Renewal FAQ

I’m a CoreCHI certificant, I heard my credential will get discontinued starting 2025. What should I do to remain certified?

CCHI starts the CoreCHI™ certification sunsetting on January 1, 2025. This means that current holders of the CoreCHI™ credential will need to take and pass the ETOE™ (English-to-English) interpreting skills exam and earn the CoreCHI-Performance™ (CoreCHI-P™) certification in order to remain certified.

All initial and renewed certifications with the award or renewal date before 1/1/2025 are valid for 4 years and can be renewed only until 12/31/2028. These certificants must earn the CoreCHI-P™ credential before their expiration date or before 12/31/2028, whichever is later (i.e., the latest possible date would be 12/31/2028).

As of January 1, 2025, CCHI will award the initial CoreCHI™ certification only for 2 years, i.e., CoreCHI™ candidates must pass the ETOE™ exam and earn the CoreCHI-Performance™ certification within 2 years after passing the CoreCHI™ exam. For more information, visit https://cchicertification.org/sunsetting-corechi/.

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).

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

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

• CoreCHI Mark Use Policy
• CHI Mark Use Policy
• CoreCHI-Performance Mark Use Policy

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.

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).

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.

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.

I hold the CoreCHI-Performance™ 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-Performance™ credential and practice in more than one LOTE (Language Other Than English):

a)      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). IMPORTANT: This does not apply to languages for which a CHI credential exists. A CoreCHI-P credential in Arabic, Mandarin and Spanish may only be obtained after passing the corresponding bilingual CHI™ performance exam.

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

c)      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)     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)     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://cchicertification.org/renewal-multiple-credentials/ for all multiple-credential renewal procedures.

I hold multiple CHI™ credentials in different LOTEs (Languages Other Than English). How do I renew my credentials?

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

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

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

• Submit the “first” (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 CCHI’s template “First Credential Renewal Attestation” 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)     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://cchicertification.org/renewal-multiple-credentials/ for all multiple-credential renewal procedures.

I hold both CHI™ and CoreCHI-Performance™ 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 CHI™ and CoreCHI-Performance™ credentials with the same LOTE (Language Other Than English):

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

c)      The CoreCHI-P credential dates may be aligned to the CHI credential dates only (not vice versa). 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). The CoreCHI-P renewal dates will then match the CHI credential dates.
• For the CoreCHI-P renewal application, upload a statement that the CHI credential renewal application has been submitted. See CCHI’s template “First Credential Renewal Attestation” 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://cchicertification.org/renewal-multiple-credentials/ for all multiple-credential renewal procedures.

I hold both CHI™ and CoreCHI-Performance™ credentials with different Languages Other Than English (LOTEs). How do I renew my credentials?

The following procedural rules apply to certificants who hold both CHI™ and CoreCHI-Performance™ credentials with different Languages Other Than English (LOTEs):

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

b)     To align the expiration dates for 2 credentials and simplify the renewal process, the certificant will need to:

• Fulfill the LOTE-specific CE requirement within the first 12 months after the date of the CoreCHI-Performance credential award OR before the expiration of their CHI credential, whichever is sooner.  The certificate for completing this CE requirement (issued by CCHI) must be uploaded to the CoreCHI-P renewal application.
• Submit the CHI renewal application (assuming it is an older one) 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 CCHI’s template “First Credential Renewal Attestation” 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.

c)     If the certificant does not renew the CHI credential but wishes to keep the CoreCHI-P credential, they would have to upload all CE documentation and pay the full renewal fee in the CoreCHI-P renewal application, and follow the CoreCHI-P renewal cycle in the future.

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