CHHA Certification in New Jersey: How to Become a Certified Home Health Aide

What a CHHA Certification Means in New Jersey

Every personal care aide working through a licensed home health agency in New Jersey must hold a Certified Homemaker-Home Health Aide (CHHA) credential issued by the New Jersey Board of Nursing. This is a state-level certification — not a federal CNA license, and not interchangeable with certifications from other states.

The CHHA requirement drives much of New Jersey's home care cost structure. Licensed agencies can only deploy CHHA-certified aides, which limits the labor pool and pushes private-pay home care rates to $25–$35 per hour. For families trying to keep an aging parent at home through Medicaid's MLTSS program, understanding this certification matters — it determines who can legally provide paid care and what pathways exist for family members who want to become paid caregivers.

Training Requirements

To earn a CHHA certification, you must complete a state-approved training program that includes:

• 60 hours of classroom instruction covering personal care skills, nutrition, infection control, safety, communication, and basic health monitoring
• 16 clinical, hands-on hours in a skills laboratory or patient-care setting
• Required skills and written examination — demonstrate the required skills and pass a written examination

Programs are offered through community colleges, vocational schools, and some home health agencies across New Jersey. The New Jersey Board of Nursing maintains a list of approved training providers.

The Application Process

After completing an approved program:

1. Complete the online initial certification application with the New Jersey Board of Nursing; your training program must upload the Letter of Completion or Assessment of Skills
2. Complete the criminal-history background check and fingerprinting — you will receive fingerprinting instructions during the application process
3. Receive your certification — the Board issues the CHHA credential, which expires every two years and must be renewed through a renewal application

There is no fixed turnaround: the application remains pending until all requirements are completed. Background-check results reach the Board an average of 1–3 weeks after the fingerprint appointment.

CHHA vs. CNA: Why New Jersey Is Different

In most states, a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) credential is the entry-level healthcare certification for personal care work. New Jersey uses the CHHA as a parallel track specifically designed for home and community-based care.

The key difference: a CNA is trained primarily for facility-based work (nursing homes, hospitals), while the CHHA curriculum emphasizes in-home care skills — household management, community navigation, and supporting independence in a residential setting. Both credentials involve hands-on personal care (bathing, dressing, transfers, feeding), but the CHHA training assumes the aide is working alone in someone's home, not in a facility with a nursing team down the hall.

If your family member already holds a CNA, they may be eligible for a shortened CHHA bridge program rather than the full 76-hour course.

How CHHA Connects to Medicaid Home Care

Under MLTSS, home-based personal care services are delivered through Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) that contract with licensed home health agencies. Those agencies employ CHHA-certified aides to provide the authorized care hours.

For families exploring alternatives to agency-based care, New Jersey's Personal Preference Program (PPP) offers a self-directed option. Through PPP, the Medicaid recipient manages their own care budget and can hire caregivers directly — including family members. This can provide a route for family caregivers who want to provide paid care without agency employment; confirm PPP's current enrollment and caregiver requirements before relying on it.

If you're weighing agency-based care against self-directed options under MLTSS, our New Jersey Medicaid Long-Term Care & Asset Protection Guide walks through the MCO selection process, PPP enrollment, and how care hours are authorized.

For more on the self-directed caregiving option, see NJ Personal Preference Program. For agency selection guidance, see choosing a home care agency in New Jersey.

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