What does
Washington's I-1029 do?
Who must
be certified as a home care aide?
Are there
long term care workers who do not have to be certified as home care
aides?
If I work
for a private pay client and am not working for a client whose services
are paid by the state, do I need to be certified as a home care aide?
What are
the requirements for the home care aide certification?
Can I
work before my certification is issued?
If I
don't need to be certified, can I still apply for certification?
What do I
need to do to keep my certification?
How can I
stay informed about this project?
What does
Washington's I-1029 do?
Washington
state voters passed initiative 1029
in November 2008. Beginning January 1, 2011, certain long term care
workers caring for the elderly and people with disabilities must be
certified as a home care aide. They must be certified by the Department
of Health within 150 days of being hired. This initiative protects
citizens by requiring workers to be trained, have background checks and
be disciplined for unprofessional conduct.
Who must
be certified as a home care aide?
Long term
care givers not otherwise exempt must be certified as a home care aide.
This includes:
-
Individual providers of home care services.
-
Direct
care employees of home care agencies.
-
Providers of home care services to persons with developmental
disabilities. (RCW
71)
-
All
direct care workers in state licensed boarding homes.
-
All
direct care workers in state licensed adult family homes.
-
Respite
care providers.
-
Community residential service providers.
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Are there
long term care workers who do not have to be certified as home care
aides?
Yes. The
following groups are exempt:
-
Anyone
already employed as a long term care professional prior to January
1, 2011
-
The
following types of health care providers:
-
Registered nurses
-
Licensed practical nurses
-
Certified nursing assistants
-
The
Department of Health can exempt other persons who hold similar
health credentials.
-
Direct
care employees working in or for:
-
Nursing homes
-
Hospitals
-
Hospice agencies
-
Adult day care or adult day health care centers
-
Residential habilitation centers
-
Supported living providers
-
People
with special education training and an endorsement granted by the
superintendent of public instruction.
-
Individuals caring for a biological, step or adoptive child or
parent.
-
An
individual provider who provides 20 hours or less of care for one
person in any calendar month. They must be hired before June 30,
2014.
-
Direct
care employees not paid by the state, or a private agency or
facility licensed by the state to provide personal care services.
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If I work
for a private pay client and am not working for a client whose services
are paid by the state, do I need to be certified as a home care aide?
Yes.
Initiative-1029 requires all persons defined as long-term care workers
to be certified. (RCW
18.88B) The exemptions include workers exempted from the definition
of long term care worker. It also exempts workers who are defined as
long term care workers but do not have to get the certification. See the
previous question for exemptions. All other long term caregivers must
get certified.
What are
the requirements for the home care aide certification?
Certification requires 75 hours of training and successful completion of
the certification exam administered or approved by the Department of
Health. The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) must approve
the training curriculum. It must include two hours of orientation and
three hours of safety training. The additional 70 hours is basic
training. This includes training related to core competencies and
population specific competencies.
The Department of Social and Health Services will share federal
background checks with the Department of Health starting January 1,
2012. The Department of Health will review the background checks to
decide whether the credential should be issued.
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Can I
work before my certification is issued?
Yes.
However, the following time-frames apply.
-
One
hundred twenty days from the date of hire: If you have not completed
training, you cannot work until we issue the certification.
-
One
hundred fifty days from date of hire: If you have not received your
certification, you must stop working until it is received.
If I
don't need to be certified, can I still apply for certification?
Yes.
However, you must meet the requirements described in law.
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What do I
need to do to keep my certification?
You must
renew your certification before it lapses and verify you have completed
12 hours of continuing education annually. We have not determined the
fee.
How can I
stay informed about this project?
We will
continue to add information to our Web page and frequently asked
questions. You can also join our
interested parties list to receive regular emails
about the project. If you have questions, please send them to
Homecareaides@doh.wa.gov.
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