The Department of Social and Health Services in collaboration with the Washington Health Care Association, the Adult Family Home Council and Leading Age have developed an on-the-job training (OJT) opportunity for caregivers enrolled in home care aide certification training.
On the job training allows an approved instructor in either an Adult Family Home or Assisted Living facility to monitor an employee’s performance in completing necessary skills while working with residents on the job.
While OJT has been part of the training regulations for some time, we now have a standardized method to implement the program.
The COVID-19 pandemic has required home care aide training programs to close temporarily across the state. The closure of these sites has limited the ability of long-term care workers to complete required skills trainings necessary to provide services to DSHS clients. In response to COVID-19 and the continued precautionary measures such as social distancing DSHS encourages facilities to participate in on- the- job home care aide training.
Applying for OJT At Your Facility
Step One: Read DSHS' Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The OJT FAQ answers common questions like:
- What is on-the-job training?
- What are the instructor requirements for on-the job training?
- How can I initiate an on-the-job training program in my facility?
- What are the on-the-job skills training instructor responsibilities?
- What are a facility’s responsibilities for coordinating skills training and instruction with respect to learner completion of the 75-hour certificate?
- When can DSHS prohibit a home from conducting its own training?
Step Two: Confirm that your facility has an approved instructor to teach Core Basic (required)
- Verify with the DSHS Home and Community Services training unit that you have instructors approved to teach core basic at your facility.
- To apply to become a Core Basic Facility Instructor, visit the DSHS Adult Family Home /Assisted Living Training page and follow the step-by step instructions.
Step Three: Fill out and return the DSHS Facility Training Plan for OJT Skills Training
- Use the Training Plan for OJT Skills Training form for initial approval to include on-the-job skills hours in your seventy-hour long-term care worker basic training. Submit this application to TrainingApprovalTPA@dshs.wa.gov with “OJT” and your facility’s name in the subject line.
- IMPORTANT: The Skills Training form MUST be completed prior to implementation of OJT skills instruction at your facility.
Step Four: Download and review the Skills Procedure Checklist
- The Skills Practice Procedure Checklist is to be used by Home Care Aides learning skills taught by training programs on the job or by community instructors using the Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving curricula or other approved training materials. The procedure checklist is available in multiple languages.
Step Five: Submit the Verification of HCA Skills Practice Completion
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The verification, found on page 11 of the Skills Procedure Checklist, must be sent to the DSHS Training Unit for each Home Care Aide candidate who has completed On-The-Job skills training at your facility.