Connecticut News: New Caregiver Training Requirements Likely to Pass

​An amendment adopted earlier this week in the state House of Representatives establishes minimum caregiver training requirements for home care agencies in Connecticut.
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​HCAOA Connecticut, along with CT Association for Healthcare at Home, negotiated the final details of House Bill 5143 with leaders of the Aging Committee and the Department of Consumer Protection.

The amendment, which is expected to pass:

• Requires home care agencies to provide eight paid hours of initial training and annual continuing education to caregivers who provide direct care.
• Makes initial training of a caregiver provided by a different employer within three years portable.
• Requires the Department of Consumer Protection to create a list of training programs on topics including nonmedical services to a person with Alzheimer's disease or dementia for home care agency employees and enforce the new training requirements.
• Requires registries to ensure caregivers they supply, refer or place with consumers to comply with the training requirements.
• Allows agencies to state in advertising that they comply with all such training requirements, which may include references to the specific training program topics.

 
Agencies will be required to train caregivers beginning January 1, 2027.
 
To meet the requirements of the bill, DCP will need to hire a special investigator who will ensure compliance with the new trainings and investigate complaints. Funds of almost $190,000 for salary and benefits for the position over two years are included in the state budget recommended by the Appropriations Committee.
 
Several changes to the original bill, as requested by HCAOA Connecticut, had previously been approved by the committee. They included: removing CPR and First Aid training requirements, reducing the required training hours from ten to eight, allowing approved training to transfer across employers, exempting certified home health aides from duplicative training, and limiting the requirement to direct care staff.
 
The legislative session adjourns May 6.