(1) Effective January 1, 2011, except as provided in RCW 18.88B.040, all persons employed as long-term care workers for the elderly or persons with disabilities must meet the minimum training requirements in this section within one hundred twenty calendar days of employment.

     (2) All persons employed as long-term care workers must obtain seventy-five hours of entry-level training approved by the department. A long-term care worker must accomplish five of these seventy-five hours before becoming eligible to provide care.

     (3) Training required by subsection (4)(c) of this section will be applied towards training required under RCW 18.20.270 or 70.128.230 as well as any statutory or regulatory training requirements for long-term care workers employed by supportive living providers.

     (4) Only training curriculum approved by the department may be used to fulfill the training requirements specified in this section. The seventy-five hours of entry-level training required shall be as follows:

     (a) Before a long-term care worker is eligible to provide care, he or she must complete two hours of orientation training regarding his or her role as caregiver and the applicable terms of employment;

     (b) Before a long-term care worker is eligible to provide care, he or she must complete three hours of safety training, including basic safety precautions, emergency procedures, and infection control; and

     (c) All long-term care workers must complete seventy hours of long-term care basic training, including training related to core competencies and population specific competencies.

     (5) The department shall only approve training curriculum that:

     (a) Has been developed with input from consumer and worker representatives; and

     (b) Requires comprehensive instruction by qualified instructors on the competencies and training topics in this section.

     (6) Individual providers under RCW 74.39A.270 shall be compensated for training time required by this section.

     (7) The department of health shall adopt rules by August 1, 2010, to implement subsections (1), (2), and (3) of this section.

     (8) The department shall adopt rules by August 1, 2010, to implement subsections (4) and (5) of this section.

[2009 c 580 § 10; 2009 c 2 § 5 (Initiative Measure No. 1029, approved November 4, 2008).]

NOTES:

     Intent -- Findings -- Construction -- Severability -- Short title -- 2009 c 2 (Initiative Measure No. 1029): See notes following RCW 18.88B.020.

Continuing education requirements for long-term care workers: RCW 74.39A.340.