HB 1257 Summary

• Establishes the Community Health Worker Act in Arkansas Code Title 20, Chapter 6, creating a certification system administered by the Department of Health for community health workers.

• Defines community health workers as individuals age 18+ who are not licensed healthcare professionals and must either complete an approved training program or have one year of prior experience; certification requires an application fee and relicensure requires 15 hours of training every renewal period.

• Limits community health worker services to health literacy, health education, basic home assessments, health screenings, basic first aid, medication compliance monitoring, chronic disease management, and appropriate referrals—all services not requiring professional licensure.

• Authorizes compensation for community health workers from Medicare, Arkansas Medicaid, private insurance, health benefit plans, healthcare providers, or community-based organizations.

• Provides immunity from liability for employers of certified community health workers, healthcare providers, and the workers themselves when acting in good faith; clarifies the act does not authorize healthcare decision-making authority, create private lawsuits against providers, or alter existing healthcare professional scope of practice laws.