Continuing Education for Long-Term Care Workers

Guidance on Continuing Education requirements, approved training options, and how instructors and facilities can get curriculum approved.

Continuing Education Requirements

Most long-term care workers must complete 12 hours of Continuing Education each year. For detailed information about CE training requirements for each category of LTC worker, go to the Continuing Education Requirements webpage.

All Continuing Education for long-term care workers:

  • Must be approved by DSHS.
  • Must use DSHS-approved CE curriculum.
  • Must use DSHS-approved instructors.

 

Continuing Education Options

CareLearn Washington

CareLearn is an online training solution that provides accessible DSHS-approved training and continuing education on a variety of topics. CareLearn helps non-union, family and paid long-term caregivers in various care settings easily access free training and can reduce the amount of time caregivers need to be away from the people they care for.

  • Professional online training.
  • Free for long-term care workers in adult family homes, assisted living facilities, and enhanced services facilities.
  • Visit CareLearn Washington for more information.
     

Other Community Options

DSHS Approved Continuing Education in Your Workplace

DSHS Curriculum

  • Go to the DSHS Curriculum and Materials webpage.
  • Scroll down to the bottom section: DSHS Continuing Education Available.
  • Select one of the options.
  • The class must be taught by an instructor who is approved by DSHS to lead Continuing Education.

 

New Curriculum

 

Continuing Education Curriculum Requirements

Must use one of these training methods:

  • Instructor led, in-person classroom training.
  • Online instructor led, such as a live webinar.
  • Asynchronous online class. These classes must include:
    • Activities that measure the learner’s understanding.
    • A final exam.
    • Access to an instructor for questions.


For more information about the standards required for online training, go to the Online Training Standards page.

 

Note: DSHS does not approve self‑study Continuing Education. Self‑study means any class or material someone reads or watches on their own without an approved instructor. These classes cannot count for continuing education. Programs that use self‑study must refund participants.

To find out if a class is approved, email: TrainingApprovalTPA@dshs.wa.gov

 

Continuing Education Approval Process

Facilities, home care agencies, and businesses may submit their own CE curriculum for DSHS approval with the Curriculum Approval Application (DSHS 15-552 Word | PDF).

 

One DSHS-approved continuing education activities will count toward all your certificates/authorizations.

  • Example:  You have a social services interpreter certificate, medical interpreter certificate, and a translator certificate.  You only need to accumulate 20 credits in a 4 year period, not 60 credits.

In-Person Activities:

  • There is a sign-in/out sheet that is provided to the host of the approved DSHS CE activity for use the day of the activity. This sign-in/out sheet will be used to allot credits to your files. Make sure to write down ALL your alphanumeric certificate/authorization numbers so the activity is added to all your certificates/authorizations.

Online Activities:

  • Send an email to LTC with the certificate that you receive upon completion of the approved DSHS online CE activities. Include the approval number, found under the List of DSHS Approved CE Activities. Make sure to include ALL your alphanumeric certificate/authorization numbers in the body of the email so the activity is added to all your certificates/authorizations.

Why are these certificate numbers so important?

  • Each certification number represents a record in one of the six databases that we work out of. If you have multiple authorizations/certifications, we won't know, because these databases don't "talk" to each other. Without knowing your record number in each database, we don’t have any other way to verify that we are allotting the credits to the correct file. The six databases are:
    • Employee Certified (ex: EC1234. Employees do not need to report CE)
    • Social Service Authorized (ex: SA1234)
    • Social Service Certified (ex: SC1234)
    • Medical Authorized (ex: MA1234)
    • Medical Certified (ex: MC1234)
    • Translator Certified (ex: TC1234)

Yes, but only IF:

  • There is proof of permission or purchase from the developer to use the material.
  • The material is used to enhance other material developed by you. The entire CE cannot be made up from borrowed material.
  • For more information about CE curriculum policy, view the CE Approval Form or contact us at TrainingApprovalTPA@dshs.wa.gov

Click on the relevant link below: 

A maximum of 12 class hours. Forms with more than 12 class hours will be returned.

All credential renewal requirements must be submitted through the LTC Gateway system. 

Please refer to the LTC Gateway User Manual Section 4.7.4 CE Activities (pages 46-49) for detailed instructions to submit DSHS approved CE activities.

Make sure to upload a copy of the certificate of completion and enter the activity date that matches the date on the certificate.

One. Additional curriculum approval applications will be returned.