DOH Issues DAL Outlining Changes to Nurse Aide Training Program

On Dec. 9, 2022, the New York State Department of Health (DOH) issued Dear Administrator Letter (DAL) NH 22-21 outlining some key changes to the Nurse Aide Training Program (NATP). Prior to the new guidance, New York State nursing homes with an approved NATP were required to provide a 100-hour nurse aide training course. The new guidance aligns with existing federal requirements and calls for a minimum of 75 hours of training to become a certified nurse aide (CNA). LeadingAge NY had participated in a workgroup that looked at possible areas where state requirements exceeded federal requirements and where changes could be made to more closely align with federal requirements.

In addition to the reduction in minimum hours, the guidance provides considerable flexibility. Previously, the training program prescribed the number of hours that a nursing home would have to provide for each training component in the curriculum. The guidance now allows for a nursing home to increase hours in one component and reduce the time spent in another part of the training program. For example, a nursing home with a dementia unit or a high number of residents with dementia may want to spend additional time on that topic and perhaps less time in another. All topics in the curriculum must be taught, but nursing homes can modify the number of hours to reflect the type of resident in the nursing home and the needs of those residents. The training program must consist of 16 hours of supervised training prior to resident contact and 59 hours of classroom instruction. A nursing home can choose to exceed the 75 hours if they so desire.

Contact: Elliott Frost, efrost@leadingageny.org, 518-441-8761