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WAC 388-71-0870 - What is the 70-hour home care aide basic training?

WashingtonregulationWashington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), Aging and Long-Term Support Administration (ALTSA)· effective 2021-10-01

What this rule requires your agency to do

  • 1The provider must ensure the long-term care worker completes the 70-hour home care aide basic training in addition to (not in lieu of) orientation and safety training, covering core competencies, skills demonstration, and population-specific competencies. (WAC 388-71-0870(1))(WAC 388-71-0870 - What is the 70-hour home care aide basic training?)
  • 2The provider must ensure the long-term care worker is able to ask the instructor questions during the training. (WAC 388-71-0870(6))(WAC 388-71-0870 - What is the 70-hour home care aide basic training?)
  • 3The provider must ensure the in-person skills training (or remote skills training portion of hybrid modules) is no less than 16 hours and covers activities of daily living tasks. (WAC 388-71-0870(5)(b))(WAC 388-71-0870 - What is the 70-hour home care aide basic training?)
  • 4The provider must not offer or accept a challenge test in place of the 70-hour home care aide basic training, as none exists. (WAC 388-71-0870(7))(WAC 388-71-0870 - What is the 70-hour home care aide basic training?)
  • 5The provider must use 70-hour home care aide basic training curricula that have been approved by DSHS. (WAC 388-71-0870(2))(WAC 388-71-0870 - What is the 70-hour home care aide basic training?)
  • 6The provider must deliver the training only via in-person or virtual classroom instruction, or a hybrid of online and in-person/remote/virtual instruction, with online modules being interactive and meeting DSHS standards. (WAC 388-71-0870(5))(WAC 388-71-0870 - What is the 70-hour home care aide basic training?)
  • 7The agency must obtain department approval for any amount of on-the-job training (per WAC 388-71-0932) applied toward the 70-hour basic training. (WAC 388-71-0870(3))(WAC 388-71-0870 - What is the 70-hour home care aide basic training?)

Applies to: Home care / personal care; long-term care workers providing personal care in home and community-based settings

WAC 388-71-0870 defines Washington's 70-hour home care aide basic training for long-term care workers: it is required in addition to orientation and safety training, must use DSHS-approved curricula, may be delivered in-person, virtual, or hybrid, must include at least 16 hours of in-person (or remote) skills training, must give trainees instructor access for questions, and has no challenge-test option.

Regulatory information, not legal advice — always confirm against the cited official source. Verification reduces error; it does not certify compliance.