Alaska2026Passed Legislature
HB287
Alaska Community Health Worker Certification Bill
Last scannedSep 12, 2026, 4:46 AM
In one sentence
This bill creates a new certification system for community health workers in Alaska and adds their services as an optional benefit that medical assistance programs may offer if federal approval is received.
What it does
- Creates a new chapter of law requiring the Department of Health to set rules for certifying community health workers, including training, education, experience requirements, fees, and renewal or cancellation processes.
- Allows applicants with at least 960 hours of paid or volunteer work in this field within the last three years to skip minimum education and training requirements.
- Adds certified community health worker services as an optional benefit that medical assistance programs may offer.
- Requires the Department of Health to seek recommendations from a statewide or nationally recognized organization before writing certification rules.
Who it affects
- Individuals who want to become or are already working as community health workers in Alaska.
- The Alaska Department of Health, which must create and manage the certification program.
- People enrolled in medical assistance programs if their services begin covering these workers.
Limits and unknowns
- Coverage of these services by medical assistance programs only starts if the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services approves changes to the state plan or says approval is not needed.
- The specific rules for training, exams, fees, and experience are not in this bill; they will be written later as regulations.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Certified Community Health Worker
- A person who holds a valid certificate issued by the state to provide specific health-related support services.
- Community Health Worker
- An individual who provides nonmedical services as a liaison between providers and users of those services without needing a state certificate, though they cannot call themselves 'certified' until approved.
- Medical Assistance Coverage
- The government program that pays for health care costs for eligible residents in Alaska.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER CERTIFICATION An Act establishing a community health worker certification; relating to medical assistance coverage for certified community health worker services; and providing for an effective date.
Official activity
Bill history
- (H) REFERRED TO HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES1510
- (H) HSS, FIN1510
- (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS1510