(1) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(a) "Caregiver" includes any person who provides residents with hands-on personal care on behalf of an assisted living facility, except volunteers who are directly supervised.

(b) "Direct supervision" means oversight by a person who has demonstrated competency in the core areas or has been fully exempted from the training requirements pursuant to this section, is on the premises, and is quickly and easily available to the caregiver.

(2) Training must have the following components: Orientation, basic training, specialty training as appropriate, and continuing education. All assisted living facility employees or volunteers who routinely interact with residents shall complete orientation. Assisted living facility administrators, or their designees, and caregivers shall complete orientation, basic training, specialty training as appropriate, and continuing education.

(3) Orientation consists of introductory information on residents' rights, communication skills, fire and life safety, and universal precautions. Orientation must be provided at the facility by appropriate assisted living facility staff to all assisted living facility employees before the employees have routine interaction with residents.

(4) Basic training consists of modules on the core knowledge and skills that caregivers need to learn and understand to effectively and safely provide care to residents. Basic training must be outcome-based, and the effectiveness of the basic training must be measured by demonstrated competency in the core areas through the use of a competency test. Basic training must be completed by caregivers within one hundred twenty days of the date on which they begin to provide hands-on care. Until competency in the core areas has been demonstrated, caregivers shall not provide hands-on personal care to residents without direct supervision. Assisted living facility administrators, or their designees, must complete basic training and demonstrate competency within one hundred twenty days of employment.

(5) For assisted living facilities that serve residents with special needs such as dementia, developmental disabilities, or mental illness, specialty training is required of administrators, or designees, and caregivers.

(a) Specialty training consists of modules on the core knowledge and skills that caregivers need to effectively and safely provide care to residents with special needs. Specialty training should be integrated into basic training wherever appropriate. Specialty training must be outcome-based, and the effectiveness of the specialty training measured by demonstrated competency in the core specialty areas through the use of a competency test.

(b) Specialty training must be completed by caregivers within one hundred twenty days of the date on which they begin to provide hands-on care to a resident having special needs. However, if specialty training is not integrated with basic training, the specialty training must be completed within ninety days of completion of basic training. Until competency in the core specialty areas has been demonstrated, caregivers shall not provide hands-on personal care to residents with special needs without direct supervision.

(c) Assisted living facility administrators, or their designees, must complete specialty training and demonstrate competency within one hundred twenty days from the date on which the administrator or his or her designee is hired, if the assisted living facility serves one or more residents with special needs.

(6) Continuing education consists of ongoing delivery of information to caregivers on various topics relevant to the care setting and care needs of residents. Competency testing is not required for continuing education. Continuing education is not required in the same calendar year in which basic or modified basic training is successfully completed. Continuing education is required in each calendar year thereafter. If specialty training is completed, the specialty training applies toward any continuing education requirement for up to two years following the completion of the specialty training.

(7) Persons who successfully challenge the competency test for basic training are fully exempt from the basic training requirements of this section. Persons who successfully challenge the specialty training competency test are fully exempt from the specialty training requirements of this section.

(8)(a) Registered nurses and licensed practical nurses licensed under chapter 18.79 RCW are exempt from any continuing education requirement established under this section.

(b) The department may adopt rules that would exempt licensed persons from all or part of the training requirements under this chapter, if they are (i) performing the tasks for which they are licensed and (ii) subject to chapter 18.130 RCW.

(9) In an effort to improve access to training and education and reduce costs, especially for rural communities, the coordinated system of long-term care training and education must include the use of innovative types of learning strategies such as internet resources, videotapes, and distance learning using satellite technology coordinated through community colleges or other entities, as defined by the department.

(10) The department shall develop criteria for the approval of orientation, basic training, and specialty training programs.

(11) Assisted living facilities that desire to deliver facility-based training with facility designated trainers, or assisted living facilities that desire to pool their resources to create shared training systems, must be encouraged by the department in their efforts. The department shall develop criteria for reviewing and approving trainers and training materials that are substantially similar to or better than the materials developed by the department. The department may approve a curriculum based upon attestation by an assisted living facility administrator that the assisted living facility's training curriculum addresses basic and specialty training competencies identified by the department, and shall review a curriculum to verify that it meets these requirements. The department may conduct the review as part of the next regularly scheduled yearly inspection and investigation required under RCW 18.20.110. The department shall rescind approval of any curriculum if it determines that the curriculum does not meet these requirements.

(12) The department shall adopt rules for the implementation of this section.

(13)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, the orientation, basic training, specialty training, and continuing education requirements of this section commence September 1, 2002, or one hundred twenty days from the date of employment, whichever is later, and shall be applied to (i) employees hired subsequent to September 1, 2002; and (ii) existing employees that on September 1, 2002, have not successfully completed the training requirements under RCW 74.39A.010 or 74.39A.020 and this section. Existing employees who have not successfully completed the training requirements under RCW 74.39A.010 or 74.39A.020 shall be subject to all applicable requirements of this section.

(b) Beginning January 7, 2012, long-term care workers, as defined in RCW 74.39A.009, employed by facilities licensed under this chapter are also subject to the training requirements under RCW 74.39A.074.

(14) If a pandemic, natural disaster, or other declared state of emergency makes specialty training unavailable, the department may adopt rules to allow an assisted living facility where the administrator, designee, and caregiving staff have not completed specialty training to admit a resident or residents with special needs related to mental illness, dementia, or a developmental disability. Such rules must include information about how to complete the specialty training once the training is available.

(a) Rules adopted under this subsection (14) are effective until the termination of the pandemic, natural disaster, or other declared state of emergency or until the department determines that providers and resident managers who were unable to complete the specialty training required in subsection (5)(b) of this section have had adequate access to complete the required training, whichever is later. Once the department determines a rule adopted under this subsection (14) is no longer necessary, it must repeal the rule under RCW 34.05.353.

(b) Within 12 months of the termination of the pandemic, natural disaster, or other declared state of emergency, the department shall conduct a review of training compliance with subsection (5)(b) of this section and provide the legislature with a report.

Effective date—Retroactive application—2021 c 203: See notes following RCW 43.43.832.

Finding—Intent—Rules—Effective date—2012 c 164: See notes following RCW 18.88B.010.

Application—2012 c 10: See note following RCW 18.20.010.

Effective date—2002 c 233: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [March 28, 2002]." [ 2002 c 233 s 5.]