The purpose of this chapter is to describe the:

(1) Training requirements that apply to the developmental disabilities administration's (DDA's) community residential providers beginning on January 1, 2016;

(2) Approval process and other requirements for instructors; and

(3) Approval process and other requirements for curricula.

(1) The training requirements in this chapter apply to:

(a) Community residential service businesses under RCW 74.39A.009;

(b) Alternative living providers under chapter 388-829A WAC;

(c) Companion home providers under chapter 388-829C WAC;

(d) Intensive habilitation services for children providers under chapter 388-833 WAC;

(e) Overnight planned respite service providers;

(f) Stabilization, assessment, and intervention facility providers;

(g) State-operated living alternatives for adults; and

(h) State-operated living alternatives for children.

(2) Under this chapter, the term "service provider" includes:

(a) Alternative living providers;

(b) Companion home providers;

(c) DDA group homes;

(d) Group training homes;

(e) Intensive habilitation services for children;

(f) Licensed staffed residential homes;

(g) Overnight planned respite service providers;

(h) Stabilization, assessment, and intervention facility providers;

(i) State-operated living alternatives for adults;

(j) State-operated living alternatives for children; and

(k) Supported living service providers.

(3) A DDA group home licensed as an adult family home or assisted living facility must meet the training requirements in this chapter and the home care aide certification requirements under chapter 388-112A WAC.

(4) All other service providers listed in subsection (2) of this section are exempt from home care aide certification through the department of health.

The following definitions apply to this chapter:

"ALTSA" means the aging and long-term support administration.

"Approved training" is training submitted to and approved by DSHS as evidenced by a curriculum number.

"Basic training" is 70 hours of required training that includes 40 hours of DDA residential services curriculum and 30 hours of additional topics outlined in this chapter.

"Client-specific training" prepares a person to provide individual support services to the client served by the community residential service business (CRSB).

"Community residential service business" or "CRSB" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 74.39A.009.

"Competency" or "core competency" means the integrated knowledge, skills, or behavior expected of a person after completing the training in a required topic area. Learning objectives are associated with each competency.

"DDA" means the developmental disabilities administration.

"DDA community residential setting" within the scope of this chapter means any setting where supported living, DDA group home, group training home, licensed staffed residential, companion home, or alternative living services occur.

"DSHS-approved trainer" means an individual approved by DSHS to sign the 75-hour certificate.

"Direct support professional" or "DSP" means any person who supports an individual with a developmental disability to implement the individual's individual support plan/person-centered service plan (ISP/PCSP). This includes staff who provide instruction and support services (ISS).

"DOH" means the department of health.

"DSHS" or "department" means the department of social and health services.

"Habilitation" means services defined to assist participants in acquiring, retaining, and improving the self-help, socialization, and adaptive skills necessary to reside successfully in home and community-based settings.

"Home care aide-certified" or "HCA-C" means a person who has been certified by the department of health as a home care aide.

"Letter of exemption" means a letter from a provider that exempts DDA community residential staff from the 75 hours of training as required under chapter 74.39A RCW for staff hired prior to January 1, 2016.

"Peer coach" means a person who has been trained in 12 hours of coaching skills and who works with new employees to coach them on working with individuals and their support needs.

"Population-specific" means topics applicable to the unique needs of the population served.

"Training entity" means a DSHS-contracted organization or independent entity that provides training using DSHS-approved curriculum.

(1) Required training for individuals hired or contracted to work in DDA community residential settings as a direct support professional or ISS staff on or after January 1, 2016, consists of:

(a) Five hours of orientation and safety training as described in WAC 388-829-0045 prior to providing client care or support;

(b) Seventy hours of basic training as described in WAC 388-829-0050 must be completed within 120 days of date of hire;

(c) First aid training, which must be completed no more than 60 days after date of hire and kept current;

(d) Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), which must be completed no more than 60 days after the date of hire and kept current;

(d) Bloodborne pathogen training, which must be completed in accordance WAC 296-823-120 and renewed annually; and

(e) Continuing education under WAC 388-829-0085.

(2) Beginning February 1, 2024, direct support professionals and ISS staff must complete CPR training that meets occupational safety and health administration (OSHA) guidelines for hands-on skills development. For an employee hired before February 1, 2024, who is CPR-certified but did not participate in hands-on skills development, the employee must complete CPR training in accordance with OSHA guidelines no later than December 1, 2024, regardless of when the certification expires.

The 75-hour certificate is a combination of orientation, safety, and basic training that when completed adds up to 75 hours. The certificate covers:

(1) Five hours of orientation and safety training as described in WAC 388-829-0045; and

(2) Seventy hours of basic training as described in WAC 388-829-0050, which includes:

(a) Forty hours of DDA-developed residential services curriculum; and

(b) Thirty hours of population-specific training as described in WAC 388-829-0050.

The documentation required to show completion of the seventy-five hour training is a DSHS seventy-five hour training certificate signed by a DSHS-approved trainer.

(1) A seventy-five hour training certificate remains valid if the certificate holder changes employers and meets continuing education requirements.

(2) For the purpose of becoming a home care aide-certified (HCA-C) through the department of health, the DDA seventy-five hour training certificate is invalid after two years.

Beginning January 1, 2016, the following individuals are exempt from the DDA community residential 75-hour training requirement:

(1) DDA community residential staff who have:

(a) Been continuously employed since December 31, 2015;

(b) Completed training requirements that were in place when hired;

(c) Completed the training requirements by February 29, 2016; and

(d) Proof that 12 hours of continuing education were completed during the previous year;

(2) Under RCW 18.88B.041, an individual with special education training and an endorsement granted by the superintendent of public instruction; and

(3) Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, nurse technicians, advanced registered nurse practitioners as defined in chapter 18.79 RCW, and nursing assistants-certified as defined in chapter 18.88A RCW.

An individual exempt under WAC 388-829-0035 must meet the following training requirements:

(1) Staff hired with a 75-hour certificate or letter of exemption must take:

(a) Five-hour orientation and safety training; and

(b) Thirty-hour population-specific training.

(2) The hiring or contracting entity must verify that staff hired with an HCA-C from areas outside of DDA have completed the training required in subsection (1) of this section and:

(a) DDA-developed specialty training; or

(b) Forty hours of DDA residential services curriculum.

(3) Exempt community residential staff must maintain current CPR and first aid training certificates as required under WAC 388-829-0050.

(4) Exempt community residential staff must complete 12 hours of continuing education per year.

(1) Training entities must not develop their own curriculum for the five hour orientation and safety course.

(2) DDA community residential five-hour orientation and safety training is developed by DSHS.

(3) For children's staffed residential settings refer to chapters 388-826 and 388-145 WAC.

(1) Basic training is 70 hours of required training that must include:

(a) Forty hours of DDA residential services curriculum; and

(b) Thirty hours of population-specific training.

(2) The 40-hour DDA residential services curriculum includes DDA specialty training requirements.

(3) The 30-hour population-specific training includes one or more of the following:

(a) Specialty training under WAC 388-112A-0450 related to mental health or WAC 388-112A-0440 dementia.

(b) First aid training and certification.

(c) Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training and certification.

(d) On-the-job training hours, including client-specific training, when the instructor is a trained peer coach as described in WAC 388-829-0060.

(e) Other curriculum approved by DDA.

The training entities and instructors for DDA community residential settings are approved as follows:

(1) Supported living and group home providers are approved as training entities through a contract exhibit.

(2) Supported living and group home providers must ensure their employed or contracted instructors meet the instructor criteria described in this chapter and in:

(a) WAC 388-112A-1240 for DDA community residential instructors to teach the DDA 40-hour residential training; and

(b) Chapter 74.39A RCW for five-hour orientation and safety training and 30 hours of population-specific training.

(3) Other training entities must be approved by DDA or ALTSA and entities must ensure their instructors meet the criteria described in chapter 388-112A WAC.

Instructors who provide on-the-job training, including client-specific training, must:

(1) Meet the instructor qualifications for basic training described in WAC 388-112A-1240; and

(2) Complete at least 12 hours of department approved peer coaching.

DDA community residential instructors who want to instruct staff on the DDA 40-hour residential training curriculum must:

(1) Meet the instructor qualifications described in WAC 388-112A-1240;

(2) Complete the train the trainer course using DDA-developed curriculum;

(3) Be approved as an instructor and receive an instructor code through DDA; and

(4) Use the 40-hour DDA residential services curriculum to teach the course.

Nurse delegation core training is described in WAC 388-112A-0500 through 388-112A-0590.

(1) Nurse delegation core training may occur in the same year as basic training and counts as nine hours of continuing education.

(2) Specialized diabetes training may occur in the same year as basic training and counts as three hours of continuing education.

(3) If nurse delegation core training or specialized diabetes training occurs in the same year as basic training, the provider maximum hours for each training may be applied towards the continuing education requirement for the following year.

(4) Nurse delegation core and specialized diabetes trainings do not apply towards basic training.

Continuing education (CE) is annual training designed to increase a service provider's knowledge and skills on topics relevant to the care, support, and instruction needs of the individuals he or she support.

(1) A direct support professional must complete 12 hours of continuing education:

(a) Each calendar year, except in the calendar year they complete one-time basic training; or

(b) By their birth date each year if the direct support professional is also a:

(i) Registered nurse;

(ii) Licensed practical nurse;

(iii) Nurse technician;

(iv) Advanced registered nurse practitioner; or

(v) Home care aide certified.

(2) A direct support professional employed during the COVID-19 public health emergency must complete:

(a) Training according to WAC 388-829-0086; and

(b) Continuing education according to WAC 388-829-0087.

(1) A direct support professional employed during the COVID-19 public health emergency must complete training, including specialty training, as follows:

(2) Nothing in this section prevents a direct support professional hired between 8/17/2019 and 9/30/2022 from completing training in advance of the deadlines in subsection (1) of this section.

(1) The department finds that direct support professionals employed during the COVID-19 pandemic between March 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021, required emergent and intensive on-the-job training. Direct support professionals received critical, ongoing training in such topics as:

(a) Donning and doffing personal protective equipment (PPE);

(b) Hand hygiene;

(c) Disinfection of high-touch surfaces;

(d) Managing visitations and physical distancing;

(e) Responding to newly infected residents;

(f) Promotion of vaccination;

(g) Protocols for quarantine;

(h) Use of cloth face coverings;

(i) Personal protection outside of the work environment; and

(j) How to reduce exposure and spread.

(2) This on-the-job training was required of all service providers under WAC 388-829-0005. Instruction included infection control and the availability and distribution of personal protective equipment. Recognition of this training as a valid learning experience, in its various forms, was agreed upon with input from consumer and worker representatives, as the content was based on guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other federal, state, and local health care authorities.

(3) During this time, direct support professionals required ongoing critical training because guidance from the CDC, department of labor and industries, and other health authorities changed as more was learned about the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The department finds that this unprecedented on-the-job training comprised of at least 12 hours of continuing education between March 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021, and that this training:

(a) Is not considered to be repeated training as described in WAC 388-829-0100; and

(b) Satisfies the 12 hours of annual continuing education training.

(4) The direct support professional may apply the 12 hours of on-the-job training towards continuing education for either 2020 or 2021. The hours must be applied no later than December 31, 2021.

(5) All direct support professionals employed during the dates in subsection (3) of this section are granted 12 hours of DSHS-approved continuing education credit for the training entitled "COVID-19 On-The-Job Training Protocols," bearing the DSHS approval code CE2135218. No physical certificate for this training will be issued or required.

(6) The department recognizes that direct support professionals may not have completed training hours in excess of the 12 hours of CE granted in subsection (4) of this section due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

(a) All direct support professionals have until August 31, 2023, to complete any additional CE that may have become due between January 1, 2020, and February 28, 2023, in excess of the 12 hours of CE granted in subsection (4) of this section.

(b) For an employee required to complete training by their birthday under WAC 388-829-0085 (1)(b), the employee has until August 31, 2023, to complete any additional CE that may have become due between January 1, 2020, and February 28, 2023, in excess of the 12 hours of CE granted in subsection (4) of this section.

A service provider must not repeat continuing education (CE) courses except under the following conditions:

(1) The course content changed significantly; or

(2) The service provider has documented evidence justifying the need for retraining.

Continuing education certificates must contain the following information:

(1) Name of the student;

(2) Title of the training;

(3) Number of hours of the training;

(4) Assigned curriculum approval code;

(5) Instructor's printed name and signature;

(6) Typed or printed name of the training entity giving the training;

(7) Entity program code; and

(8) Date(s) of training.

(1) DSHS may deny or terminate a training contract.

(2) DSHS may rescind approval of an instructor or training entity.

Qualified instructors may use continuing education (CE) curriculum with a DDA or ALTSA approval code with permission from the curriculum owner.