SB 1428 Summary

• Establishes a voluntary certification process for community health workers administered by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

• Creates a Community Health Workers Advisory Board with nine members (majority being community health workers) to recommend standards for education, training, continuing education, core competencies, and certification examinations.

• Requires the department to adopt rules establishing eligibility criteria including minimum education/training/experience, good moral character attestation, application procedures, continuing education requirements, and disciplinary guidelines (reprimands, probation, denial/suspension/revocation of certification).

• Establishes the Community Health Workers Certification Fund, with 10% of collected fees deposited to the state general fund and 90% retained to cover certification administration and advisory board operations.

• Exempts the Department of Health Services from standard rulemaking requirements under A.R.S. Title 41, Chapter 6 for one year after the bill's effective date.