DOH posted a Dear Administrator Letter (DAL) providing clarification on a DAL issued in January 2012 and the revisions to the Home Health Aide Training Program (HHATP) supervised practical training requirements.  In the latest DAL, existing HHATPs that received approval to train in a foreign language prior to July 1, 2012 may continue to conduct training in the approved foreign language using the materials that were approved by DOH until their next re-approval date.  All other requirements found in the January 2012 DAL and Guide to Operation of a Home Health Aide Training Program must be met, including the Nurse Instructor's documentation of fluency for conducting training in a foreign language and the use of an approved published text book and associated published test bank of questions for training in English.

The DAL also reviews the requirements for Supervised Practical Training (SPT), allowing for the entire 16 hours of SPT to occur in the skills laboratory only for those trainees who have been employed as certified Personal Care Aides (PCAs) and are attending the Personal Care Aide Upgrading program. The HHATP may also continue to provide all or any portion of the SPT in a patient care setting for the PCA Upgrading program.

Contact: Cheryl Udell,  cudell@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8871