Becoming and Serving as a Certified Wellness Coach

Certification as a Certified Wellness Coach (CWC) formally recognizes that individuals meet the competencies and field experience required to provide pre-clinical behavioral health services to children and youth. This section focuses on the pathway for individuals to become Certified Wellness Coaches, and explains the certification levels, required field experience, and process for applying and maintaining certification.

Certification#

What is the certification process?#

Applying for certification through the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) is free. Once individuals meet the degree and field experience requirements, they are eligible to apply for certification. Find a step-by-step walkthrough of the certification process and apply for certification by clicking the buttons below:

The certification review process usually takes 2 – 5 business days. Frequently asked questions can be found here. For additional questions, a customer support team is available by emailing certify@cawellnesscoach.org or calling (503) 210-1334.

How do I get certified via the Education Pathway?#

If you graduated with an associate or bachelor’s degree in social work, human services, addiction studies, or psychology within the last six years, you may qualify for certification via the Education Pathway. Read more about this pathway here.

How do I get certified via the Workforce Pathway?#

If you have a degree and recent experience providing direct, pre-clinical behavioral health services to children and youth from a qualifying organization, you may qualify for certification via the Workforce Pathway. Read more about the Workforce Pathway here.

How do I check my certification eligibility?#

You can check if your combination of degree and field experience hours may qualify you for certification by taking our eligibility screener.
For more direct support, contact our customer service team by emailing certify@cawellnesscoach.org or calling (503) 210-1334.

I graduated from a Designated Institution – how do I get certified?#

Individuals who complete Certified Wellness Coach-specific coursework from a Designated Institution are eligible to apply for certification upon graduation. The qualifications for certification are:

• CWC I – Associate degree + 150 hours minimum of field experience
• CWC II – Bachelor’s degree + 300 hours minimum of field experience

Graduates who meet these criteria and successfully apply for certification through HCAI are granted Registered Certified Wellness Coach (R-CWC) status. This designation confirms that the individual meets the minimum eligibility requirements for certification and allows them to enter the workforce and provide services as a Certified Wellness Coach.

R-CWCs are certified and may enter the workforce and provide services as a Certified Wellness Coach. These individuals must complete the remaining hours (400 hours for CWC I and 800 hours for CWC II) within 2 years of receiving their R-CWC. Once they complete those requirements and submit them to HCAI, the registered designation is removed. If they fail to meet these requirements within the two-year period, their certification status will be moved to “inactive.”

*Individuals with 150 – 399 hours of experience will receive a “registered” designation associated with their certification (R-CWC I) until they complete the full 400 hours required for this pathway.

**Individuals with 300 – 799 hours of experience will receive a “registered” designation associated with their certification (R-CWC II) until they complete the full 800 hours required for this pathway.

Are there additional requirements once an individual is certified?#

To maintain certification and remain in good standing, all active Certified Wellness Coaches are required to recertify every two years. Read through the Recertification section to learn more.

Ways to Fund Your Education#

Are there scholarship opportunities for students interested in becoming Certified Wellness Coaches?#

HCAI is offering the Medi-Cal Behavioral Scholarship Program (MBH-SP) as part of the Behavioral Health Community-Based Organized Networks of Equitable Care and Treatment (BH-CONNECT) Workforce Initiative. The goal of MBH-SP is to support scholarships for individuals pursuing behavioral health degrees or certifications. Learn more about BH-CONNECT MBH-SP.

Does HCAI offer loan repayments if I already have my degree?#

HCAI is offering this Medi-Cal Behavioral Health Student Loan Repayment Program (MBH-SLRP) as part of the Behavioral Health Community-Based Organized Networks of Equitable Care and Treatment (BH-CONNECT) Workforce Initiative. The goal for the MBH-SLRP is to reduce educational debt for behavioral health professionals who commit to serving Medi-Cal members and underserved communities. Eligible behavioral health practitioners can receive up to $240,000 in loan repayment with commitment to a multi-year service obligation. Learn more about BH-CONNECT MBH-SLRP.

Previous Funding Opportunity: Wellness Coach Scholarship Program (WCSP)#

HCAI’s Wellness Coach Scholarship Program (WCSP) held two previous scholarship cycles to support students interested in becoming CWCs. At this time, WCSP is not being offered. Learn more about available scholarships at BH-CONNECT initiatives.

Recipients of the Wellness Coach Scholarship Program can email their dedicated grant program officer for support at BHPrograms@hcai.ca.gov.

Due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), HCAI is unable to release the personal identification information (PII) of scholarship recipients to external parties. Should students need support, we encourage them to contact the email above, and HCAI can help them get connected with any faculty or staff on campus for additional support.

WCSP Resources

• 2025-26 Wellness Coach Scholarship Program Grant Guide
• 2025-26 Wellness Coach Scholarship Program Grant Guide Addendum I
• 2025-2026 Wellness Coach Scholarship Program Technical Assistance Guide
• Wellness Coach Scholarship Program Cycle 2 Webinar Recording – January 9, 2025

Recertification#

Background#

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. As behavioral health practices evolve, recertification ensures that coaches stay up to date on the latest standards and practices for behavioral health prevention and early intervention. It helps maintain trust, reinforces professionalism, and supports the delivery of safe, effective, and culturally responsive care across California.

To maintain certification, recertification every two years is required. State standards require applicants to satisfy renewal standards, including completing twenty (20) hours of continuing education before submitting a renewal application. Please reference the official HCAI Certified Wellness Coach Recertification Policy document for more information, which is also outlined below.

Recertification Requirements Overview#

• Certification renewal is required every two (2) years to maintain certification.
• Certification is considered inactive if not renewed by its expiration date.
• Applicants must complete 20 hours of continuing education prior to submitting the renewal application.
  • Applicants must read and agree to adhere to the Certified Wellness Coach Code of Conduct and Ethics.

How Will I Know When It’s Time for My Renewal?#

The California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) will send several notifications of renewal via email to eligible individuals beginning six (6) months prior to the date of expiration. HCAI will use the email address on file. Revoked certifications are not considered in good standing and therefore are not eligible for renewal.

The renewal notification timeline will be as follows:

• 6 months before the deadline
• 3 months before the deadline
• 1 month before the deadline
• 1 week before the deadline
• 3 days before the deadline
• 1 day before the deadline

What Happens If I Miss My Recertification Deadline?#

Individuals who do not meet the recertification requirements, either by failing to submit at least 20 hours of CE in their portal by the deadline, or by failing to provide additional information upon request from HCAI, will result in a certification being changed from “active” to “inactive” status. This status will be displayed in the individual’s certification portal as well as the employer search portal. The following consequences will result for those with an inactive status:

• Ineligibility to bill Medi-Cal until “active” status is reinstated.

Individuals who get moved to inactive status will be required to submit proof of their continuing education hours in their portal and may be required to complete additional requirements.

Continuing Education – Topics#

Continuing education must prioritize trainings related to the core competencies of the profession, such as education in wellness assessment, intervention strategies, and case management specific to pre-clinical behavioral health support for children, youth, & families.

Of those twenty hours, at least three (3) hours must be in trainings related to cultural responsiveness and three (3) hours in laws and ethics trainings. To learn more specifics on each topic, please reference the “Continuing Education Requirements” section of the official CWC Recertification Policy document.

Continuing Education – Acceptable Sources#

Continuing education must be directly related to the development of skills and competencies related to the effective delivery of pre-clinical behavioral health services to children and youth through age 25 in school-linked/school-based organizations, non-profits, community organizations, and/or health centers/clinics.

The following are examples of acceptable training providers. This list is non-exhaustive, and trainings may include those from vendors listed on the websites of the agencies and organizations below:

• California Mental Health Services Authority-approved continuing education training providers.
• County Behavioral Health Departments and Community-Based Organizations.
• School systems (i.e., Local Education Agencies, County Offices of Education, and Charter Management Organizations).
• Institutions of Higher Education (i.e., California Community Colleges, California State Universities, Universities of California, and private nonprofit universities).
• Professional certification and licensing boards (i.e., California Association for Alcohol/Drug Educators (CAADE), California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT), California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS), American Psychological Association (APA)).
• Governmental health agencies in the field of behavioral health education (i.e., Substance use and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Office of the California Surgeon General (OSG), Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)).
• Professional mental health associations or non-clinical professional organizations (i.e., California Association of School Social Workers (CASSW), California Association of School Counselors (CASC), American School Counselor Association (ASCA), California Association of School Psychologists (CASP), National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Mental Health America (MHA), International Association of Peer Supporters (iNAPS), The National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Association for Mental Health and Wellness (AMHW), National Wellness Institute (NWI)).

Calculating and Recording Your Hours#

One (1) hour of direct educational training instruction is equal to one (1) hour of continuing education. Breaks are excluded from direct training instructional requirements and must not be counted towards the 1-hour of continuing education.

For undergraduate or graduate coursework, three (3) units of coursework are equal to twelve (12) hours of continuing education.

For events or conferences, one (1) hour at plenary session, breakout, or workshop is equal to (1) hour of continuing education. Breaks are excluded from events or conference requirements and must not be counted towards the 1-hour of continuing education.

Record hours to the nearest 15-minute increment. HCAI will provide a continuing education table for you to record your hours in as part of the application process. You are also required to provide supporting documentation for all hours claimed in the table. Approved types of supporting documents are outlined below:

• Transcripts (for coursework taken at an Institution of Higher Education)
• Certificates of completion (for training courses)
• Stamp or receipt of attendance (for events/conferences)

For trainings that do not have formal documentation, you must provide the supervisor’s name and email.

Application Process#

As mentioned above, you will receive messages from HCAI via email, informing you of your upcoming application deadline. Once active, applications must be submitted online through your individual certification portal.

• Applications may be submitted up to six (6) months prior to the expiration of your current certificate.
• Current certification must be in good standing.
• Applicant shall upload electronic proof of their 20 hours of continuing education requirement, inclusive of the following:
  • Core Competencies: Education in core areas such as mental health assessment, intervention strategies, and case management specific to children, youth, & families.
  • Cultural Responsiveness: Minimum of three (3) hours of education related to culturally relevant education to populations being served.
  • Laws and Ethics: Minimum of three (3) hours in laws and ethics training.

Applicant shall maintain records of continuing education hours for two (2) years from the date of request for renewal.

Resources#

• HCAI Certified Wellness Coach Recertification Policy
• Certified Wellness Coach Recertification Webinar Materials
• Certified Wellness Coach Recertification Webinar Recording
• Certified Wellness Coach Continuing Education Table for Recertification

Where Do I Go If I Need Support?#

Contact certify@cawellnesscoach.org