Qualifications and Requirements for Home Services Workers

Section 245.71  Qualifications and Requirements for Home Services Workers a)         Each agency shall ensure and shall maintain documentation in the home services worker's employee file that all persons employed or providing services as an in-home services worker, and who are not otherwise licensed, certified or registered in accordance with Illinois law to render this care, comply with the following conditions: 1)         Does not have a disqualifying background check under the requirements of the Health Care Worker Background Check Act without a waiver; 2)         Has a copy of the person's Social Security card; and 3)         Has a visa or proof of citizenship in compliance with federal requirements for employment. b)         Each placement agency shall require proof that the home service worker has completed a minimum of eight hours of training prior to the worker's first assignment.  The training shall include all of the items noted in subsection (e). c)         Each home services agency shall provide or arrange for a minimum of ten hours of training for each home services worker.  Five hours of training shall be provided prior to the home services worker's first assignment, and the remaining five hours shall be provided within the worker's first 30 days after the start of employment.  The training shall include the components of subsection (e).  The home services agency may accept proof that the worker has successfully completed a training program at or through another licensed home services agency within the prior year (previous 365 days) in lieu of providing or arranging for training, including a CNA who is approved on the Health Care Worker Registry. The agency shall give the home services worker, with proof of prior training within the prior year, and the CNA a competency evaluation prior to the worker's first assignment.  The home services agency shall not give a worker an assignment until the worker has first passed a competency evaluation given by the agency of the topics included in the first five hours of training.  The competency evaluation shall ensure that the home services worker is competent to provide the services required for the worker's first assignment.  The worker shall be similarly tested following the remaining five hours of training. d)         The placement agency may accept proof that the worker has successfully completed a training program at or through another licensed home services agency within the prior year (previous 365 days).  The home services placement agency shall not give a worker an assignment until the worker has first passed a competency evaluation given by the agency.  The competency evaluation shall ensure that the home services worker is competent to provide the services required in the worker's assignment.  The competency evaluation or proof of prior training at a licensed home services agency within the prior year shall address each of the subjects outlined in subsection (e). e)         Training for the home services worker shall address each of the following subjects below, in addition to the training requirements included in Section 245.40(c)(4)(A) through (P): 1)         The employee's job responsibilities and limitations; 2)         Communication skills relating to persons who are hard of hearing, have dementia, or have other special needs; 3)         Observing, reporting and documenting client status and the care or service provided, including changes in functional ability and mental status demonstrated by the client; 4)         Performing personal care tasks for clients, including:  bathing; skin care; hair care; nail care; mouth care; shaving; dressing; feeding; assistance with ambulation; exercise and transfers; positioning; toileting; and medication reminding; 5)         Assisting in the use of specific adaptive equipment, such as a mechanical lifting device, if the worker will be working with clients who use the device; 6)         Basic hygiene and basic infection prevention and control practices; 7)         Maintaining a clean, safe and healthy environment; 8)         Basic personal and environmental safety precautions; 9)         Recognizing emergencies and initiating emergency procedures, including basic first aid and implementation of a client's emergency preparedness plan; 10)        Confidentiality of client's personal, financial and health information; 11)         Understanding dementia ; 12) Problem solving skills to care for patients with dementia who exhibit challenging behavior; 13)         Behaviors that would constitute abuse or neglect and the legal prohibitions against these behaviors, as well as knowledge and understanding of abuse and neglect prevention and reporting requirements; and 14)         Any other task that the agency may choose to have the worker perform. f)         All home services workers shall complete a minimum of ten hours of training during each year of employment to maintain placement availability, based on either a calendar year or an anniversary date basis, whichever is selected by the agency.  The initial ten hours of training required in subsection (c) shall satisfy the annual training requirement for the home services worker's first year of employment.  The annual training can include self-study courses with demonstration of learned concepts that are applicable to the employee's responsibilities.  Training shall include: 1)         Promoting client dignity, independence, self-determination, privacy, choice and rights; 2)         Disaster procedures; 3)         Hygiene and infection control; 4)         Abuse and neglect prevention and reporting requirements; and 5) Activities of daily living related to application of simple bandages, ambulation, bathing, application of compression stockings, feeding, application of prescription shampoo, nail care, client positioning, transfer of clients, and oxygen delivery systems (for home service workers assigned to work with clients who require oxygen delivery support) per Section 245.40(c)(4)(A) through (P). g)         The agency shall have home services supervisors or trainers that provide initial training and supervision on an ongoing basis to home service workers to address requirements in Section 245.40(c)(4)(A) through (P).  The home services supervisor or trainer shall: 1)         Within the last five years, have a minimum of two years’ experience working in a home health, home services, facility-based healthcare setting, or home nursing environment performing those tasks permitted by this Part to be completed by home services workers, including assistance with activities of daily living; or 2)         Be in a current supervisory or trainer position with a home services agency and have received training within the past year on those tasks permitted by this Part to be completed by home services workers.  The training provided to the home services supervisors or trainers shall, at a minimum, demonstrate the general standards of care for each topic in Section 245.40(c)(4)(A) through (P), and be provided by or developed by someone qualified (e.g., licensed or certified) in their respective field. h)         Agency supervisors and trainers shall be available to home service workers to provide updated and continuing education related to staff responsibilities for client care as outlined in Section 245.40(c)(4)(A) through (P). i)          All training shall be documented with the date of the training; the length of time spent on each training topic; instructors and their qualifications; short description of content; and staff member's signature or electronic certificate with a date and time stamp indicating completion. Upon request, the agency shall provide the home services worker with a copy of their training certificate in a hard copy or electronic format.