Initiatives

Certified Wellness Coach

Certified Wellness Coach Banner
Mental Health Matters Day Thriving in Community: Cultivating Wellness & Compassion
Pictures of the Mental Health Matters Day Event, including a group photo of participants, a close up of Jordon Corbin in a Certified Wellness Coach t-shirt, and a picture of two attendees talking with Jordon at the CWC booth.

The California Certified Wellness Coach Street Team visited Sacramento for Mental Health Matters Day on May 13, where our team connected with community members throughout the event. Photos from the day captured powerful moments of advocacy, conversation, and celebration, reflecting the energy and commitment shared by everyone who participated.

Mental Health Matters Day brought people together to speak up about mental health and strengthen the statewide movement to end stigma. The event aligned with this year’s Mental Health Awareness Month theme—More Good Days, Together—by showcasing the power of connection and community. It also offered an opportunity for visitors to meet our team and learn more about California’s Certified Wellness Coach profession.

The Certified Wellness Coach role is a non-clinical, entry-level opportunity for individuals with associate or bachelor’s degrees. Certified Wellness Coaches support the mental health and well-being of children and youth in schools, health
programs, and community organizations across California so young people can lead happier, healthier lives.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our table to learn about the role, ask questions about eligibility, and explore the path to becoming a Certified Wellness Coach.

NEW: Certified Wellness Coaches Designated Education Programs

This page is a resource for HCAI-Designated Education Programs seeking detailed information about the Certified Wellness Coach (CWC) profession. It outlines how the role was developed, how students’ progress from education to certification, and how programs support workforce entry. The content is designed to support programs in understanding requirements, expectations, and opportunities associated with designation. 

Learn More

Certified Wellness Coach (CWC) Services
Now Billable as a Medi-Cal Benefit

On June 24, 2025, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved State Plan Amendment (SPA) 25-0014 to add Certified Wellness Coach (CWC) services as a new Medi-Cal benefit. This benefit is reimbursable under the Children & Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) statewide multi-payer school-linked Fee Schedule (Fee Schedule) program, with an effective date of January 1, 2025. Learn more about the Fee Schedule program. On September 10, 2025, HCAI held an informational webinar for the Fee Schedule Program. Webinar materials are now available for viewing.

Fee Schedule Webinar Presentation
Fee Schedule Webinar Recording

Wellness Coach Recertification Policy

Recertification is an essential part of being a Certified Wellness Coach. It reflects a commitment to continued learning, ethical practice, and high-quality support for the children, youth, and communities Coaches serve.

To maintain certification, recertification every two years is required. Click “Learn More” to find additional information or click “Continuing Education Training” for links to eligible trainings.

Learn More
Continuing Education Training

Wellness Coach Scholarship Program (WCSP)

The Wellness Coach Scholarship Program’s goal is to educate and train students to serve as Certified Wellness Coaches (CWC) in California. WCSP provides scholarships to students in associate or bachelor’s degree programs that qualify them for Wellness Coach Certification through the education pathway in exchange for a 12-month service obligation providing CWC services in California. Eligible applicants may receive up to $35,000. The purpose of this program is to increase the number of CWCs providing direct care in California. 

Application Dates

  • Open January 2, 2025, 3:00 p.m.
  • Close February 13, 2025, 3:00 p.m.

Resources

Certified Wellness Coach Employer Support Grant Program (CWCES)

The purpose of the Certified Wellness Coach (CWC) Employer Support Grant Program is to assist Certified Wellness Coach employers to recruit and employ Certified Wellness Coaches. The Grant Program supports educational institutions and school-based and school-linked health and behavioral health agencies in recruiting and employing Certified Wellness Coaches.

Application Dates

  • Open January 16, 2024, 3:00 p.m.
  • Close March 22, 2024, 3:00 p.m.

Awards

Resources

What is a Certified Wellness Coach?

The Wellness Coach role is a new, certified position to increase our state’s overall capacity to support the growing behavioral health needs of our youth. It is designed to help build a larger and more diverse and representative behavioral health workforce in California that has the training and supervision needed to engage directly with young people where they live, study and work.

Wellness Coaches will offer non-clinical services that support youth behavioral health and well-being, such as wellness promotion and education, screening, care coordination, individual and group support, and crisis referral. The model will supplement and support existing behavioral health roles, fill gaps in the current behavioral health workforce, and create a larger and more diverse workforce with whom youth can connect.

The Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative incorporates a $4.4 billion investment following a 5-year timeline. Stakeholder engagement activities are under way focusing on children, youth, families, community members, academia experts, education, government, and interagency partners. These stakeholder activities will provide opportunities to engage throughout the planning, design, and implementation of the CYBHI. This engagement will inform HCAI’s overall strategy for the design, scope and population focus of each of the workstreams.

Become a Certified Wellness Coach

Becoming a Certified Wellness Coach (Coach) lets you play a role in improving mental health and well-being of children and youth in California. Discover your path to certification today.

Resources

Contact Us

Subscribe

Join the Workforce Programs Update mailing list to receive program announcements.

Subscribe to program announcements