1. CHO Exam Overview Who are CHOs (current definition)?
Current perception and value of CHO credential
RS/CHO exam overlap
Role of CHO exam subcommittee
Currently a health officer/agent that fits the revised regulatory criteria can sit for the exam (see definition in regulation 241 CMR 2.03 for a Health Officer). The perception of the CHO exam is that it is antiquated and somewhat redundant with the RS exam. Accordingly, in the recent past, the value of the exam has been in question. The CHO exam subcommittee has been tasked with creating a new exam that prepares health officers/agents to effectively administer, manage and lead a current board of health and/or health department within the context of national public health standards and practice. The new exam will retain a number of existing administrative jurisprudence questions from the current exam - while including new questions that address PHAB Standards, 3 core functions and 10 essential services of public health. Additional proposed questions will address administration, management and law garnered from sources including, but not limited to, MA statutes and LPHI modules.
Representatives of the CHO exam subcommittee are comprised of members of MEHA, MHOA, MAHB, BUSPH and a retired MDPH official.

2. Regulations & Exam Regulatory amendments to 241 CMR 3.00 & 4.00
Exam content update & self study material
Three (3) of the required twelve (12) CEUs for CHO license will address administration, management and leadership
Ongoing CHO exam review
The regulations that govern the Certification as a Health Officer, 241 CMR 3.00 & 4.00 have been amended and adopted (supplanting the existing regulations) The amended regulations allow a larger pool of potential candidates to sit for the exam. For example, an applicant may sit for the exam if they have a baccalaureate degree, recognized by the Board, signifying the completion of an undergraduate program and successful completion of a public health self-study curriculum defined by the Board; and two (2) years of experience in a position requiring administrative responsibility for public health programs.
Approximately 100 new questions, for proposed exam consideration, have been crafted that address public health core functions and essential service based on 12 PHAB domain standards, public health law and LPHI/BU module content. It is anticipated that approximately 40 to 60 new questions will be combined with an existing 40 jurisprudence questions of the current exam.
Continuing Education and Exam Content Review: Three (3) of the twelve (12) required CEUs for the CHO will address administrative, management and leadership content. It is anticipated that the CHO exam will be reviewed and amended on a consistent basis by content experts in order to address evolving local, state, federal and national public health practice and standards.

3. Public Health Core Functions and 10 Essential Services
The Ten Essential Services relate to the Three Core Functions.
Public Health practice in the United States is framed around three core functions of public health:
assessment
policy development, and
assurance
Each core function is linked to essential services that a public health department should be providing, at the state or local level.
Under the core function of assessment:
surveillance and
disease investigations.
Under policy development:
education,
partnership mobilization, and
policies.
Under assurance:
enforcement of public health laws,
linkage of citizens to needed care,
developing the public health workforce, and
evaluation.
System management and research support the evolving nature these core functions and the essential services:

4. CEHO Exam Application
CHO exam application is
Exam is offered 3x/year (April, July & November)
Questions?