Certified Hospitality House Program
A structured pathway for HHN member houses to demonstrate their commitment to best practices, staff development, and operational excellence.
What is the Certified Hospitality House designation?
The Certified Hospitality House (CHH) credential gives member organizations a formal way to distinguish themselves as organizations committed to high training standards and best practices. It's one of the few certifications designed specifically for healthcare hospitality houses.
Certification is earned by completing a required number of continuing education hours across seven core categories, then submitting documentation that demonstrates how those principles are applied in your organization's actual operations. The CHH Committee reviews all applications and makes certification decisions.
The program includes access to a continuously growing course library with over 1,600 courses specific to the healthcare hospitality industry, updated regularly as new content becomes available.
The CHH program is available exclusively to HHN House Members. Learn about House Membership if you are not yet a member.
What certification signals to the people who matter
Credibility with donors and grantmakers
Certification confirms to funders that your organization maintains high standards and invests in its team's ongoing development.
Stronger, more capable staff
Access to over 1,600 courses means your team can build skills across every area of house operations, from guest relations to emergency management.
Confidence in your operations
Working through certification gives leadership a clearer picture of organizational strengths and areas for growth across every operational domain.
Reduced staff turnover
Staff with access to professional development and certification tend to stay longer, reducing the cost and disruption of high turnover.
Recognition in the HHN community
Certified houses are recognized within the HHN network as organizations that take training and best practices seriously.
A growing toolkit
Certification isn't a one-time event. Recertification keeps your team current and your organization continuously improving.
The certification process
Complete required continuing education hours
Your team completes courses across the seven core certification categories. The number of hours required depends on the size of your house.
Apply for certification
Once your house has met the CEU requirements for your size, submit a Certified Hospitality House Certification Request. New to the program? Start with the CHH Enrollment Form and review the CHH Checklist.
Submit documentary evidence
Upload documentation that demonstrates how your organization applies the principles from each of the seven core categories in actual operations. Use the document upload form to submit your evidence.
CHH Committee review
The CHH Committee reviews your submitted documents and completed CEU requirements and makes a certification decision.
Seven core certification categories
Continuing education hours must be completed across all seven categories. The specific number of hours required in each category varies by house size.
Facility Management
Architecture, design, expansion, and proactive maintenance programs specific to hospitality house facilities.
Guest Relations
Positive relationships, interpersonal communication, and dialogue development with guests and caregivers.
Nonprofit Management
Board development, fundraising, feasibility studies, and annual and impact reporting.
Human Resources
Employee relations, staff development, recruitment, orientation, and retention.
Internal Improvements
Self-care, compassion fatigue, trauma stewardship, empathy training, and emotional intelligence for staff.
Emergency Management
Policies and processes to ensure the safety and well-being of guests, volunteers, visitors, and staff.
Operations Management
Business fundamentals, efficient process development, and asset management for house operations.
Continuing Education Unit Requirements
Hours required vary by the number of guest rooms in your house. Each category requires the same number of hours, so total hours equal the per-category requirement multiplied by seven.
| House Size | Hours per Category | Total CEU Hours | Recertification Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 19 rooms | 2 hours | 14 hours | 8 hours |
| 20 to 39 rooms | 4 hours | 28 hours | 14 hours |
| 40 to 59 rooms | 6 hours | 42 hours | 20 hours |
| 60 or more rooms | 8 hours | 56 hours | 26 hours |
Outside coursework may be submitted for credit. Contact HHN at info@hhnetwork.org for details on submitting external courses.
Program Fees
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the CHH program open to everyone?
No. The Certified Hospitality House program is available exclusively to HHN House Members. If your organization is not yet a member, you will need to join HHN before enrolling. The program is not available to Affiliate Members or the general public.
How do I know what courses I have completed?
Log in to the CHH Learning System to view your course history and track progress toward your certification requirements.
How long does initial certification last?
Contact HHN at info@hhnetwork.org for information on certification duration and recertification timelines.
What do I do when I think I have enough credits?
Submit a Certified Hospitality House Certification Request along with your documentary evidence for each operational domain.
What if there aren't enough courses available in a category for my house size?
Contact HHN at info@hhnetwork.org to discuss options. Outside coursework may be submitted for credit in cases where the learning system does not yet have enough courses to fulfill a specific category.
How do I submit outside coursework for credit?
Reach out to HHN at info@hhnetwork.org with details about the course you'd like to submit. Staff will review and advise on eligibility.
I've forgotten my password. How do I regain access?
Use the password reset option on the CHH Learning System login page, or contact HHN at info@hhnetwork.org for assistance.
Ready to get started?
Log in to the CHH Learning System to begin your coursework, or reach out to HHN at info@hhnetwork.org with any questions about the program.