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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 and contact us via the respective email:

General questions – [email protected]

Initial application and CCHI account – [email protected]

Scheduling and testing – [email protected]

Certification renewal – [email protected]

Advertising and CEAP (Continuing Education Accreditation Program) – [email protected]

Frequently Asked Questions

  • 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 [email protected] 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 customersā€™ 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-Pā„¢ credential mark?

    The full text of the policy about the use of the CoreCHI-P credential mark is atĀ https://cchi.prolificdigital.io/uploads/CCHI_CoreCHI-P_mark-use.pdf.

    Below are details about the use of the Core Certification Healthcare Interpreter – Performanceā„¢ mark.

    • Use title case (Core Certification Healthcare Interpreter – Performanceā„¢), all capital letters (CORE CERTIFICATION HEALTHCARE INTERPRETER – PERFORMANCEā„¢), or small cap font.
    • Use of the ā„¢ symbol is optional.
    • Always use with one of CCHIā€™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 ā€œproficientā€ or ā€œproficiency.ā€
    E.g., Core Certification Healthcare Interpreter –Performanceā„¢, French proficient
    OR Core Certification Healthcare Interpreter – Performanceā„¢ (French Language Proficiency)
    OR Core Certification Healthcare Interpreter – Performanceā„¢ & 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.Ā  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 ā€œFirst Credential Renewal Attestationā€ is available here as a PDF file OR here as an MS Word file.

    See https://cchi.prolificdigital.io/renewal-multiple-credentials/ for all multiple-credential renewal procedures.

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  • If I earn the CoreCHI-Pā„¢ 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-Performanceā„¢ credential for CoreCHIā„¢ certificants becomes mandatory. CCHI will provide the specific expiration date for this policy at that time.

    CoreCHIā„¢ certificants may transfer up to 16 CE hours obtained within 12 months prior to the date of receiving the CoreCHI-Pā„¢ credential to the CoreCHI-Pā„¢ renewal cycle. Documentation of these CE hours must be re-uploaded to the CoreCHI-Pā„¢ 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 ā€“ 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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  • I hold the CoreCHI-Performanceā„¢ credential and practice in more than one LOTE (Language Other Than English). How do I renew my credentials?

    The following procedural rules apply to certificants who hold the CoreCHI-Performanceā„¢ credential and practice in more than one LOTE (Language Other Than English):

    a)Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā  The proof of language proficiency (LP) in the second (or third, etc.) LOTE can be submitted only after the candidate passes the ETOE exam. The fee for adding any additional LOTE language proficiency to the CoreCHI-P credential is $30 (non-refundable, specified for 2023, subject to change).

    b)Ā Ā Ā Ā  Once the LP proof is accepted/verified by CCHI, CCHI issues a certificate with the second LOTE specified.

    c)Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā  To renew the CoreCHI-P credential, the certificant will need to submit only one renewal application. However, during the first renewal cycle, within the first 12 months after the CoreCHI-P credential award, the certificant will need to perform some LOTE-specific CE activity. If a certificant has 2 (or more) LOTEs accepted/verified by CCHI, they have to complete this CE activity for each of the LOTEs within the same 12-month period and upload proof of completion for all LOTEs in one renewal application.

    d)Ā Ā Ā Ā  If requirement c) is not met for each LOTE, the renewal certificate is issued only in the LOTE for which the CE activity has been completed.

    e) Ā Ā Ā  The fee for the CoreCHI-P credential renewal is the same as for any other credential renewal (see Fees). To maintain any additional LOTE during the renewal cycle, the certificant will pay a $30 fee per LOTE (specified for 2023, subject to change). If starting with the second renewal cycle, the additional LOTE fee is not paid, the certificate is issued only for the primary/first LOTE.

    See https://cchi.prolificdigital.io/renewal-multiple-credentials/ for all multiple-credential renewal procedures.

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  • I hold multiple CHIā„¢ credentials in different LOTEs (Languages Other Than English). How do I renew my credentials?

    The following procedural rules apply to certificants who hold multiple CHIā„¢ credentials in different LOTEs (Languages Other Than English):

    a)Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā  The same 32 CE hours and 40 work experience hours can be submitted for maintaining both credentials.

    b)Ā Ā Ā Ā  To align the expiration dates for both credentials and simplify the renewal process, the certificant will need to:

    • Submit the ā€œfirstā€ (older) CHI renewal application first, with the full renewal application fee (see Fees).
    • Submit the second CHI renewal application within 30 days of submitting the first CHI renewal application. The second CHI renewal fee in this case is $30 (in 2023, subject to change as any fees).
    • For the second CHI renewal application, upload a statement that the first CHI credential renewal application has been submitted. See CCHIā€™s template ā€œFirst Credential Renewal Attestationā€ available here as a PDF file OR here as an MS Word file.
    • Meeting the above requirements will reset the second CHI expiration date to the same expiration date as the first CHI credential, and the certificant will be on the same four-year renewal cycle for both.

    c)Ā Ā Ā Ā  If the certificant does not renew the first CHI credential but wishes to keep the second credential, they would have to upload all CE documentation to and pay the full renewal fee (see Fees) in the second CHI renewal application, and follow that credential renewal cycle.

    See https://cchi.prolificdigital.io/renewal-multiple-credentials/ for all multiple-credential renewal procedures.

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  • I hold both CHIā„¢ and CoreCHI-Performanceā„¢ credentials with the same LOTE (Language Other Than English). How do I renew my credentials?

    The following procedural rules apply to certificants who hold both CHIā„¢ and CoreCHI-Performanceā„¢ credentials with the same LOTE (Language Other Than English):

    a)Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā  If a CHI certificant is awarded the CoreCHI-P credential, they can only have the CoreCHI-P credential active as long as their CHI certification is active. In other words, failure to renew the CHI certification will result in automatic termination of the CoreCHI-P credential.

    b)Ā Ā Ā Ā  The same 32 CE hours and 40 work experience hours can be submitted for renewal of both credentials.

    c)Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā  To align the expiration dates for the two credentials and simplify the renewal process, the certificant will need to:

    • Submit the CHI renewal application first, with the full renewal application fee (see Fees).
    • Submit the CoreCHI-P renewal application within 30 days of submitting the CHI renewal application. The CoreCHI-P renewal fee in this case is $30 (in 2023, subject to change).
    • For the CoreCHI-P renewal application, upload a statement that the CHI credential renewal application has been submitted. See CCHIā€™s template ā€œFirst Credential Renewal Attestationā€ available here as a PDF file OR here as an MS Word file.

    Meeting the above requirements will reset the CoreCHI-P expiration date to the same expiration date as the CHI credential, and the certificant will be on the same four-year renewal cycle for both.

    See https://cchi.prolificdigital.io/renewal-multiple-credentials/ for all multiple-credential renewal procedures.

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