Ohio’s Board of Nursing issues community health worker certificates. The standard route combines an approved training program, an application and required criminal-record checks. Program leaders should distinguish Board certification, employer responsibilities and any payer or community HUB agreement when building a CHW team and choosing its documentation workflow. [1, 2]
Ohio CHW quick facts
| Topic | Ohio guidance |
|---|---|
| Credential agency | Ohio Board of Nursing. [1] |
| Standard eligibility | Age 18 or older, high school diploma or equivalent, approved training and other statutory conditions. [2] |
| Minimum training | 100 hours of didactic instruction and 130 hours of clinical experience. [3] |
| Training attestation | The program sends completed Form A directly to the Board. Applicant-submitted Form A is not accepted. [1] |
| Standard application fee | $35 under the certification rule, separate from training and screening costs. [4] |
| Renewal | Odd-numbered years. March 1 is the on-time application deadline; certificates lapse if not renewed by March 31. [5] |
| Continuing education | Normally 15 hours per renewal period, with a first-renewal exception and required topics. [6] |
| Last reviewed | November 6, 2026 |
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What does a CHW do in Ohio?
Ohio’s certification framework describes community representatives who help people access health and supportive resources through outreach, education, referrals and related assistance. The Board’s rules also address the distinct situation in which a registered nurse delegates a nursing task. That distinction matters when defining an employee’s duties. [4, 7]
A CHW program should explain what workers do independently within their assigned role, what requires consultation and what must be escalated. A community referral does not become a nursing task merely because it occurs in a clinic. Conversely, a job title should not be used to bypass the rules for delegated care.
How to become a certified community health worker in Ohio
For the standard route, state law requires applicants to be at least 18 and have a high school diploma or equivalent, complete approved training and satisfy the remaining eligibility requirements. The Board’s current application instructions require BCI and FBI criminal-record checks, the online application and a training-program attestation. [1, 2]
- Choose a program on the Board’s current approved-program list.
- Confirm admission, tuition, schedule and clinical placement expectations.
- Complete the training and arrange for the program’s direct attestation.
- Follow the Board’s criminal-record check instructions.
- Apply through Ohio eLicense and track any outstanding items.
- Verify that the Board has issued the certificate before representing the worker as Board-certified.
Completion of a class and issuance of a Board certificate are different milestones. Keep both in the workforce record.
How much training does Ohio require?
The minimum approved curriculum includes 100 hours of didactic instruction and 130 hours of clinical experience. The rule addresses community resources, communication, advocacy, education, documentation, confidentiality and related competencies. It also requires appropriate supervision for the community practicum. [3]
Ask a prospective program who arranges placements, how attendance is recorded, how competency is assessed and what happens if a placement is delayed. The rule also requires qualified instructional personnel for the community practicum and a current, signed agreement with a cooperating organization. Ask which tasks the program permits the learner to perform and who evaluates them. A convenient online component does not eliminate clinical experience or authorize a student to practice nursing independently. OAC 4723-26-13(E) to (F).
Where can workers find approved Ohio programs?
Use the Ohio Board of Nursing’s approved-program directory as the starting point. It lists programs and approval information. Some entries include an explicit approval extension. An older printed expiration date should not be used alone to declare a program unapproved when the current Board listing says its approval was extended. [8]
Contact the program about its next cohort and confirm current Board status before enrolling. Published directories are not evidence that a seat or scholarship is available. For example, Ohio University describes its own classroom and practicum model and current funding-supported tuition arrangement; those terms belong to that program, not every Ohio provider. [9]
Form A and background checks
The Board’s current instructions say the applicant completes Part 1 of Form A and forwards it to the approved training program. The administrator completes Part 2 and sends it directly to the Board. A copy uploaded or emailed by the applicant is not accepted as the required direct attestation. [1]
The Board directs BCI and FBI results to be sent directly by BCI. Its instructions use ORC 4723.091 as the fingerprinting reason code and identify the Board as recipient. They say to allow at least 45 days before asking BCI about forwarding results. That is a screening follow-up interval, not a promise that certification will be issued in 45 days. Board background-check instructions.
Create a simple application tracker showing when the worker completed training, when the program sent the form and whether the Board requested anything else. Keep sensitive screening material restricted and follow the Board’s direct-submission instructions rather than collecting unnecessary copies in a general staff folder.
Application fees and endorsement
The standard certification rule lists a $35 application fee and says an application becomes void if its requirements are not completed within one year. The Board also publishes a $3.50 transaction charge for payments. Tuition and screening are separate, so the $35 rule fee is not the complete cost of becoming certified. Fees are nonrefundable and the online application remains incomplete without payment. Board payment instructions. [4]
Ohio also has certification-by-endorsement provisions for qualifying out-of-state credentials or experience. Eligibility depends on the applicable route, good standing and required verification. Do not assume that any private national training certificate qualifies. Ask the Board which route applies before a worker repeats training or pays for an application. [4]
Which endorsement route fits an out-of-state worker?
The current rule separates three routes, each with its own evidence:
| Route | Credential and practice evidence described in the rule |
|---|---|
| Substantially similar occupational license or qualifying government certificate | Held for the preceding year, practice during at least one of the past five years and good standing |
| Private certification from a state without an occupational license or government certificate | Held for the preceding two years, practice during at least two of the past five years and good standing with the issuer |
| Practice in a state without an occupational license or government certificate, or uniformed service | Active practice for at least three of the past five years |
The rule requires credential verification directly from the issuer where applicable and practice verification directly from the employer, designee or uniformed service. The endorsement application also includes criminal-record and conduct conditions. A private credential can qualify through its specific route, but not simply because an organization calls a course “certification.” OAC 4723-26-03.
Ohio CHW renewal deadlines
Renewal occurs in odd-numbered years. Under the current rule, a completed application submitted after March 1 is late and adds a $50 late fee to the $35 renewal fee. If a certificate is not renewed by March 31 and has not been placed on inactive status, it lapses. The next odd-year cycle after this review is 2027. The initial-certificate rule has a timing exception: a certificate issued on or after January 1 of an odd-numbered year stays current through March 31 of the next odd-numbered year. For example, a qualifying initial certificate issued in January 2027 does not immediately become due for renewal in March 2027. Check the actual issued status and date. OAC 4723-26-02(D). [5]
The Board publishes an ordinary January 1 through March 1 renewal window, with late fees from March 2 through March 31. Its payment instructions add the $3.50 transaction charge to the applicable fee. Board renewal instructions.
Set an internal deadline early enough to resolve missing education evidence or application questions. An employee with an inactive or lapsed certificate must not be represented as currently Board-certified. Treat renewal submitted, renewal approved and active status confirmed as separate events. [5]
Continuing education and evidence
The normal renewal requirement is 15 contact hours, with an exception for the first renewal of a current, valid certificate. Required content includes at least one hour on Ohio nursing law and Board rules and one hour on professional boundaries. The rule specifies how the Ohio-law education must be approved or offered. [6]
Retain evidence for six years. Excess hours do not carry into future renewal periods. For reactivation or reinstatement, the 15 hours must fall within the preceding 24 months and include the required topics. The rule permits a one-time continuing-education waiver by written request, which cannot be rescinded after requested, and provides separate military-extension provisions. Do not mark a waiver or extension as granted solely because a worker may qualify to request it. OAC 4723-26-05.
A renewal tracker should identify the activity dates, contact hours, approved provider, Ohio-law component, professional-boundaries component and any actual Board decision. For a fictional experienced worker returning from inactive status, 15 hours completed three years ago do not meet the stated 24-month reactivation window. The Board’s accepted evidence and current status remain the final records. [6]
Registered nurse delegation and supervision
Ohio’s rules distinguish nursing from non-nursing tasks. RN supervision under this chapter is not required for non-nursing tasks. Delegated nursing tasks must satisfy the Board’s criteria and supervision provisions. Medication administration may not be delegated to a CHW under these rules, and a CHW may not redelegate a nursing task. [7]
Before delegation, the RN evaluates the person’s needs and stability, task complexity, the worker’s preparation, available resources and supervision. The task must have reasonably predictable results and exact directions, without requiring the CHW to make nursing judgments or complex clinical decisions. The RN identifies the individual and time frame for the task and must intervene immediately if the worker performs it incorrectly. These are task-specific decisions. OAC 4723-26-08.
What supervision is required for delegated nursing work?
The supervising RN must remain continually accessible in person or through telecommunications and evaluate the person’s needs, the worker’s performance, any further instruction and whether to withdraw delegation. The rule sets a maximum of five CHWs supervised by one RN at a given time and also requires considering task mix, settings, worker competency and emergency support. That limit belongs to delegated nursing-task supervision, rather than every ordinary outreach team. OAC 4723-26-09.
A worker who believes a task is harmful, contraindicated, unauthorized or affected by a change in the person’s condition must clarify it promptly with the RN. The safe-care rule addresses advising the RN when declining the task, documenting that communication and taking steps to protect the person. Build an escalation route rather than expecting a worker to proceed because a task appears on a schedule. OAC 4723-26-10.
How are Ohio CHW programs funded?
Board certification establishes workforce status, not a universal payment method. Ohio programs may work through organization-specific funding and care coordination arrangements. The Central Ohio Pathways HUB, for example, describes a local model involving care coordination agencies and CHWs. Its operating model should not be generalized into a statewide fee schedule for every certified worker. [10]
For your program, obtain the current agreement and identify who pays, which participants qualify, what deliverable triggers payment and what evidence is required. Keep a grant activity, a HUB pathway and another payer service distinct if their definitions differ.
See it in your program
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An Ohio CHW program launch checklist
- Define the population, service area and worker responsibilities.
- Verify training completion and issued Board certification.
- Assign renewal monitoring and education-evidence responsibilities.
- Establish escalation and any required nursing-delegation process.
- Confirm funder, payer or HUB reporting requirements in writing.
- Test intake, referral follow-up and supervisor review with a sample record.
- Check that the monthly report can be traced to the underlying work.
Use the checklist to clarify ownership. The Board’s rules and the organization’s actual agreements remain the authoritative instructions.
What should Ohio CHW documentation show?
A useful record connects the participant’s stated need with the contact, action, response and follow-up. Record who did the work and when. Distinguish an unsuccessful outreach attempt from a completed conversation and a referral sent from a connection confirmed.
For example, after discussing food access, the CHW may identify a resource and agree on a follow-up date. The next contact may reveal that eligibility or transportation prevented access. Preserve that history so the team can act on the unresolved barrier instead of counting the first referral as the final outcome.
Choosing CHW case management software in Ohio
Ask how a platform supports participant history, open follow-ups, referral status, supervisor review and funder reports. If your program has HUB or delegated-task requirements, bring those instructions to the demonstration. Confirm the actual functions and implementation responsibilities rather than assuming an integration or ready-made approval process.
Explore community health workflows to see how Smores Health approaches work across community-based teams. Bring a de-identified participant example and ask the vendor to show how a manager identifies the next action and checks the record.
Questions for a software demonstration
- Can staff distinguish attempted contact, completed service and confirmed referral outcome?
- Can managers identify incomplete records and overdue follow-ups?
- Can workforce tracking keep course completion, Board status and renewal dates separate?
- Can reports reflect the organization’s actual agreement definitions?
- Can access and export responsibilities be reviewed before implementation?
See the Smores Health platform and evaluate it against your own workflow and sample report.
See it in your program
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Frequently asked questions
Does a training completion certificate make someone Board-certified?
No. The Board issues the CHW certificate after its requirements are met. Training completion is one part of that process. [1, 4]
Can an applicant submit Form A directly?
The current instructions require direct submission by the training program administrator. Applicant-submitted Form A is not accepted. [1]
Are all Ohio CHW courses free?
No statewide free-tuition promise is established by the approved-program list. Check each program’s current costs and assistance. Program-specific grant support does not apply automatically elsewhere. [8, 9]
Is March 31 the on-time renewal deadline?
The on-time application deadline is March 1 in an odd-numbered year. March 31 is the lapse threshold under the rule. Plan around the earlier deadline. [5]
What should CHW software help an Ohio program lead manage?
Look for clear participant follow-up, reviewable documentation, workforce dates and reports that match the actual funding arrangement. Confirm support for any specialized workflow during evaluation.
Build a clearer Ohio CHW workflow
Bring your referral process, workforce tracker and reporting requirements to Smores Health. Book a program walkthrough to assess the platform with your team, or request pricing for your organization.
Sources
[1] Ohio Board of Nursing, CHW general application instructions. https://nursing.ohio.gov/community-health-worker-chw
[2] Ohio Revised Code 4723.84, Eligibility for certificate. https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-4723.84
[3] Ohio Administrative Code 4723-26-13, Standard curriculum. https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/rule-4723-26-13
[4] Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 4723-26, certification and endorsement. https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/chapter-4723-26
[5] Ohio Administrative Code 4723-26-04, Renewal. https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/rule-4723-26-04
[6] Ohio Administrative Code 4723-26-05, Continuing education. https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/rule-4723-26-05
[7] Ohio Administrative Code 4723-26-01 and 06 through 09, delegation framework. https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/chapter-4723-26
[8] Ohio Board of Nursing, Approved CHW programs. https://nursing.ohio.gov/education-and-practice/education/training-programs/approved-community-health-worker-programs
[9] Ohio University, Community Health Workers Program. https://www.ohio.edu/chsp/alliance/community-health-workers
[10] Health Impact Ohio, Central Ohio Pathways HUB. https://www.healthimpactohio.org/central-ohio-pathways-hub
Ohio Revised Code 4723.091, criminal-record and FBI-check process. Official 2026 Form A, training-completion attestation and direct program submission.