Every three (3) years, all Traditional Health Workers (CHWs, PSSs, PWSs, PHNs, Birth Doulas) must complete the required Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to be eligible to renew their THW certification.
CEUs are educational hours that contribute to a THW's ongoing professional development, and maintain their THW certification(s).
CEUs may be received from:
- Any training/class/presentation/conference/professional gathering that support the individual THW's Scope of Practice (click here to access the THW Toolkit which contains each THW Scope of Practice); or
- OHA approved THW CEU training programs; or
Additional trainings offered by OHA approved THW training programs.
**Reminder: It is your responsibility to keep records of the CEUs you obtain as they are required for recertification (example: certificate of completion or transcript).
If you are unsure if a training meets CEU requirements for your worker type, e-mail a brief description of the training and the training name to THW.Program@oha.oregon.gov for approval.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
How soon can I submit my recertification application? THWs can start a re-certification application up to 90 days before their certification expires in the Health Workforce Registry.
Are you able to extend the expiration date of my certification? Unfortunately, we are not able to extend an expiration date due to Oregon Administrative Rules. It can take six (6) weeks or more to process your application, so it is encouraged you to submit your application early to avoid a lapse in your certification.
Can a class/training/workshop from five years ago count as a CEU? No, only CEUs collected during the past three (3) years are eligible.
My certification has been expired for more than 6 months; can I still renew? Yes, but you will need to take a Competency Test in addition to completing the CEU requirements for your worker type (scroll to worker type for the competency test links).
Will I need to get another background check for re-certification? Yes, all THWs are required to get a background check with every renewal. However, if multiple certifications are being renewed within the same year, only one background check needs to be submitted.
Can I submit a foundational training in lieu of CEUs? No, CEUs are required in for recertification.
Scroll down to see the requirements for renewing all THW certifications.
CEU requirements are determined by Oregon Administrative Rules (950-060-0050)