Training the workforce our communities depend on.
Pacific Empire College is California’s premier institution for training and certifying HCAI-compliant Community Health Workers whose services are eligible for Medi-Cal reimbursement.
THE MISSION
Advancing the CHW occupation
Community health workers are frontline public health professionals who serve as a bridge between individuals and the healthcare, behavioral health, and social service systems they depend on.
They are trusted neighbors, cultural liaisons, and skilled resource navigators – and they are one of the most effective, cost-efficient, and in-demand roles in healthcare today.
THE STORY
A college built for this moment.
Pacific Empire College was founded as a social enterprise under Reach Out, a community-based nonprofit with over 60 years of experience delivering community health programs across Southern California, and nearly a decade training, deploying, and employing its own CHWs.
In response to the rising demand, we launched as a BPPE-certified college after a rigorous, multiyear approval process, with a single focus: training and deploying highly qualified Community Health Workers to serve California's most underserved communities.
Your CHW journey starts here
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Your CHW journey starts here •
PROFESSIONALS
For those building a career in health:
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Whether you're looking to launch a health career, strengthen your application to medical or public health school, or find purposeful work that puts your lived experience to use, the CHW certification is one of the most accessible and rewarding entry points into the field.
Why train with PEC?
BPPE-certified college
100% online curriculum
Certified in as little as 12 weeks
Affordable tuition ($1,395)
Guaranteed job placement support
HEALTH EMPLOYERS
For hospital systems, clinics, and CBOs:
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Your medical assistants and front office staff are already performing many tasks Medi-Cal is now willing to reimburse — but they need the certification to make those hours billable. Pacific Empire College partners with hospitals, clinics, and community health organizations to certify existing staff as CHWs, implement compliant billing workflows, and build the internal capacity needed to sustain a high-performing CHW program over time.
Why train with PEC?
Trusted by the agencies we all know and rely on.
O U R C L I E N T S I N C L U D E
