 |
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fourth Legislature, First Regular Session
caregivers; assisted living; training
Purpose
Adds training, competency and test methodology standards developed by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to the assisted living facility training program. Specifies that a person who has completed training and competency requirements developed by AHCCCS for in-home direct care workers satisfies the training requirements for assisted living facility caregivers, with certain exceptions.
Background
The Arizona Board of Nursing Care Institution Administrators
and Assisted Living Facility Managers (NCIA) licenses and regulates
administrators and managers of nursing care institutions and assisted living
facilities. NCIA responsibilities include: 1) investigating complaints; 2) overseeing
the general application of the laws governing the practice of nursing care
institution administrators and assisted living facility managers; 3) updating
and developing rules that regulate administrators and managers; 4) ensuring qualifications
are met prior to issuing a license or certificate to an administrator or
manager; 5) ensuring requirements are met for the renewal of an administrator's
license or manager's certificate; 6) approving and regulating assisted living
facility manager and caregiver training programs; and 7) approving continuing
education courses to ensure quality and useful education is being taught (A.R.S.
§§ 36-446.02
and
36-446.03).
Currently,
an assisted living facility training program must include: 1) training that is
required for assisted living facility manager certification; and 2) training
that is required by the Department of Health Services for assisted living
facility caregivers. AHCCCS has prescribed training and
testing requirements for direct care workers who provide direct care services,
including: 1) attendant care; 2) personal care; and 3) homemakers to Arizona
Long Term Care System members residing in their own home. Chapter
400, Section 429 of the AHCCCS Contractor Operations Manual outlines the
minimum program requirements and standards for approved direct care worker
training and testing programs, including: 1) curriculum standards;
2) training qualifications and protocols; 3) training and testing standards; 4)
program policy standards; 5) training and testing records; and 6) continuing
education requirements (A.R.S.
§ 36-446).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires that training for assisted living facility caregivers be consistent with the training, competency and test methodology standards developed by AHCCCS for in-home direct care workers.
2. Directs the NCIA to prescribe rules for assisted living facility training programs that are consistent with the training, competency and test methodology standards developed by AHCCCS for in‑home direct care givers, by June 1, 2020.
3. Specifies that a person who has completed the training and competency requirements developed by AHCCCS for in-home direct care workers satisfies the training requirements for assisted living facility caregivers, except for medication administration training required by the assisted living facility caregiver's scope of practice.
4. Makes technical changes.
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 11, 2019
CRS/AG/gs