Continuing education

272 CMR: BOARD OF CERTIFICATION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS 272 CMR 7.00: CONTINUING EDUCATION Section 7.01: Purpose 7.02: Continuing Education Requirements for Renewal of Certificates 7.03: Acceptable Continuing Education Activities 7.01: Purpose The purpose of 272 CMR 7.00 is to specify the continuing education requirements for Certified Community Health Workers. 7.02 Continuing Education Requirements for Renewal of Certificates (1) Each Certified Community Health Worker shall complete 15 contact hours of qualified continuing education activities that meets the criteria at 272 CMR 7.03 as a condition of renewal of his or her certificate as a Certified Community Health Worker. To meet this requirement, the continuing education activities must have been completed during the 24 months immediately preceding the certificate expiration date. The Board waives the continuing education requirement for the first certification cycle for certified Community Health Workers who completed an approved CHW Education and Training program within one year (12 months) of certificate issuance. (2) Each Certified Community Health Worker shall maintain a record of all continuing education activities completed in the preceding six years including, but not limited to, documentation verifying completion of a continuing education activity, and shall provide a copy of the same upon request by the Board. 7.03 Qualified Continuing Education Activities (1) Content. Continuing education activities must focus on one of the following topics: (a) the scope of practice for Certified Community Health Workers, as specified in 272 CMR 3.00: Privileges, Scope of Practice and Responsibilities of a Certified Community Health Worker; (b) one or more of the ten core competencies specified in 272 CMR 5.04(2)(a); (c) special health topics; or (d) M.G.L., c. 112, §§ 259 through 262, 272 CMR, or any rule, advisory or policy adopted by the Board. (2) Board Approved Continuing Education Providers. To satisfy the renewal requirement at 272 CMR 7.02(1), continuing education activities must be offered or sponsored by, or co- sponsored with, one of the following: (a) A Community Health Worker Education and Training Program with full approval status at the time the continuing education activity takes place; (b) A Community Health Worker Education and Training Program approval with warning status at the time that the continuing education activity takes place, provided that the Board has specified in its notice pursuant to 272 CMR 5.05(7)(a): Failure to Submit Annual Report that its continuing education activities have been approved to satisfy the continuing education requirements at 272 CMR 7.02; (c) A continuing education provider that has obtained the Board’s approval to offer a specific continuing education activity pursuant to 272 CMR 7.03(3); or (d) A continuing education provider that has been approved by the Board as identified on a list that the Board shall maintain and publish. 1/20/23 272 CMR - 31 (Mass. Register #1487, 1/20/2023) 272 CMR: BOARD OF CERTIFICATION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS 7.03: continued (3) Any person or entity that seeks the Board’s approval of a continuing education activity may submit an application on a form specified by the Board for that purpose. The Board may, at its discretion and upon receipt of a fully completed and signed application form, review the proposed continuing education activity. Upon completion of its review, which may be conducted in consultation with the Office of Community Health Workers within the Department of Public Health, the Board shall provide a written response specifying whether the Board grants or denies approval. The Board may deny approval on the following grounds: (a) The Board is not satisfied that the continuing education activity offers instruction sufficiently focused on any of the topics specified in 272 CMR 7.03; (b) The Board is not satisfied that the instructor(s) for the continuing education activity possess the knowledge, skills or competence to effectively instruct Certified Community Health Workers on the proposed topic; or (c) The Board is not satisfied that the outline, materials and information that form the basis of the continuing education activity accurately reflect the subject matter of the proposed topic. 11/2/18 (Effective 6/29/18) - corrected 272 CMR - 32