Training Requirements and Classes

This section is about DSHS required training for adult family homes, assisted living facilities, home care agencies and individual providers.

Beginning February 15, 2017  if you are approved to teach the Dementia Specialty training, you may submit a request to add  the new Dementia, Level 1 course after completion of the required training. If you are applying to be a Community Instructor for  the first time, you can only request the new Specialty Dementia Level 1 course. For full details,  visit the specialty training project website at https://www.dshs.wa.gov/altsa/training/specialty-training-improvement-and-expansion-project.

Summary of Training Requirements for:

• Adult Family Homes
• Assisted Living Facilities
• DDA Community Residential Service Business Training Requirements
• Home Care Agencies
• Individual Providers (IPs)

Home Care Aide Training, Certification & Testing

• Get an overview of the 75 hour home care aide training and certifications requirements
• See which workers are exempt from home care aide training
• Understand the steps to complete training and certification (HCA Certification Checklist).
• Get forms to apply for certification and testing

Fingerprint Background Checks

• Fingerprint-based Background Checks

Teach Classes, Get Curricula Approved, Update Training

Forms to apply to teach for the first time, get curriculum approved, and/or update an existing training program for home care aide training, Continuing Education (CE), Nurse Delegation and Specialty classes.

• Continuing Education Providers: Information for any long-term care worker training program interested in offering continuing education (CE) training.
• Curriculum Developers-Information for businesses to have their Continuing Education curriculum approved
• Conference/Seminar/Webinars-Application to have their events approved for LTC Worker Continuing Education
• Online Training Standards: Information about the required standards for online courses.
• Adult Family Homes or Assisted Living Facilities: Apply to train your staff only. 
• Community Instructor (including home care agencies): Apply to train as a contracted instructor.

Take Classes

• Find a class for home care aide training, continuing education, nurse delegation, specialty, or AFH Administrator training.
• Find other Continuing Education (CE) options.
  • Conferences or seminars approved for CE
  • DSHS developed curriculum approved for CE
  • Businesses offering DSHS approved CE Curriculum
  • Apply CPR/First Aide training hours as CE
  • Food Safety and Food Worker Care Renewal
  • Who is required to take CE and when.
• ALF Administrator  Online Training
• New Nursing Home Administrator Training
• Nursing Home Administrators Opportunity for Continuing Education

DSHS Training Materials

• DSHS Training Materials available for download
• Ordering printed copies of DSHS training materials

Training Rules – WACs

• Read the Rules (WAC) for:
  • In-home (388-71)
  • Residential (388-112)
• Read the text of Initiative 1163