The Commission offers several certification programs for homecare and personal support workers and personal care attendants who want to further enhance their skills and receive a higher rate of pay.
Professional Development Certification
Professional Development Certification acknowledges the continued skill development and services provided by homecare and personal support workers and personal care attendants. This certification offers the opportunity for workers to receive an additional 50 cents per hour. The classes and requirements offer an educational opportunity that will help workers build skills that can be applied to their day to day work experience. The certification is good for two years. You can find more information about how to qualify for this certification by clicking here.
Enhanced Worker Certification
The Enhanced Worker Certification includes 25 hours of course work, in addition to out of class requirements that require internet access. This two-year certification allows homecare and personal support workers the opportunity to learn skills needed to provide services and supports to individuals who qualify for enhanced levels of support.
A homecare worker with enhanced certification provides services to seniors and people with disabilities who require medically driven services and supports. Examples include help with catheter or colostomy care, tube feeding, ventilator care, or wound care.
A personal support worker with enhanced certification provides services to children and adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities who require advanced medical or behavioral driven services and supports. Examples include help with tube feeding, ventilator care, extensive respiratory treatments, or diabetes management.
Homecare and personal support workers who receive enhanced worker certification receive an additional $1 per hour when working with a consumer with enhanced needs.
You can learn more about this certification by clicking here.
Exceptional Worker Certification
This certification is available to personal support workers who provide services to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities who require extensive medical or behavioral driven services and supports.
To qualify for this certification, personal support workers must have the enhanced worker certification and receive an additional 10 to 12 hours of blended learning. For extensive behavioral services, the worker must also be certified by the Oregon Intervention System (OIS) prior to providing services.
You can learn more about this certification by clicking here.
Community Health Worker Certification
Certified Community Health Workers help people adopt healthy behaviors and navigate the health system. They usually share ethnicity, language, socioeconomic status, or life experience with those they serve.
Community Health Workers may also provide information on available resources, connect people to social supports, provide informal counseling, advocate for individual and community health needs, and provide services such as blood pressure screening or other health prevention screenings.
To qualify for this certification, an individual must be an experienced homecare worker who has a current CPR and First Aid certification and has successfully completed the Commission’s 96 hour certification training.
For more information about this certification program, please click here.
Personal Support Worker Job Coaches
Personal support workers have the opportunity to enroll as job coaches for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and receive a higher rate of pay. Some personal support workers go on to have careers as independent job developers. You can learn more about becoming a personal support worker job coach by clicking here
Taking Your Career to the Next Level
Becoming a homecare or personal support worker or personal support attendant is a great way for individuals interested in advancing in the health care field to gain experience and skills they can use throughout their career. This is especially true for those wanting to be certified nursing assistants (CNAs), medical assistants, paramedics, nurses, or physicians. Job demand in the health care sector will continue to grow.
The Commission hopes to connect workers interested in furthering their career in the health care field to existing education and training programs throughout the state. Oregon’s seventeen (17) community colleges have implemented various “roadmaps” for students, community members, and professionals to follow to gain skills, certifications, and degrees within a chosen occupation.
| Post-Secondary Education Provider | Advancement Opportunities |
| Blue Mountain Community College | Nursing |
| Central Oregon Community College | Nursing Program |
| Chemeketa Community College | Certified Nursing Assistant |
| Clackamas Community College | Nursing |
| Clatsop Community College | Nursing |
| Columbia Gorge Community College | Nursing |
| Klamath Community College | Nursing |
| Lane Community College | Nursing |
| Linn-Benton Community College | Nursing |
| Mount Hood Community College | Nursing |
| Oregon Coast Community College | Nursing
Certified Nursing Assistant (Levels 1 and 2) |
| Portland Community College | Nursing |
| Rogue Community College | Nursing |
| Southwestern Oregon Community College | Nursing
Advanced Certified Nursing Assistant Basic Certified Nursing Assistant EMS Technician (Levels 1 and 2) |
| Tillamook Bay Community College | Skilled Nurse Training (degree granted by Clatsop Community College) |
| Treasure Valley Community College | Nursing |
| Umpqua Community College | Nursing |