(1) To be paid for providing community health worker (CHW) services to Washington apple health clients, a CHW must:

(a) Deliver the CHW services under the general supervision of a medicaid-enrolled, licensed practitioner within the scope of their licensure as described in state law;

(b) Have lived experience that aligns with and provides a connection between the CHW and the community being served;

(c) Have 2,000 supervised hours working as a CHW in paid or volunteer positions within the previous three years and demonstrated skills and practical training in the areas listed in this section;

(d) Possess the following skills or core competencies:

(i) Communication;

(ii) Interpersonal and relationship-building;

(iii) Service coordination and navigation;

(iv) Advocacy;

(v) Capacity building;

(vi) Professional conduct;

(vii) Outreach;

(viii) Individual and community assessment;

(ix) Knowledge base in public health principles and social determinants of health (SDOH);

(x) Education and facilitation; and

(xi) Evaluation and research; and

(e) Demonstrate minimum qualifications through one of the following:

(i) CHW/CHR certificate. A certificate of completion including, but not limited to, any certificate issued by the Washington state department of health, or its designee, or Indian health services of a curricula that attests to demonstrated skills or competencies, or both, listed in (d) of this subsection; or

(ii) Supervisor attestation. Medicaid-enrolled, licensed supervisors may demonstrate the CHW's skills and competencies by conducting a CHW assessment and attesting to the CHW's skills and competencies. The supervising provider must maintain documentation of the CHW assessment. Trainings may also include health-specific topics including, but not limited to:

(A) Health coaching and motivational interviewing;

(B) Immunization across the lifespan;

(C) Family planning and wellness;

(D) Cardiovascular health and heart disease;

(E) Understanding disparities and social determinants;

(F) Behavioral health care;

(G) Cancer screening and prevention;

(H) Conducting food insecurity screening;

(I) Child development/early relational health;

(J) Mental health first aid; and

(K) Substance use.

(2) CHWs that do not meet any of the identified skills or practical training areas listed in this section must obtain the necessary training within 18 months of employment during which CHW services may still be billed. Once the 18 months have been completed, if the CHW does not meet the necessary training requirements, the agency will no longer pay for services billed until the training requirements are met.

(3) CHWs must complete a minimum of six hours of additional training annually. The supervising provider must maintain documentation of the CHW's completion of continuing education requirements.