Recertification - National Commission on Correctional Health Care
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Recertification

Maintain Your Certified Correctional Health Professional Status

Certification is valid for one year. All CCHPs and specialty CCHPs must apply for continuing certification annually. After  recertification, you’ll receive a new certificate by mail.

CCHP recertification is included when recertifying a specialty (CCHP-MH, CCHP-CP, CCHP-RN) certification. The specialty certification period supersedes the previous CCHP certification period. For example, if a CCHP with an effective period of 1/1/2023 – 12/31/2023 earns a CCHP-RN with an effective period of 10/1/2023 – 9/30/2024, the CCHP certification period also ends 9/30/2024. The next recertification will be for CCHP-RN and both CCHP and CCHP-RN will be 10/1/2024 – 9/30/2025. If a person has multiple specialties, (like CCHP-MH and CCHP-RN), they should recertify the most recently earned. That recertification will also recertify all the other certifications the person holds.  

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How to Recertify

Recertify online and receive immediate confirmation of your recertification. Please take a moment to check your account to make sure your information is up to date.

Mail or Fax. An additional $15 processing fee is required. Please allow four weeks to process your application. Complete, sign and submit the recertification application (PDF), along with your payment.

Print Your Certificate

To download your renewal certificate, log in to your account:

  • Once logged in, select: “My CCHP Certification”
  • Select “Details” under CCHP
  • Choose “Print Certificate”

Eligibility

CCHPs must be of good character and professional reputation, have no legal or ethical impediment to providing service in the correctional health care field and have credentials free of any restriction that would limit their professional practice solely to the correctional setting.

Continuing Education

Continuing certification requires participation in continuing education as described below for each certification type and payment of the recertification fee. Documentation of these activities is no longer required. However, all information supplied on your application for continuing certification is subject to audit by the CCHP Board of Trustees and staff. We highly recommend that you maintain documentation of your continuing education activities in the event your file comes under review.

Eighteen hours of continuing education are required for all renewals. A minimum of six hours of continuing education specific to correctional health care, including any activity with health-related topics that is conducted within the correctional setting or with topics that address providing health services in a correctional setting, is required. There is no maximum.

Short on CE? Check out NCCHC’s live and recorded resources.

Recertification Requirements by Type of CCHP

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CCHP

Completion of at least 18 hours of continuing education, with six specific to correctional health care.  

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CCHP-MH

Completion of at least 18 mental health contact hours*, with six specific to correctional health care.
*Any activity approved by an accredited mental health education provider (e.g., APA, NASW, NCCHC)

Attestation that professional license is in good standing

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CCHP-CP

Completion of at least 18 continuing medical education hours* or nursing education hours, with six specific to correctional health care. 

*Any activity approved by an accredited medical or nursing education provider as appropriate to licensure (e.g., ACCME, AANP, AAPA, NCCHC)

Attestation that professional license is in good standing

NOTE: If you are a CCHP-P, your credential will become CCHP-CP upon recertification. 

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CCHP-RN

Completion of at least 18 nursing contact hours*, with six specific to correctional health care. 

*Any activity approved by an accredited nursing education provider (e.g., ANCC, NCCHC)

Attestation that RN license is in good standing

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CCHP-A

Completion of annual CCHP or specialty recertification(s)

In addition, every three years, CCHP-As must submit documentation of participation in at least one correctional health care conference, as well as completion of an advanced project, such as publishing an article or book, teaching or presenting at a correctional health care conference, receiving a national recognition or developing a project that has significant impact on the field of correctional health care. Please send this information to [email protected].

Recertification Deadline

Depending on which certification cycle you are in, recertification materials are due March 31, June 30, September 30 or December 31.

Recertification requirements must be completed prior to the expiration date. Requests for an extension (up to 30 days) must be submitted in writing (by email, mail or fax).

CCHP certification may be reinstated within one year upon submission of the required elements and an administrative reinstatement fee. If certification has lapsed for more than one year, you must submit a new application and complete all of the application requirements.

Recertification Fee

A fee of $100 must accompany your application. For online recertification, payment is made by credit card. If mailing or faxing the application, payment is made by check, money order or credit card and requires a $15 processing fee. Applications submitted after the deadline must add a $25 late fee. Purchase orders are not accepted.