Employing Certified Wellness Coaches

Where can Certified Wellness Coaches work?#

Certified Wellness Coaches are able to serve in a variety of settings that provide pre-clinical behavioral health services directly to children and youth up to age 25. Potential sites include, but are not limited to, local education agencies (e.g., K–12 schools, colleges, and universities), school-linked or school-based organizations, non-profits, community-based organizations, and health centers/clinics.

Employers are not required to create roles with the specific title of “Certified Wellness Coach.” They may refine or adapt current positions that are similar to the role if it simplifies the HR development and hiring process.

Watch the video below to hear Principal Darren McNally share how a Certified Wellness Coach has supported Albany High School.

For more information, including sample job description templates, please click here.

If an individual has a criminal record, can they qualify for certification? What about employment?#

There is no barrier to Certified Wellness Coach certification as long as the qualifications are met. There might be barriers to employment in specific settings, such as schools, due to state and federal laws. HCAI is continuing to explore the network of employers to expand into settings that support hiring Certified Wellness Coaches from all backgrounds.

What are the supervision requirements for Certified Wellness Coaches once employed?#

In school settings, Certified Wellness Coaches are supervised by Pupil Personnel Services Credential (PPS-C) holders, school nurses, and licensed clinicians. In other settings, they are supervised by licensed clinicians.

The ratio of supervisor to coach and the cadence of supervision are ultimately up to the employer. HCAI provided guidance on these items – please reference slides 20 – 22 to see example models of supervision and how Certified Wellness Coaches may operate within broader systems of care.

Watch the video below to hear from School Counselors on how a Certified Wellness Coach has supported them and the students they serve.

What is the salary of a Certified Wellness Coach (CWC)? #

Employers set salaries based on their organization type and location. For HCAI’s Employer Support Grant, salary benchmarks were chosen by looking at living wage suggestions and what other behavioral health workers earn in different areas. The median salary ranges below were identified and used for the grant:

• CWC I: $53,500 + benefits
• CWC II: $63,500 + benefits

Salaries may be lower in some regions and may be higher in others. HCAI will be conducting more analysis of the Certified Wellness Coach profession, including salary ranges, in the coming year.

Does HCAI have a network of employer partners?#

Employers across California, including schools, community-based organizations, and clinical providers, are demonstrating growing interest in hiring Certified Wellness Coaches as a cost-effective way to enhance capacity for prevention and early intervention. The Certified Wellness Coach role provides a flexible staffing model that complements existing behavioral health teams while expanding access to youth-centered wellness services.

Partners include:

• County Offices of Education
• School Districts
• Individual School Sites
• School-based Health/Wellness Centers
• Wellness Center at Institutions of Higher Education
• Community-Based Organizations
• Health Plans

HCAI is committed to fostering connections. Please reach out to WellnessCoach@hcai.ca.gov to see if there is an employer partner in your area.

What does the ongoing sustainability of this profession look like?#

Reimbursement through Medi-Cal and Commercial Insurance
On June 24, 2025, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved State Plan Amendment (SPA) 25-0014 to add Certified Wellness Coach 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.

Operating by the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), enrolled Local Education (LEAs) Agencies and Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) may now submit claims for CWC services. Each Certified Wellness Coach session, regardless of the service activity, can be billed under the codes listed and is dependent on whether the service is an individual initial or follow-up session or a group session. 

To learn more about the CYBHI Fee Schedule Program and how to become an eligible provider, click here.

HCAI is continuing to explore additional funding streams to support the employment of Certified Wellness Coaches through the blending and braiding of funds.  

CWC Apprenticeship Project

Through an inter-agency collaboration between HCAI, the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, and the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, this initiative will pilot an earn-and-learn pathway for individuals to fulfill the certification requirements for the Certified Wellness Coach 1 (associate-degree level). Supporting Governor Newsom’s goal of 500,000 new apprentices by 2029, the program utilizes the registered apprenticeship model, combining academic coursework with paid on-the-job training. Apprentices will be enrolled in a community college associate degree program leading to a Wellness Coach certification from HCAI while also gaining paid field experience through placements with school and community-based employers. The demonstration project will pilot Certified Wellness Coach apprenticeships in three sites, with the goal of scaling the model statewide as more community college education programs come online.

Ongoing Support

The state of California is invested in the success of this profession. From Medi-Cal eligibility to robust cross-agency partnerships, building infrastructure and capacity for ongoing success is at the forefront of HCAI’s efforts.

The Certified Wellness Coach program’s sustainability is anchored in strong partnerships between the State, Institutions of Higher Education, and employer partners. Designated education programs across California are building a durable pipeline that equips students with foundational skills and supervised experience to transition directly into the behavioral health workforce.

These partnerships ensure that the Certified Wellness Coach role continues to evolve with the industry’s needs, supporting scalable workforce growth and lasting integration into schools and youth-serving systems. Together, these collaborations affirm that the Certified Wellness Coach program is not a short-term initiative, but rather a long-term investment in the future of California’s youth behavioral health.