School Wellness Coach Career Pathway

About the Wellness Coach Newly Introduced Certification
The
Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) introduced a
new state certification program aimed at helping children and youth get through behavioral health challenges. The new
Certified Wellness Coach role was created as part of the state’s
Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) to increase California’s overall capacity to support the growing behavioral health needs of the state’s youth.
People with
work experience or
students and recent graduates in fields like social work or health and human services can start the process of becoming certified now by visiting
cawellnesscoach.org. Those who aspire to become wellness coaches needing workforce experience or more education can enroll in HCAI-designated training programs.
There are
two levels of certification for the Wellness Coach role:
-
Wellness Coach Level 1 - at the Associate’s level
-
Wellness Coach Level 2 - at the Bachelor’s level
Wellness Coaches (Level 1 and Level 2) provide
non-clinical services to support youth behavioral health and well-being. The goal is to build a larger and more diverse behavioral health workforce to engage directly with young people in various school settings.
Wellness Coaches receive the training and supervision needed to engage directly with young people in their everyday environments, including where they live, study, and work. These coaches enhance the wellness services available to students by delivering:
- Wellness education
- Life skills training (stress management, time management, organization, problem-solving)
- Facilitated access to care
SCCOE Wellness Coach Career Pathways
There are currently
two types of support that are being offered through the
Mental & Behavioral Health and Apprenticeships (MBHA) branch of the Educator Preparation Programs Department to individuals interested in pursuing either of Level 1 or Level 2 Wellness Coach certification:
-
Scholarship through the School-based Mental Health Grant (SBMH) - for
Wellness Coach Level 2. See more information below.
-
MBHA Apprenticeship Program - for Welness Coach Level 1. It hasan estimated launch of
Spring 2026 to enroll in a program. SCCOE is partnering with local institutions of higher learning to offer an apprenticeship opportunity for those individuals seeking certification. Visit the Mental Health and Wellness Apprenticeships Pathways page to learn more.
Scholarship Support through the SBMH Grant
Scholarship awardees can use the scholarship to cover the cost of tuition, related materials and living expenses towards completion of Wellness Coach Level 2 Certification.
To learn more on how to become a Certified Wellness Coach and decide if this pathway is for you , please access the following link:
Become a Certified Wellness Coach – HCAI-WC.
AVAILABLE SCHOLARSHIPS :
- Wellness Coach Level 2 Scholarship:
$30,000
Who are the Best Candidates for the SBMH Grant Program?
The best candidates for this program are individuals seeking either a Level 1 (Associate’s level) or Level 2 (Bachelor’s level) wellness coach certification. You
need to be accepted into a wellness coach certification program in order to be eligible to apply to this scholarship program. To find out more, please access the same link as above:
Become a Certified Wellness Coach – HCAI-WC.
What type of Jobs Can You Get after Finishing this Program?
Certified Wellness Coaches are being hired by schools that have wellness centers and other school-based mental health and wellness programs for students and their families.
Resources for Candidates
Candidates can access information about the wellness coach program by accessing information on the
HCAI website. Learn more about this position by accessing the links below:
Applying for the Scholarship
Click the button below to learn more about the application process and complete the
Educator Career Workforce Pathways - School-Based Mental Health (SBMH) application.
Learn More & Apply
Contact Us
For further information, please contact: