BHA General Orientation

The federally authorized Community Health Aide Program Certification Board (CHAPCB) was created in 1998 by the federal government. The Board was charged with formalizing the process for maintaining training and practice standards and policies for Community Health Aides/ Practitioners (CHA/Ps), Dental Health Aides (DHAs), and Behavioral Health Aides/Practitioners (BHA/Ps).

As the governing board of the CHA/Ps, DHAs, and BHA/Ps, its function is to certify training centers and individual health aides at all levels of training. CHAPCB members represent the Indian Health Service, State of Alaska, CHAP training, CHAP directors, medicine, dentistry, behavioral health and community health aides.

Behavioral Health Academic Review Committee (BHARC)

• The BHARC is a subcommittee of the Tribal Behavioral Health Directors Committee.
• The BHARC helped the CHAPCB develop the BHA certification standards, which were included in the amended Community Health Aide Program Certification Board Standards and Procedures. 
• BHARC Responsibilities include:

- To review and recommend Board approval of all training curricula and courses for Behavioral Health Aides (BHA) and Behavioral Health Practitioners (BHP).

- To review and recommend applications of candidates for Behavioral Health Aide/ Practitioner (BHA/P) certification to the Board.

- To make recommendations regarding establishment of standards for Behavioral Health Aide/Practitioner education and certification in Alaska to the Tribal Behavioral Health Directors Committee and the Community Health Aide Program Certification Board (CHAPCB).

- To oversee the development of the Behavioral Health Aide Manual (BHAM).