PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA / ACCESS Newswire / September 16, 2025 / TruMerit, a global leader in healthcare workforce development, today launched two new global credentials for healthcare workers specializing in rehabilitation, habilitation, and restorative care.
The Certified Global Health Worker-Rehabilitation (CGHW-R) and the Certified Global Health Worker-Rehabilitation Advanced (CGHW-RA) have been developed specifically for eligible health workers worldwide who wish to have their applied experience and competencies in rehab care recognized and verified by passing a certification examination. These credentials, along with the Certified Global Nurse-Rehabilitation (CGN-R) that TruMerit established last year, are intended to advance and improve services for the more than two billion people worldwide who need this care.
The CGHW-RA credential was developed for those with a degree or diploma in a rehabilitation field. These include clinicians, educators, and instructors with physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech language pathology, or other rehab-related specializations.
The CGHW-R credential was designed for those who have rehab health experience but have not completed post-secondary education in an area of rehab specialization. These would include technicians, assistive personnel, nursing assistants, and home or community health aides working in rehabilitation, habilitation, and restorative care settings.
In addition to education and degree requirements, candidates for these credentials must have at least two years of work experience in a rehabilitation, habilitation, or restorative care setting during the last five years. Upon verification of their credentials by TruMerit, they must pass a proctored exam that is offered at more than 1,000 test centers worldwide.
In 2019, CARF International, a non-profit organization that accredits rehabilitation care providers worldwide, alerted TruMerit (known then as CGFNS International) about the growing demand for validating practice competence of the rehabilitation health workforce and raising standards across the care continuum. TruMerit and rehabilitation experts from across the world began the process to create exam-based global certifications for healthcare professionals working in rehabilitation, habilitation, and restorative care settings. The process has included more than 200 subject matter experts from 45 countries from all world regions and income levels.
"Caring for the huge and growing population of persons living with a disability is one of the most pressing issues facing healthcare today. By validating the knowledge and skills of those who devote their careers to providing this care, global credentials will help drive efforts to expand and equip this vital workforce to meet the challenges of the future. We are grateful to the global team of rehab care experts who helped make these credentials possible," said Julia To Dutka, Chief of TruMerit's Global Health Workforce Development Institute, which is leading the initiative.
View more information on TruMerit's global rehab certification program.
Additionally, last month TruMerit unveiled its Certified Global Nurse (CGN) credential for first-level, general nurses (RNs), along with a reinvented Nurse Qualifying Exam.
About TruMerit
TruMerit is a worldwide leader in healthcare workforce development. Formerly known as CGFNS International, the organization has a nearly 50-year history supporting the career mobility of nurses and other healthcare workers-and those who license and hire them-by validating their education, skills, and experience as they seek authorization to practice in the United States and other countries. As TruMerit, this mission has been expanded to building workforce capacity that meets the needs of people in a rapidly evolving global health landscape. Through its Global Health Workforce Development Institute, the organization is advancing evidence-based research, thought leadership, and advocacy in support of healthcare workforce development solutions, including globally recognized practice standards and certifications that will enhance career pathways for healthcare workers.
Contact Information
David St. John
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