Most agencies that offer long-term care have always provided continuing education for their employees but now, with the passage of I-1163 last November, long term caregivers (LTC’s) will be required to earn continuing education credits. Starting on July 1st of this year, all long term caregivers must obtain 12 hours of approved CEs (continuing education credits) each year.
With the new requirements of I-1163, additional classes and training opportunities are in development to help long term caregivers meet the new CE standards. However, all classes, even those offered internally by agencies for their own employees, must first be approved by the State before they can count toward the CE requirement.
DSHS is working hard to approve teachers and classes to provide enough CE opportunities but because this is a new law and new program, the State has a backlog of proposed classes waiting for approval. We expect that after the state and local providers put the pieces in place and there are increased opportunities for approved training, it will increase the skill level of long term caregivers working for licensed home care agencies in Washington State.
