Tennessee Community Health Worker Guide

Tennessee’s CHW workforce initiatives include training, organizational accreditation and TennCare’s Health Starts work. These are different parts of program readiness. A course completion certificate is not organizational accreditation or an automatic payment authorization, and current TNCHWA materials describe a planned public accreditation opening in 2027. TennCare Health Starts TNCHWA accreditation standards TNCHWA course information

Tennessee CHW quick facts

What does a CHW do in Tennessee?

CHWs connect people and communities with health and social services through trusted relationships. TNCHWA’s training addresses communication, navigation, advocacy, outreach, education, assessment and related competencies. The actual position should reflect the community served and the organization’s responsibilities. TNCHWA course information

Write a role description that explains how a worker identifies needs, supports the participant’s goals, coordinates with others and escalates concerns. A CHW role should not be treated as interchangeable with Tennessee’s separate recovery-peer or clinical credentials.

Training, certification and accreditation are different

The current TNCHWA training page promises a certificate of completion for successful participants. Its accreditation initiative evaluates CHW programs as organizations. TennCare describes support for workforce infrastructure and organizational standards. These sources do not establish that a course certificate is a statewide individual professional license. TennCare Health Starts TNCHWA accreditation standards TNCHWA course information

For a staffing plan, identify which qualification is required by the employer, course provider, grant or payer. Keep the issuer and evidence visible. Avoid a single “certified” checkbox that does not explain what was verified.

Tennessee CHW training options

TNCHWA’s initial program includes 103 hours of instruction across 11 core competencies and a field-placement component. Its page also describes an advanced 40-hour offering. These are program-specific training descriptions, not universal minimum hours for every Tennessee CHW job. TNCHWA course information

Ask TNCHWA for the current cohort, placement and cost before arranging staff coverage. The training site distinguishes the initial course and field placement from its advanced instruction. TNCHWA course information

How to evaluate a course before enrolling staff

1. Confirm the population and skills the worker will need.
2. Ask which competencies the course covers and how they are assessed.
3. Clarify attendance and field-placement requirements.
4. Confirm the completion evidence and any employer or funder recognition.
5. Ask about current costs and assistance without assuming an award.
6. Plan staff coverage and protected learning time.

Keep the course record separate from organization onboarding. Completing a broad curriculum does not establish that a worker knows the agency’s referral partners, documentation process or escalation contacts.

Tennessee CHW program accreditation

TNCHWA says it is nearing the end of a three-year development and pilot phase and plans to open the program publicly in 2027. Current pricing and application details are still to be announced. Do not describe that planned public opening as an application portal already available to every organization. TNCHWA accreditation standards

The accreditation framework addresses recruitment, scope, worker supports, training, performance evaluation, professional development and supervision. An organization can use the published standards for preparation while confirming its actual eligibility and application instructions with TNCHWA. TNCHWA accreditation standards TNCHWA standards document

What the accreditation standards mean for operations

The August 10, 2026 standards call for evidence behind the program’s policies and practices, including role definitions, caseload decisions, training, worker safety and documentation tools. They distinguish criteria and examples of evidence, with some items marked elective. Read the actual applicable standard rather than making every example a universal legal mandate. TNCHWA standards document

As a preparation exercise, select one standard and locate the policy, responsible person and evidence that the process operates. A policy filename alone does not show that staff received the guidance or that the workflow works in practice.

Supervision and staff development

A useful supervision process gives workers a place to discuss unresolved participant needs, boundaries, local resource gaps and documentation questions. Define who reviews work and how concerns are escalated. Keep performance support separate from any clinical responsibility required under a particular agreement.

For accreditation preparation, compare the actual process with TNCHWA’s supervision and development standards. Use the program’s published criteria and current instructions, do not import another state’s supervisor credential or CE schedule. TNCHWA standards document

How TennCare Health Starts relates to CHW programs

TennCare’s Health Starts program lists workforce investments and names CHW infrastructure grantees. The 2026 Rural Health Transformation Program list includes Gibbs Pharmacy, Macon Hospital and Quinco Mental Health Center, among others. It is a list of selected organizations. A course graduate or neighboring employer should verify their own funding source before assuming a position or visit will be paid. TennCare Health Starts

TennCare describes an end-of-Year-Two requirement for grantees to meet the terms for submitting an accreditation application or attaining program accreditation through TNCHWA. For an awarded project, read the award’s start date and reporting instructions before assigning that milestone to a calendar year. The association’s separate plan to open accreditation publicly in 2027 is a projected opening. TennCare Health Starts TNCHWA accreditation standards

Tennessee Community Compass and referral follow-up

TennCare identifies Tennessee Community Compass as its closed-loop referral initiative. The page says the public resource directory is available and describes onboarding community-based organizations for referrals. Resource search, referral participation and tracking outcomes are related but distinct functions. TennCare Health Starts

Before selecting software, confirm what the organization actually uses and what information must move between systems. Do not assume a vendor connects to Community Compass, an MCO case-management system or an EHR. Ask about supported functions and the manual steps that remain.

When is CHANT a better starting point for a family?

Tennessee’s Department of Health operates Community Health Access and Navigation in Tennessee (CHANT) through local health departments. Its published eligibility groups include pregnant and postpartum adolescents and women, children from birth to age 21, and children and youth with special healthcare needs from birth to age 21. The state links a program referral form. A family can choose whether it wants support with care coordination. Tennessee CHANT referrals

A family looking for a single local resource can search Tennessee Community Compass’s public directory. A family seeking ongoing help arranging a medical home, dental care or other CHANT pathway can use the state CHANT referral. When the family agrees, record who will check that the referral was received. Directory availability alone does not show a particular agency has accepted a case. TennCare Health Starts Tennessee CHANT referrals

Does training automatically create a TennCare payment route?

TNCHWA awards a course completion certificate. TennCare identifies grants for named infrastructure projects and the participating programs’ accreditation work. Neither page provides a standard claim or rate for every CHW contact. For a specific assignment, obtain the award budget or plan/provider agreement, then identify the allowed worker, activity, documentation and payment method. TennCare Health Starts TNCHWA course information

Questions for a Tennessee CHW grant kickoff

1. Which organization holds the award, and which year and workforce milestone does the agreement describe? Check TennCare’s award list and the actual terms. TennCare Health Starts

2. Which person’s training certificate is needed, and who owns the seven-area program accreditation work? Give each item a separate owner. TNCHWA accreditation standards TNCHWA course information TNCHWA standards document

3. Is the family seeking a one-time directory resource or local health department care coordination? Explain the two routes and record the family’s decision. TennCare Health Starts Tennessee CHANT referrals

4. For a referral through Community Compass, agree on a follow-up route with the receiving organization if it cannot yet respond electronically. TennCare Health Starts

Document the participant’s goals and next step

A useful record connects the participant’s stated need with the contact, assistance, response and next action. Record the worker and date and keep relevant referral history together. Distinguish an unsuccessful contact attempt from a completed conversation.

Suppose a participant seeks help accessing food and attending a follow-up appointment. The CHW may identify resources, discuss the participant’s preferences and agree on follow-up. If a resource is unavailable, preserve that outcome and the alternative considered. Sending a referral should not automatically close the need.

Planning a Tennessee pharmacy outreach project

A pharmacy team is designing outreach for families who have trouble reaching follow-up care. If the pharmacy appears in the TennCare award list, its first step is to check what staffing, training and accreditation evidence its award actually funds. An unaffiliated pharmacy can read the same standards for planning but needs its own payment agreement. The state lists awards to specific entities. TennCare Health Starts TNCHWA accreditation standards

For a fictional parent who requests help finding a dentist for a child, first agree on the referral the parent prefers. A directory search can produce a candidate. A CHANT referral can request coordinated support. Set a follow-up date to learn whether the family secured an appointment. If a directory partner is still onboarding, use its verified contact route and make the handoff explicit. TennCare Health Starts Tennessee CHANT referrals

A community health workflow demonstration can follow the family’s referral while keeping the grant’s workforce milestones in a separate report.

Frequently asked questions

Is TNCHWA training the same as program accreditation?

No. Training produces completion evidence for participants, accreditation evaluates the organization’s CHW program. TNCHWA accreditation standards TNCHWA course information

Is the accreditation program publicly open now?

The current page describes a planned public opening in 2027, with pricing and application details to follow. Confirm current status before applying. TNCHWA accreditation standards

Is 103 hours a universal Tennessee CHW licensing requirement?

The figure describes TNCHWA’s initial training program. It should not be generalized into a statewide licensing rule. TNCHWA course information

Does Tennessee CHW program accreditation belong to the worker or the organization?

The association accredits CHW programs against organizational standards. A worker who completes the training program receives a completion certificate. A grant recipient should compare its own award terms with the organizational accreditation requirements. TennCare Health Starts TNCHWA accreditation standards TNCHWA course information

Sources

• TennCare Health Starts
• TNCHWA accreditation standards
• TNCHWA course information
• TNCHWA standards document
• Tennessee CHANT referrals