A. The State Department of Health shall establish a certificate for community health workers. This certification shall be voluntary. B. A certified community health worker may: 1. Serve as a liaison between health and social services and the community to facilitate access to services, to improve the quality of service delivery, and to maximize the efficiency of
service delivery by coordinating available resources and leveraging partnerships with private, nonprofit, or faith-based organizations; 2. Assist individuals in attaining employment, education, occupational training, or other means of supporting employment and promoting self-sufficiency; 3. Assist in identifying and communicating gaps in current community and health care resources; and 4. Build individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community education, coaching, mentoring, social support, and advocacy, including efforts within faith-based settings. C. In carrying out the functions described in paragraph 1 of subsection B of this section, community health workers shall emphasize available resources of private, nonprofit, or faith-based organizations, and shall not rely solely on public assistance programs for delivery of services. Added by Laws 2025, c. 349, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 2025.