Employing Certified Wellness Coaches

Certified Wellness Coaches are trained and certified professionals prepared to provide pre-clinical behavioral health services to children and youth. Employers, including schools, community organizations, and health centers, can integrate Coaches into existing teams to expand capacity for prevention and early intervention. This section highlights how CWCs fit into workforce systems, supervision expectations, and sustainable employment pathways across California.

Employment Overview#

Where can Certified Wellness Coaches (CWCs) 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.

What services does a Certified Wellness Coach (CWC) provide?#

Under the supervision of a qualified professional, a Certified Wellness Coach may offer support in the following areas:

• Wellness promotion and education (e.g., teaching youth how to build positive relationships and prevent bullying)
• Screening that does not require a license (e.g., answering questions and coordinating screening programs)
• Care coordination (e.g., connecting individuals to behavioral health resources and communicating with other professionals)
• Individual support (e.g., providing brief check-ins and supporting care plans established by licensed or PPS providers)
• Group support (e.g., small or large group sessions on topics such as stress management and social and emotional skills)
• Crisis referral adhering to standard protocols, such as identifying potential risks and engaging in warm hand-offs

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

HCAI is not responsible for establishing salary ranges for Certified Wellness Coaches. Employers set salaries based on their organization type, location, and HR policies.

For reference, HCAI’s Employer Support Grant established award amounts for CWC salary + benefits by looking at living wage suggestions and what other behavioral health workers earn in different areas. The median salaries 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.

Employment Eligibility & Requirements#

How can I check an individual’s certification status?#

Individual certification status can be confirmed via the button below. You must have the individual’s first name, last name, and certification ID.

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.

Employment Implementation#

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 other employer resources are available to support with implementation?#

• Certification Search
• Job Templates CWC I│CWC II
• HCAI California MTSS Crosswalk for School-Based Mental Health Service Providers
• Certified Wellness Coaches: Implementation Findings and Considerations for the Future (via CYBHI Evaluation Hub)
• California School-Based Health Alliance (CSHA) – Presentation and Companion Resource

Funding & Sustainability#

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.

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

Previous Funding Opportunity: Certified Wellness Coach (CWC) Employer Support Grant (ESG) Program#

The purpose of the Certified Wellness Coach Employer Support Grant Program was to assist eligible organizations in recruiting and employing Certified Wellness Coaches. This one-time grant program ESG Program supported educational institutions and school-based and school-linked health and behavioral health agencies in recruiting and employing Certified Wellness Coaches.

Awardees

• Certified Wellness Coach Employer Support Grant Program (CWCES) Fiscal Year 2024-25 Awardees

Resources

• 2024-25 Certified Wellness Coach Employer Support Grant Guide
• 2024-25 Certified Wellness Coach Employer Support Grant Guide Addendum I
• 2024-25 Certified Wellness Coach Employer Support Grant Guide Addendum II
• 2024-25 Certified Wellness Coach Employer Support Grant Guide Addendum III
• Certified Wellness Coach Employer Support Grant Awardee Webinar FAQs
• CWCES Grant Awardee Webinar Recording – August 8, 2024
• CWCES Grant Awardee Webinar Deck – August 8, 2024
• HCAI CWCES Use of Additional Stipends Guidance Letter – April 2026