Source: http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/law/wsr/2010/15/10-15-103.htm
Timestamp: 2020-03-29 15:34:06
Document Index: 451518833

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 483', 'art 8', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 483', 'art 483', 'art 8', 'art 8', 'art 2', 'art 7', 'art 2']

WSR 10-15-103
[ Filed July 20, 2010, 4:02 p.m. , effective January 1, 2011 ]
�����Purpose: The purpose of these rules are to establish certification requirements for home care aides. The rules clarify which long-term care workers must obtain certification. They also define certification, examination and continuing education requirements, as well as fees.
�����Statutory Authority for Adoption: Chapters 18.88B and 74.39A RCW.
����� Adopted under notice filed as WSR 10-03-055 on January 15, 2010.
�����Changes Other than Editing from Proposed to Adopted Version: The department has made technical and clarifying changes to the rules based on comments received during comment period and hearing. None of the changes made are substantive.
���� WAC 246-980-040, 246-980-050 and 246-980-060, all rule titles under the heading "Requirements for long-term care workers that are required to be certified as a home care aide" have had the word "nonexempt" added to clarify that the rule applies to nonexempt long-term care workers.
���� WAC 246-980-040, 246-980-070 and 246-980-080, these rules were changed to replace "successfully complete the home care aide certification examination" with "successfully pass the home care aide certification examination" to clarify that the applicant must pass the exam.
���� WAC 246-980-040, 246-980-070 and 246-980-080, these rules were changed to clarify that a certificate of completion must be signed by a department of social and health services (DSHS) approved instructor. In addition, these portions of the rules have been changed to add that the department of health will also accept the certificate of completion directly from the approved training program.
���� WAC 246-980-010 was changed to add the RCW 74.39A.009(9) definition of "direct care worker." The definition of "elderly" has been removed because it is not needed.
���� WAC 246-980-020 was changed to clarify that the rule pertains only to persons hired on or after January 1, 2011.
���� WAC 246-980-030 was changed to add the word "nonexempt" before "long-term worker." to clarify that the rule applies to nonexempt long-term care workers. The rule has also been renumbered and the last sentence contains a grammatical correction.
���� WAC 246-980-040(4) is changed to add "Beginning January 1, 2012" to clarify when the requirements will begin.
���� WAC 246-980-050 (1)(b) was changed to make grammatical corrections.
���� WAC 246-980-050 (1)(c) was eliminated because DSHS will address the requirement in their training rules.
���� WAC 246-980-070 (2)(i) was changed to remove nurse technicians from the exemption. Nurse technicians are only allowed to work in the nursing home and hospital settings. These are settings where a home care aide certification is not required, so no exemption is necessary and may cause confusion.
���� WAC 246-980-070 (2)(d) was changed to clarify that long-term care workers are exempt if they were working the year prior to January 1, 2011, not on January 1, 2011. Currently, the language allows only those working on January 1, 2011, to be exempt. Grammatical corrections have also been made to subsections (i) and (ii).
���� WAC 246-980-990 has been changed to reduce the application and renewal fee from $110 to $60 and the late renewal penalty fee and the expired certification activation fee from $55 to $30.
�����A final cost-benefit analysis is available by contacting Kendra Pitzler, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, phone (360) 236-4723, fax (360) 236-2406, e-mail kendra.pitzler@doh.wa.gov.
�����Date Adopted: July 20, 2010.
OTS-2795.6
���� (5) "Individual provider" means a person, including a personal aide, who has contracted with the department of social and health services to provide personal care or respite care services to functionally disabled persons under the medicaid personal care, community options program entry system, chore services program, or respite care program, or to provide respite care or residential services and support to persons with developmental disabilities under chapter 71A.12 RCW, or to provide respite care as defined in RCW 74.13.270.
���� (6) "Instrumental activities of daily living" means routine activities performed in the home or the community such as meal preparation, shopping, house cleaning, laundry, maintaining employment, travel to medical services, use of the telephone, and management of personal finances.
���� (7) "Long-term care worker" means all persons who are long-term care workers for the elderly or persons with disabilities, including, but not limited to, individual providers of home care services; direct care employees of home care agencies; providers of home care services to persons with developmental disabilities under Title 71A RCW; all direct care workers in state-licensed boarding homes, assisted living facilities, and adult family homes; respite care providers; community residential service providers; and any other direct care worker providing home or community-based services to the elderly or persons with functional disabilities or developmental disabilities. "Long-term care worker" does not include:
���� (a) Persons employed by the following facilities or agencies: Nursing homes subject to chapter 18.51 RCW; hospitals or other acute care settings; residential habilitation centers under chapter 71A.20 RCW; facilities certified under 42 CFR, Part 483; hospice agencies subject to chapter 70.127 RCW; adult day care centers; and adult day health care centers; or
���� (9) "Supported living provider" means a person or entity certified as a supported living provider by the department of social and health services, including the state operated living alternative (SOLA) program, who delivers services and support to meet a client's identified needs. Supported living providers provide instruction, support, and services under chapter 388-101 WAC to clients in their own home to help them live independently.
WAC 246-980-020 Who must be certified as a home care aide? (1) Any person who is hired on or after January 1, 2011, as a long-term care worker for the elderly or persons with disabilities, regardless of the employment title, must obtain certification as a home care aide. This includes, but is not limited to:
���� (d) A direct care worker in a state licensed boarding home;
���� (f) A respite care provider who is reimbursed by the state or employed by a private agency or facility licensed by the state to provide personal care services;
���� (g) A community residential service provider who is reimbursed by the state or employed by a private agency or facility licensed by the state to provide personal care service; and
���� (h) Any other direct care workers providing home or community-based services to the elderly or persons with developmental disabilities.
���� (2) Long-term care workers who meet the above criteria but are exempted under WAC 246-980-070 are not required to obtain certification.
���� (a) Before providing care, the long-term care worker must complete the training required by RCW 74.39A.073 (4)(a) and (b).
���� (b) The long-term care worker must submit an application for home care aide certification to the department within three days of hire. An application is considered to be submitted on the date it is post-marked or, for applications submitted in person or on-line, the date it is accepted by the department.
���� (a) Successfully complete the entry level training required by RCW 74.39A.073 before taking the examination;
���� (c) Complete four clock hours of AIDS education as required in chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 8.
���� (2) Applicants must submit directly to the examination contractor:
���� (a) A completed application for examination provided by the examination contractor;
���� (b) The fee required by the examination contractor; and
���� (c) A certificate of completion signed by an instructor approved by the department of social and health services. The certificate must indicate that the applicant has successfully completed the entry level training required by RCW 74.39A.073. The certificate of completion may also be submitted directly from the approved instructor or training program.
���� (3) Applicants must submit to the department:
���� (c) A certificate of completion indicating that the applicant has successfully completed the entry level training required by RCW 74.39A.073.
���� (4) Beginning January 1, 2012, applicants must submit to a state and federal background check as required by RCW 74.39A.055.
���� (a) A long-term care worker must successfully complete all training required by RCW 74.39A.073 within one hundred twenty calendar days of the date of hire as a long-term care worker.
���� (b) Verification of twelve hours of continuing education as required by RCW 74.39A.340 and WAC 246-980-110 must accompany the certification renewal.
���� (a) If the certification has been expired for less than three years, the applicant must submit proof of twelve continuing education hours as required by RCW 74.39A.340 and WAC 246-980-110 for each year it has been expired, and meet the requirements of chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 2.
���� (b) If the certification has been expired for more than three years, the applicant must successfully repeat the training and examination requirements in WAC 246-980-040 and meet the requirements of chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 2.
REQUIREMENTS FOR LONG-TERM CARE WORKERS
EXEMPT FROM CERTIFICATION AS A HOME CARE AIDE
���� (a) An individual who is employed by a nursing home subject to chapter 18.51 RCW, hospital, or other acute care setting; hospice agency subject to chapter 70.127 RCW; adult day care center; or adult day health center, and who does not hold a current health care credential described under subsection (2)(a) of this section.
���� (b) An individual provider caring only for a biological, step, or adoptive child or parent.
���� (c) An individual hired prior to June 30, 2014, as an individual provider who provides twenty hours or less of care for one person in any calendar month. Individual providers hired after June 30, 2014, will be required to obtain certification.
���� (d) An individual employed by a supported living provider.
���� (e) An individual employed by a residential habilitation center licensed under chapter 71A.20 RCW or a facility certified under 42 CFR, Part 483.
���� (f) Direct care employees who are not paid by the state or by a private agency or facility licensed by the state to provide personal care services.
���� (2) The following long-term care workers are not required to obtain certification as a home care aide. If they choose to voluntarily become certified, they must successfully pass the home care aide certification examination and meet all other requirements of WAC 246-980-080(2). The training requirements under RCW 74.39A.073 are not required.
���� (i) Registered nurse, a licensed practical nurse, or advanced registered nurse practitioner under chapter 18.79 RCW;
���� (ii) Nursing assistant-certified under chapter 18.88A RCW;
���� (vi) Physical therapist assistant under chapter 18.74 RCW.
���� (b) A home health aide who is employed by a medicare certified home health agency and has met the requirements of 42 CFR, Part 483.35.
���� (c) An individual with special education training and an endorsement granted by the superintendent of public instruction under RCW 28A.300.010.
���� (d) An individual employed as a long-term care worker on December 31, 2010, or who was employed as a long-term care worker at some point during the calendar year 2010, and who completes all of the training requirements in effect as of the date of hire. This exemption expires if the long-term care worker has not provided care for over three years.
���� (i) The department may require the exempt long-term care worker who is employed on or before December 31, 2010, to provide proof of that employment. Proof may include a letter or similar documentation from the employer that hired the long-term care worker on or before December 31, 2010, indicating the first and last day of employment, the job title, a job description, and proof of completing training requirements. Proof of training will also be accepted directly from the approved instructor or training program, if applicable. For an individual provider reimbursed by the department of social and health services, the department will accept verification from the department of social and health services or the Training Partnership.
���� (ii) A long-term care worker who is employed on or before January 1, 2011, but has not completed all of his or her training requirements in effect the day he or she was hired, must complete the training within one hundred twenty days of the date of hire to qualify for this exemption.
���� (iii) Complete four clock hours of AIDS education as required in chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 8.
���� (b) Applicants must submit directly to the examination contractor:
���� (i) A completed application for examination provided by the examination contractor;
���� (ii) The fee required by the examination contractor; and
���� (iii) A certificate of completion signed by a department of social and health services approved instructor. The certificate must indicate that the applicant has successfully completed entry level training required by RCW 74.39A.073. The certificate of completion may also be submitted directly from the approved instructor or training program.
���� (c) Applicants must submit to the department:
���� (iii) A certificate of completion signed by a department of social and health services approved instructor. The certificate must indicate that the applicant has successfully completed the entry level training as required by RCW 74.39A.073. The certificate of completion may also be submitted directly from the approved instructor or training program.
���� (d) Applicants must submit to a state and federal background check as required by RCW 74.39A.055.
���� (ii) Complete four clock hours of AIDS education as required in chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 8.
���� (b) Applicants must submit directly to the examination contractor a completed application for examination and the fee required by the examination contractor.
���� (2) To reinstate a certification that has been expired for less than three years, the applicant must submit proof of twelve continuing education hours as required by RCW 74.39A.340 and WAC 246-980-110 for each year it has been expired, and meet the requirements of chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 2.
���� (3) To reinstate a certification that has been expired for more than three years:
���� (i) Submit proof that the applicant has worked at least eight hours as a long-term care worker within the last three years and submit twelve hours of continuing education per year as required by RCW 74.39A.340 and WAC 246-980-110; or
���� (ii) Successfully repeat the training and examination requirements in WAC 246-980-080.
���� (i) Submit proof that the applicant has worked at least eight hours as a long-term care worker within the past three years and submit twelve hours of continuing education per year as required by RCW 74.39A.340 and WAC 246-980-110; or
���� (ii) Successfully repeat the certification examination requirements in WAC 246-980-080.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE APPLICATION FOR HOME CARE AIDE CERTIFICATION BY BOTH REQUIRED AND VOLUNTARY HOME CARE AIDES
���� (3) The applicant must apply directly to the examination contractor to take the examination.
���� (4) The examination contractor will notify the applicant of the date, time, and place of the examination.
���� (5) The examination contractor will notify both the department and the applicant of the examination results.
���� (ii) An application for reexamination may be submitted any time after the applicant receives notice of not successfully completing any portion of the certification examination.
���� (i) Must retake and successfully complete the core competencies portion of the entry-level training as required by RCW 74.39A.073; and
WAC 246-980-110 Continuing education. (1) Home care aides must demonstrate completion of twelve hours of continuing education per year as required by RCW 74.39A.340. The required continuing education must be obtained during the period between renewals. Continuing education is subject to the provisions of chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 7.
WAC 246-980-120 Home care aide -- Application -- Conviction data -- Criteria for denial or conditional license. (1) Applicants who have any criminal history may be denied certification or may be granted certification with conditions pursuant to RCW 18.130.055.
���� (2) In determining whether to deny certification or grant certification with conditions due to the applicant's criminal history, the department may consider the following factors:
WAC 246-980-990 Home care aide certification fees. (1) Certifications must be renewed every year on the practitioner's birthday as provided in chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 2.
���� (2) The following nonrefundable fees will be charged for home care aide:
Certification renewal 60.00
Expired certification reactivation 30.00
Duplicate certification 15.00