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We know getting certified or renewing your certification can seem complicated. If you have questions, first use the all-inclusive FAQ section on this page to find the answer. Just type some keywords or your question in the search bar below. Otherwise, we have five main customer service divisions; please state your question(s) clearly, specify your language of service, and contact us via the respective email:

General questions – info@cchicertification.org

Initial application and CCHI account – apply@cchicertification.org

Scheduling and testing – info@cchicertification.org

Certification renewal – renewal@cchicertification.org

Advertising and CEAP (Continuing Education Accreditation Program) – admin@cchicertification.org

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can I get a CHI credential if I have the CoreCHI-Performance credential?

    If CoreCHI-P™ credential holders choose to obtain a bilingual CHI™ credential, they need to follow these steps:

    • submit an acceptable language proficiency for the Language Other Than English – Arabic, Mandarin or Spanish
    • take a bilingual CHI™ performance exam within 12 months of the date of passing the CoreCHI™ exam. Otherwise, they will need to take and pass the CoreCHI™ exam before taking a CHI™ exam.

    After receiving a CHI™ credential, they must comply with the renewal requirements for holders of multiple credentials. See more details at https://cchicertification.org/faq/corechi-and-chi-renewal/.

     

    A CoreCHI-P credential in Arabic, Mandarin and Spanish may only be obtained after passing the corresponding bilingual CHI™ performance exam. However, CHI™ credential holders do not need to earn a CoreCHI-P™ credential.

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  • What are special CE requirements for CoreCHI-Performance certificants?

    CCHI is committed to ensuring that CoreCHI-P certificants maintain or improve their proficiency in their LOTE (Language Other Than English, i.e., the language listed on the certificate). CoreCHI-Performance™ certificants are required to complete a minimum of 1 performance-based (PB) CE hour (out of 4 PB CE hours required) in the LOTE of their verified proficiency(s) within the first year of the initial CoreCHI-P™ credential award. CoreCHI-P certificants of 2023 have to complete this requirement by November 1, 2024.

    CCHI defines PB continuing education (CE) as courses that include instructor-led practice (with feedback offered) in consecutive, simultaneous and sight translation modes of interpreting or in translation.

    CCHI requires interpreters of spoken languages to complete the online Exercise in Language Proficiency Evaluation to meet the 1-hour LOTE-specific training requirement. This Exercise is provided by CCHI free of charge at https://cchiinterpreters.org/. This Exercise consists of the following:

    • Complete CCHI’s online self-paced course “Principles of Language Proficiency Evaluation.”
    • Evaluate one audio response of a CoreCHI-P candidate of the same LOTE that was recorded during the ETOE exam. The candidate’s identity will not be provided for confidentiality reasons.
    • If the certificant has not recorded a LOTE response on their ETOE exam for any reason, they will be required to complete such a recording prior to starting the Exercise. CCHI will provide specific instructions to such certificants.

    * Details about the Exercise in Language Proficiency Evaluation are provided to certificants directly. CoreCHI-P certificants of 2023 will receive the instructions via email by November 15, 2023.

    CoreCHI-P™ certificants who are ASL interpreters may meet this requirement by completing a minimum of 1 hour of a PB CE course in ASL from any training organization (out of 4 PB CE hours required, i.e., the other 3 PB CE hours may be language-neutral).

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  • What policy does CCHI have about the use of credential marks (designations)?

    The full texts of the policy for each credential are available at:

    In brief, the following distinctions are important:

    • CoreCHI certificants cannot specify a language with the CoreCHI mark.
    • The CoreCHI mark is not available for interpreters of Arabic, Mandarin, and Spanish, they can only earn a higher, language-specific designation (CHI).
    • CHI certificants must specify the primary language of the credential’s performance exam by providing it immediately after the designation either with a hyphen or in parentheses. E.g., Certified Healthcare Interpreter™-Spanish OR Certified Healthcare Interpreter (Arabic) OR CHI-Mandarin. They can no longer use the CHI designation alone after their name.
    • CoreCHI-Performance certificants may specify the primary language of verified language proficiency in the Language Other Than English (LOTE) as long as they follow these conventions:
      – This statement must be placed immediately after the designation, with a coma or with the symbol & or in parentheses.
      – This statement must include either the word “proficient” or “proficiency.”
      E.g., Core Certification Healthcare Interpreter –Performance™, French proficient
      OR Core Certification Healthcare Interpreter – Performance™ (French Language Proficiency)
      OR Core Certification Healthcare Interpreter – Performance™ & French Language Proficiency

    With any specific questions, please contact us at renewal@cchicertification.org.

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  • As a CCHI certificant, can I interpret for Workers’ Compensation?

    Please note: the following should not be construed as legal advice, as CCHI is not qualified to give such advice.

    While the details below pertain to legislature in the state of California, best practices are the same everywhere: If you do not also have legal interpretation qualifications, you should NOT interpret for hearings, arbitration, or depositions related to workers’ compensation. Medical treatment appointments and medical legal exams may be acceptable. Make sure to check the regulations in the state where you work.

    California:
    CCHI-certified interpreters are qualified in the state of California to interpret for medical treatment appointments and medical legal exams.

    However, in order to interpret at a hearing, arbitration, or deposition related to workers’ compensation cases, interpreters must be either listed on the State Personnel Board webpage at http://jobs.spb.ca.gov/InterpreterListing/ or the California Courts webpage at http://courts.ca.gov/programs-interpreters.htm (that is, be certified by the state of California either as an Administrative Hearing and Medical Interpreter or as a Court Interpreter).

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  • How can I advertise with CCHI?

    CCHI offers three different advertising options. Please see our ad rate card for details and contact admin@cchicertification.org with any questions.

    Banner ads may be purchased on our website for periods of 3 or 6 months, either on the home page and/or on up to four other pages of the advertiser’s choosing. Please see the rate card for image specifications.

    Email ads can advertise your program or services to over 17,000 recipients, or a smaller number designated by certification status, language, or state. We do not provide our customers’ contact information to advertisers. Email delivery is confirmed by a report email generated by our Customer Relations Management (CRM) system GreenRope. Email ads are limited to 1 email per month and up to 3 per year. Scheduling is on a first-come, first-serve basis, so we encourage prospective advertisers to plan their email ads in advance.

    Finally, Prerequisite Programs page ads may be purchased on a yearly basis to advertise beginner level healthcare interpreter training programs.

     

     

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  • What is the policy about the use of the CoreCHI-P™ credential mark?

    The full text of the policy about the use of the CoreCHI-P credential mark is at https://cchicertification.org/uploads/CCHI_CoreCHI-P_mark-use.pdf.

    Below are details about the use of the Core Certification Healthcare Interpreter – Performance™ mark.

    • Use title case (Core Certification Healthcare Interpreter – Performance™), all capital letters (CORE CERTIFICATION HEALTHCARE INTERPRETER – PERFORMANCE™), or small cap font.
    • Use of the ™ symbol is optional.
    • Always use with one of CCHI’s approved nouns: “certificant,” “professional,” “practitioner,” “certification,” “mark” or “exam.”
    • Always associate with the individual(s) certified by CCHI.
    • Certificants may specify the primary language of verified language proficiency in the Language Other Than English (LOTE) as long as they follow these conventions:

    – This statement must be placed immediately after the designation, with a coma or with the symbol & or in parentheses.
    – This statement must include either the word “proficient” or “proficiency.”
    E.g., Core Certification Healthcare Interpreter –Performance™, French proficient
    OR Core Certification Healthcare Interpreter – Performance™ (French Language Proficiency)
    OR Core Certification Healthcare Interpreter – Performance™ & French Language Proficiency

     

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  • Do I need to reside in the United States / be a U.S. citizen to become certified?

    You do not need to be a U.S. citizen to be certified by CCHI or to become a medical interpreter in the U.S.  CCHI tests candidates regardless of their immigration status, but keep in mind that the CHI and EtoE performance exams can be taken only at Prometric testing centers in the United States and Canada.

    If you plan to be physically present to work in the U.S., you will be required either to have a work visa or a work permit, which CCHI cannot facilitate for you.

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  • How should I find a job as an interpreter? Where should I work?

    While we cannot recommend any specific employers, we do have some recommendations for you. First off, joining a local interpreters’ association can help get you connected with job resources and/or colleagues who can advise and direct you. You could also check out the national job boards hosted by NCIHC (the National Council for Interpretation in Health Care) at https://ncihc-jobs.careerwebsite.com/home/ and the ALC (Association of Language Companies) at https://alcbridge.org/. Finally, we often share job postings on our own Facebook and LinkedIn, so make sure to follow us there!

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  • Where can I find the First Credential Renewal Attestation?

    The “First Credential Renewal Attestation” is available here as a PDF file OR here as an MS Word file.

    See https://cchicertification.org/renewal-multiple-credentials/ for all multiple-credential renewal procedures.

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  • If I earn the CoreCHI-P™ credential, will I be able to apply CE hours I’ve already earned to my new renewal cycle?

    The following transitional renewal policy is in effect from March 14, 2023, until the transition to the CoreCHI-Performance™ credential for CoreCHI™ certificants becomes mandatory. CCHI will provide the specific expiration date for this policy at that time.

    CoreCHI™ certificants may transfer up to 16 CE hours obtained within 12 months prior to the date of receiving the CoreCHI-P™ credential to the CoreCHI-P™ renewal cycle. Documentation of these CE hours must be re-uploaded to the CoreCHI-P™ renewal application. This is a one-time transfer only. Starting with the second renewal cycle, all 32 CE hours must be earned during that renewal cycle.

    All other CE requirements are the same as for any other CCHI certificant.

    Example. A CoreCHI certificant has a CoreCHI renewal date of May 5, 2023. However, they earned the CoreCHI-P credential on April 5, 2023, so their new renewal cycle is April 5, 2023 – April 4, 2027. They can re-upload documentation of up to 16 CE hours earned between April 5, 2022 and April 4, 2023 to the new CoreCHI-P renewal application. After that, in the next 4 years, i.e., by April 4, 2027, they must earn only 16 CE hours. Out of the total of 32 CE hours, 4 hours must be performance-based (PB), and they can be earned at any time between April 5, 2022 and April 4, 2027.

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