In addition, providers such as public health nurses, physicians, and dentists visit villages to see clients in collaboration with the CHA/Ps. ANTHC is pleased to support the Community Health Aide Training Program and prepare CHA/Ps for their vital role in the Tribal health system. Training centers are located in Anchorage, Bethel, Nome, and Fairbanks. CHAs take part in four sessions of training-each last three to four weeks. CHA/Ps at any level of training may obtain certification from the Community Health Aide Program Certification Board.

Norton Sound Health Corporation

The Norton Sound Health Aide Training Center offers classroom and hands-on training to village residents from around the state who want to become or are already working as community health aides.
Visit Norton Sound Health Aide Training

Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC)

Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) is an Alaska Native non-profit corporation, also organized as Dena’ Nena’ Henash or “Our Land Speaks”. We work towards meeting the health and social service needs of Tribal members and beneficiaries throughout our region.
Visit Tanana Chiefs Conference

Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation (YKHC)

The Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation, commonly referred to as YKHC, is a Tribal Organization that administers a comprehensive healthcare delivery system for 58 rural communities in southwest Alaska. 
Visit Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation