Update from the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF):
The Health First Colorado reimbursement for community health worker (CHW) services will not begin on Jan. 1, 2026, as planned, but will instead begin on Jan. 1, 2028.
The Colorado Legislature passed Senate Bill 23-002 in 2023 to add CHW services as a Health First Colorado benefit (Colorado’s Medicaid program). Given the acute budget crisis in Colorado, Gov. Jared Polis extended and amended Executive Order D25 014 on Oct. 31, 2025, making additional fiscal year 2025-26 reductions. This include an additional delay to the Health First Colorado CHW benefit until January 1, 2028.
HCPF is working to update the HCPF Community Health Worker webpage and resources to reflect the new implementation date of Jan. 1, 2028. Questions? Please email HCPF_CHW_Benefit@state.co.us
Training and credentialing is continuing!
The Patient Navigation and Community Health Worker Training program (PNCT) will continue to hold trainings for health navigators and community health workers. Dates for early 2026 will be announced soon. Additionally, the state of Colorado is moving forward with an updated CHW assessment for those who are interested in getting credentialed. The assessment is currently being pilot-tested with full rollout coming in 2026.