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Caregiver course and training requirements can be complex. Federal law requires home health aides to complete a minimum of 75 training hours before working with clients, and some states require additional training hours. Training for non-medical home care aides — or personal care aides — varies by state.
Home care agencies must be aware of their state’s caregiver training requirements and take the necessary steps to manage and track caregiver certification, ensure compliance, and protect the well-being of their clients and caregivers.
Whether you operate a startup home care agency or are opening offices in multiple states, training and certification will be central to your business’ growth. Here’s a quick guide to help you figure out your needs.
Three Levels of Caregiver Certification
Typically, there are three levels of caregiver compliance that we have termed “high, medium, and low.” We’ve simplified the categories, so double-check the caregiver training requirements in your state. They may vary based on certification type and by payment method (i.e. Medicaid, vs. Medicare vs. Private Pay).
- High requirements:
Some states — like New York, Washington, and New Jersey — have stringent requirements, in some cases requiring 40 or more hours of initial training. Additionally, some states require approval for classes, instructors and programs, and require continuous education or ongoing annual training. - Medium requirements:
Pennsylvania, Colorado, Illinois, and California require professional caregivers to complete a certain number of hours on specific topics before working with clients. For example, California requires 5 hours of initial and annual training for home care aides, while both Pennsylvania and Colorado require 8 hours of initial and annual training. - Low requirements:
Massachusetts, Virginia, Texas, Arizona, Ohio, and 17 other states have no training requirements for home care aides employed by private-pay agencies. Regardless of the requirements, training caregivers before entering the field is always recommended to ensure the safety of clients and caregivers.
How to Standardize Caregiver Training
If you operate a franchise that crosses state lines, it can certainly be a challenge to ensure compliance across caregivers and agencies. Currently, there is no universal standard for caregiver training, so you can develop your own standards that either meet or surpass state training requirements.
Many agencies are turning to online training programs as an effective way to rapidly and consistently onboard and upskill caregivers and standardize training. Online training is much more accessible for caregivers because they don’t need to travel to complete their requirements. That convenience can help agencies recruit caregivers.
How to Determine the Requirements for Your State
To ensure compliance, it’s imperative that you understand your state’s mandates.
Busy agency administrators may not have time to keep up with state requirements and monitor whether employees have completed their training. CareAcademy can help.
CareAcademy offers compliance-based online training that evolves as requirements for health and home care change. The simple user interface lets admins assign courses, automate reminders for ongoing training, and see all caregivers’ progress on training. If you want more specific information about your state, book a 15-minute demo with CareAcademy.
FAQ
Do non-medical home care aides need a high school diploma?
Generally, agencies determine whether a high school diploma is necessary for employment as a home care aide. There is no federal law that mandates that.
Does CareAcademy offer certification exams?
We do! At the end of each course, caregivers take an exam and earn a certificate with a passing grade of 80%.
Does CareAcademy offer only initial training for HCAs?
CareAcademy offers a wide range of certification courses for professional caregivers. Caregiver certification courses are available for HCAs, HHAs, certified nursing assistants, registered nurses, and agency administrators.
What specific classes does CareAcademy offer?
You can see available training in our full class list page.