Community Health Workers

2025-2026 Bill 5002: Community Health Workers - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
Download
This Bill
in Microsoft Word Format
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
H. 5002
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Henderson-Myers, Williams and Luck
Document Path: LC-0397VR26.docx
Introduced in the House on January 22, 2026
Currently residing in the House
Summary: Community Health Workers
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

1/22/2026

House

Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 26
)

1/22/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
(
House Journal-page 26
)

1/29/2026

House

Member(s) request name removed as sponsor: Hosey

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
01/22/2026

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH
CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING CHAPTER 49 TO TITLE 43 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE
CERTIFICATION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA; TO
ESTABLISH CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND AUTHORIZED SERVICES; TO REQUIRE THE
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH TO PROMULGATE CERTAIN REGULATIONS, INCLUDING
CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS; TO PROVIDE FOR MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT OF
AUTHORIZED SERVICES; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES; AND BY ADDING SECTION
44-6-75
SO
AS TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO SEEK FEDERAL
APPROVAL FOR A STATE MEDICAID PLAN AMENDMENT OR WAIVER INCLUDING SERVICES
PROVIDED BY CERTIFIED COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.

B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

S
ECTION 1.
T
itle 43 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

C
HAPTER 49

C
ertified Community Health Workers

S
ection
43-49-10
.
A
s used in this chapter:

(
1)
"Department" means the South Carolina Department of Public Health.

(
2)
"Certified community health worker" means an individual who has been certified,
in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, by the department as a
community health worker.

(
3)
"Core competencies" means the knowledge and skills a certified community health
worker is expected to demonstrate in order to carry out the mission and goals
of the profession as defined by the department through the promulgation of
regulations.

S
ection
43-49-20
. (A)
E
ffective January 1, 2027, no person
shall represent himself or herself as a community health worker in South
Carolina unless the person is certified as such in accordance with the
provisions of this chapter.

(
B) In
order to be eligible to apply for community health worker certification, an
individual must:

(
1)
be a legal United States resident;

(
2)
(
a) be a resident of South Carolina; or

(
b)
be employed as a community health worker in the State of South Carolina;

(
3)
be at least eighteen years of age; and

(
4)
(
a) complete a competency-based
community health worker training and mentorship program offered by an
organization approved by the department to provide community health worker
training and mentorship; or

(
b)
meet requirements established by the department through the promulgation of
regulations for certification based on relevant and verifiable past community
health worker-related work experience.

(
C)
Community health worker certifications must be renewed annually and expire on
October thirty-first of the year following the date of certification or
recertification.

(
D)
(
1) In order to be eligible for
recertification, a certified community health worker annually shall complete
continuing education, as required by the department in promulgated regulations
that address the core competencies of community health work.

(
2)
Continuing education must be offered by an organization approved by the
department to teach continuing education for certified community health
workers.

(
3)
Regulations promulgated pursuant to this subsection must include continuing
education requirements related to oral health care, infant and maternal
healthcare, and geriatric healthcare.

(
E)
Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, an individual is
eligible to earn college course credit for training, mentorship, and continuing
education completed pursuant to subsections (B)(4) and (D).

S
ection
43-49-30
.
(
A) If a Medicaid managed
care organization contracted by the State Department of Health and Human
Services for the delivery of Medicaid services employs a certified community
health worker, the services provided by that certified community health worker
shall not be considered to be duplicative of services, and shall not provide a
basis to deny services or reimbursement for services, provided by a certified
community health worker employed by an entity described in Section
44-6-75
.
Provided, however, a certified community health worker is not eligible to
enroll as an independent Medicaid participating provider.

(
B) A
certified community health worker may provide the following services:

(
1)
direct preventative services or services designed to slow the progression of
chronic diseases, including screenings for basic human needs and referrals to
appropriate services and agencies to meet those needs;

(
2)
health promotion education to prevent illness or disease, including the
promotion of healthy behaviors to increase awareness and prevent the
development of illness or disease;

(
3)
facilitation between a beneficiary and a provider when cultural factors, such
as language, socioeconomic status, or health literacy, become a barrier to
properly understanding treatment options or treatment plans;

(
4)
diagnosis-related patient education regarding self-management of physical,
dental, or mental health; and

(
5)
any other service approved by the State Department for Health and Human
Services pursuant to Section
44-6-75
.

S
ection
43-49-40
.
T
he South Carolina Department of Public
Health shall:

(
1)
promulgate regulations, necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter,
including establishing:

(
a)
the core competencies of community health work;

(
b)
the community health worker certification application and renewal process,
including training, mentorship, and continuing education requirements;

(
c)
a certification application and renewal fee;

(
d)
procedures for certification denial, suspension, and revocation; and

(
e)
the scope of practice for certified community health workers;

(
2)
approve competency-based training programs and training providers, which shall
include the South Carolina Technical College System;

(
3)
approve organizations to provide continuing education for certified community
health workers; and

(
4)
work with the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education and the State Board
for Technical and Comprehensive Education to ensure that appropriate college
course credits are awarded to individuals who complete certified community
health worker training, mentorship, and continuing education provided by
competency-based providers approved by the department.

S
ECTION 2.
A
rticle 1, Chapter 6, Title 44 of the S.C. Code is
amended by adding:

S
ection
44-6-75
.
(
A)(1) By January 1, 2027, the
State Department of Health and Human Services shall seek approval from the
federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for a state plan amendment,
waiver, or alternative payment model, including public-private partnerships,
for services delivered by certified community health workers pursuant to
Chapter 49, Title 43.

(
2)
Any state plan amendment, waiver, or alternative payment sought by the
department pursuant to this subsection shall provide reimbursement for services
described in Chapter 49, Title 43 when provided by a certified community health
worker who is employed and supervised by a Medicaid participating provider who
is employed by:

(
a)
an alcohol and other drug treatment entity;

(
b)
a behavioral health services organization;

(
c)
a community mental health center;

(
d)
a federally qualified health center or a federally qualified health center
look-alike;

(
e)
a health system consisting of either at least one hospital and at least one
group of physicians or more than one group of physicians;

(
f)
a hospital;

(
g)
a local public health department;

(
h)
a primary care clinic;

(
i)
a rural public health clinic; or

(
j)
another Medicaid participating provider approved by the department.

(
C) The
department shall promulgate regulations necessary to carry out the provisions
of this section and obtain all necessary approvals from the federal Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services.

(
D) As
permitted by federal law, in any plan submitted for federal Title XXI approval
of a children's health insurance program for South Carolina, the department
shall include provisions for a preventive health insurance program for children
with no copayment, deductible, coinsurance, or premium for services rendered by
certified community health workers pursuant to Chapter 49, Title 43.

S
ECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.

----XX----

This web page was last updated on January 22, 2026 at 10:44 AM