Renewal Process

All CoreCHI™ or CHI™ certificants must complete continuing education to maintain their certification. The continuing education requirement is 32 actual hours (classroom or contact) during the four-year period for which the individual’s certification is valid. To ensure that certificants pursue continuing education in a consistent manner and with the goal to maintain or improve their job performance, the following conditions must be met regarding these 32 CE hours:

• The 28 CE hours can be in any topic relevant to healthcare interpreting.
• A minimum of four (4) CE hours must be in performance based training which is defined as training aimed to improve the healthcare interpreter’s skills in the three interpreting modes – consecutive, simultaneous and sight translation, and translation. See the corresponding section below for more information. CoreCHI-P certificants are required to complete a minimum of 1 performance-based (PB) CE hour 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.)
• Effective Apr 12, 2022: A maximum of eight (8) CE hours may be in qualified topics related to written translation. Keep in mind, translation training may be performance based or not.
• Effective Jan 30, 2018: Out of the 32 CE hours of the four-year cycle, a maximum of 8 CE hours may be earned as non-instructional CE activities. (These hours are optional, not required.) Non-instructional CE activities are defined as “activities that support the healthcare interpreting profession through volunteerism, leadership and research.” See the corresponding section below for more information.
• Effective May 1, 2019, the minimum duration of a CE activity is 30 minutes for general topics and 60 minutes for performance-based topics. Courses of lesser duration are not accepted by CCHI.

CCHI accepts CE topics that are beyond-beginner level of complexity AND address the essential body of knowledge that serves as the context for the healthcare interpreting profession and align with one or more of the knowledge, skills and abilities needed for competent performance of the job of the healthcare interpreter. Keep in mind, that for topics in Written Translation only 8 hours are accepted (the subject matter of such written translation topics is limited to healthcare, medical, legal, and healthcare/auto insurance subject areas; written translation topics could be performance-based or not).

By “continuing education,” we mean learning in an instructor-led (feedback-offered) environment, including online self-paced modules, when such learning results in a document issued by an instructor, organization, organizer, etc. verifying completion of the activity (i.e., self-attestations are NOT accepted). The following activities are not accepted as CE by CCHI:

• actual interpreting or translating (i.e., performing your job),
• preparing for an assignment (any research or self-study that an interpreter would do to be ready to interpret in a new setting or on a new subject matter),
• self-study (e.g., reading a book, watching a YouTube video, etc. are NOT accepted as CE activities).

Distribution of Topics

CCHI acknowledges that interpreting skills require continuous practice to be maintained at an adequate level.  Therefore, each certificant is required to obtain a minimum of 4 (four) CE hours in any performance based (skill-building) training every four years. 

CCHI recommends that each certificant develops a personal CE plan to target the areas of knowledge and performance in which they need improvement. Certificants are not allowed to take the same CE course in the same four-year cycle (“same” means the course with the same title, delivered by the same instructor(s), and of the same duration as the course submitted for CE credit in the current four-year cycle).

CCHI accepts various types of continuing education programs that are delivered at any venue – classroom, online (as webinars or online training modules), conference sessions, or workshops.

Learn about the Continuing Education Accreditation Program (CEAP) and CEAP-accredited CE courses – click here.

If a certificant is a trainer or instructor and is asking for CE credits for training they deliver, they must meet the following requirements:

1. The training must qualify as CE (i.e. be beyond beginner-level complexity; basic/introductory courses or courses preparing for certification are not accepted);
2. The training must follow the above subject guidelines;
3. The certificant must provide proof of having a minimum of 80 hours of training experience at the time of the certification renewal application (minimum of 40 hours of training interpreters and 40 doing any other type of training).

Important:

CCHI guarantees acceptance of appropriately furnished proof of CE only for CEAP-accredited CE courses because such courses have undergone a thorough review process and meet CCHI’s renewal criteria. However, CCHI does not require that certificants complete only CEAP-accredited CE courses.

CCHI will accept all CE courses that meet CCHI’s requirements for continuing education as described here as long as sufficient information for the evaluation is provided by the certificant. It is the responsibility of the certificant to provide information about a CE course that is sufficient for CCHI to make an evaluation as to whether the course meets CCHI’s CE requirements. The information needed for the evaluation may include, but is not limited to, the course description, agenda, syllabus, student handouts, etc. This information may be required in addition to the document verifying the certificant’s completion of the course (i.e. certificate of attendance/completion, badge, etc.), especially if the title of the course does not indicate a specific subject matter or the level of complexity (i.e. continuing education vs. beginner-level/basic training).

CCHI defines performance-based (PB) training as training aimed to improve the healthcare interpreter’s skills in the three interpreting modes – consecutive, simultaneous and sight translation, and translation. PB courses must include instructor-led practice (with feedback offered) in those modes of interpreting or translation (in-person or online). Ethics, cultural awareness or terminology-only courses are not considered PB in this context.

CCHI acknowledges that interpreting skills require continuous practice to be maintained at an adequate level.  Therefore, each certificant is required to obtain a minimum of 4 (four) CE hours in any performance-based (skill-building) training every four years.

Performance-Based Training:

• Minimum required – 4 CE hours within the four-year renewal cycle, in any combination in the following areas of the interpreter competencies:
  • Perform consecutive interpreting
  • Perform simultaneous interpreting
  • Sight translate healthcare documents
  • Related skills-development training (e.g. note-taking, short-term memory development, public speaking, critical thinking)
• Maximum allowed – 8 (eight) CE hours in a four-year cycle, in the following competency:
  • Training in any written translation topics related to health care, medicine, legal and auto insurance matters related to healthcare provision, medical malpractice/health insurance.
  • Training in other translation topics is not accepted.

Non-Performance-Based Training –  28 CE hours maximum allowed  in a four-year cycle, in any combination:

• Professional Responsibility and Interpreter Ethics
• Manage the Interpreting Encounter
• Healthcare Terminology
• U. S. Healthcare System
• Cultural Responsiveness

Courses that include activities when participants discuss issues, provide their input, participate in behavioral roleplays, etc., but do not actually practice interpreting/translation, are considered general CE (i.e., they are not considered PB in the context of CCHI’s guidelines).

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.)

Keep in mind that interpreting (or translating a document) in itself or preparing for an interpreting assignment is not considered to be continuing education.

All CE activities must be instructor-led (feedback-offered) either in an in-person or online format. Online courses do not need to have a human instructor but must be structured in a way that allows the student to practice the three modes of interpreting and receive some feedback or model interpretation of assignments. The same applies to the online translation courses.

Important:

CCHI guarantees acceptance of appropriately furnished proof of CE only for CEAP-accredited CE courses because such courses have undergone a thorough review process and meet CCHI’s renewal criteria. However, CCHI does not require that certificants complete only CEAP-accredited CE courses.

CCHI will accept all CE courses that meet CCHI’s requirements for continuing education as described in the section above as long as sufficient information for the evaluation is provided by the certificant. It is the responsibility of the certificant to provide information about a CE course that is sufficient for CCHI to make an evaluation as to whether the course meets CCHI’s CE requirements. The information needed for the evaluation may include, but is not limited to, the course description, agenda, syllabus, student handouts, etc. This information may be required in addition to the document verifying the certificant’s completion of the course (i.e. certificate of attendance/completion, badge, etc.), especially if the title of the course does not indicate a specific subject matter or the level of complexity (i.e. continuing education vs. beginner-level/basic training).

CCHI is committed to ensuring that CoreCHI-Performance™ certificants maintain or improve their proficiency in their LOTE (Language Other Than English, i.e., the language listed on the certificate). CoreCHI-P™ 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 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). 

CCHI recognizes that one of the important tasks of a certified healthcare interpreter is to pursue professional growth and development on an ongoing basis. This is achieved not only by completing continuing education programs but also through involvement in professional organizations, research, and professional publications. CCHI encourages our certificants to be actively engaged in the profession. To this effect, as of January 30, 2018, the following changes to our Certification Renewal policy take effect:

CCHI certificants are allowed, as an option, to submit non-instructional continuing education (CE) equal to up to 8 hours (points) per each four-year cycle towards their certification renewal requirements.

• One (1) point in non-instructional CE activities equals 1 CE hour for certification renewal purposes.
• Points are earned for unique and mutually exclusive experiences and not for interrelated experiences (see examples below).
• Points do not reflect the actual hours of work.

Non-instructional CE activities are defined as “activities that support the healthcare interpreting profession through volunteerism, leadership and research.”

The following categories of non-instructional activities are accepted as CE for CCHI certification renewal:

1. Professional Engagement:

a) Membership in a professional organization – 0.5 points per year, maximum 2 points
b) Volunteering related to healthcare interpreting – 1 point per year, maximum 4 points

2. Leadership and Recognition:

a) Serving on the volunteer Board of a professional organization of healthcare interpreters or with healthcare interpreters as a significant segment of membership – 4 points per year, maximum 8 points
b) Receiving a professional award related to healthcare interpreting – 2 points per award, maximum 4 points

3. Research and Publications related to the healthcare interpreting profession – 4 points per year, maximum 8 points

Interpreters may hold more than one CCHI credential. To maintain each certification active, certificants must submit a renewal application for each of their credentials every four years.

However, since the CE requirements are the same for any credential, CCHI offers streamlined procedures for renewal of the certificant’s second or third, etc., credential.

Also, the renewal application fee for each additional credential is $30.

For more information, click the button below.

The CEAP Registry is a listing of accredited CE programs. Interpreters do not need to create an account at the CEAP Portal. For interpreters, the portal functions as a search engine.

Educators, trainers, and organizations need to create an account if they wish to submit their training program/event for CEAP accreditation.

To search the Registry, select appropriate values in the drop-down lists of various fields and click the “Filter” button. Make sure to click the “Clear” button when you start another search.

CCHI guarantees acceptance of appropriately furnished proof of CE only for CEAP-accredited CE courses because such courses have undergone a thorough review process and meet CCHI’s renewal criteria. However, CCHI does not require that certificants complete only CEAP-accredited CE courses.

We also provide online self-paced CE training modules based on recordings of our webinars. These modules are available on our special online training portal. When you visit the portal for the first time, you need to create a free account. Keep in mind that this account is not linked to your CCHI Profile (that houses all your applications and is located at https://cchi.learningbuilder.com), so save the username and password for the portal.

To access any CE training module, click on its title. Some modules are free (you’ll need to enter the enrollment key provided in the description to launch them). Others are offered at an affordable fee that you pay via a PayPal checkout (you do not need to have a PayPal account, you may use a credit/debit card).

To help our certificants meet the CE requirements, CCHI offers free live CE webinars annually. We invite guest speakers, renowned interpreter educators from across the U.S., to present at our webinars. Visit our webinar page frequently for updates.

In brief:

• CHI credential holders MUST always 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/CHI-Spanish OR Certified Healthcare Interpreter™ (Spanish)/CHI (Spanish).
• CoreCHI-P credential holders may specify their proficiency in a Language Other Than English (LOTE) that has been verified by CCHI, but they must include either the word “proficient” or “proficiency” with that specification (e.g., Jane Doe, CoreCHI-P, Cantonese language proficiency).
• The use of the trademark symbol ™ is optional after any mark.

Any CCHI-certified interpreter, whose certification is current, may purchase a CCHI Certified Interpreter Photo ID Badge.

At the time of ordering the badge, your certification expiration date must be more than 3 months ahead.

Most interpreter conferences accredit their sessions with CEAP. See the listing of annual conferences and plan accordingly. Don’t forget that you can also earn 1 non-instructional CE hour by volunteering at a conference!