The State of Indiana requires that as a home health aide (HHA), you must complete 12 continuing education credit hours per calendar year.  In calendar year 1 of employment, the requirement is on a prorated basis depending on your date of hire.  In calendar year 2 of employment and beyond, you are required to complete 12 credit hours.  Failure to complete this requirement will result in removal from all shifts until the requirement is met and may subject you to disciplinary action up to and including termination.     

What is it?

- The State of Indiana requires that you complete 12 continuing education credit hours per calendar year.  The state has this requirement in place to help you learn new skills and become a better caregiver for any employer and not just for the Company.  No matter what profession you are in, it is important to learn and expand your skill set.    

How can you get these 12 credit hours completed?

- You have various options to complete these hours.  Option 1 is to attend in-services throughout the calendar year here at the office.  Option 2 is to complete 12 credit hours through our online training partner, RELIAS.  You will be provided a username/password after you work your first shift for us.  Option 3 is to do a combination of option 1 and option 2 totaling 12 credit hours.  For example, say you attend two in-services for six hours (3 hours each) and complete online courses through RCTC for 6 credit hours totaling twelve credit hours combined.

What if you have credit hours completed through another employer?  

- We will accept RELIAS credit hours completed through another agency so long as you can provide proof of completion and as long as they were completed in the current calendar year.  Additionally, we will accept credit hours from the American Red Cross (i.e. CPR training) or through a hospital.  We will not accept credit hours for in-services completed through other companies unless approved by a ComForCare administrative employee.  These will be reviewed and approved on a case by case basis.  You will not be paid for credit hours completed through another employer.  

How much time do you have to get this done?

- You have until the end of the calendar year to complete the requirement

Does orientation and the Skills Competency Evaluation count toward your continuing education credit hours?

- Yes, completing orientation and the Skills Competency Evaluation count 8 credit hours toward your continuing education requirement.

What if you were hired in the middle of the year?  Do you still have to complete 12 hours?

- No, the hours are prorated by month of hire in year 1 of employment.  

● Date of hire in January of current year – Must complete 12 credit hours

● Date of hire in February of current year – Must complete 11 credit hours

● Date of hire in March of current year – Must complete 10 credit hours

● Date of hire in April of current year – Must complete 9 credit hours

● Date of hire in May of current year – Must complete 8 credit hours

● Date of hire in June of current year – Must complete 7 credit hours

● Date of hire in July of current year – Must complete 6 credit hours

● Date of hire August of current year – Must complete 5 credit hours

● Date of hire September of current year – Must complete 4 credit hours

● Date of hire October of current year – Must complete 3 credit hours

● Date of hire November of current year – Must complete 2 credit hours

● Date of hire December of current year – Must complete 1 credit hour

- Remember, you will complete 8 hours of continuing education credits through orientation and our Skills Competency Evaluation.  So if you are hired in May or after, you have already met your continuing education requirement for year 1 of employment.

- In year 2 of employment and beyond, you will be required to complete 12 hours of continuing education.   

Will you get paid for the time it takes you to complete these credit hours?

- Note that your continuing education credit hours are required by the State of Indiana for you to maintain your HHA certification.  The Company offers you the option to complete your continuing education requirements using our resources or to complete your continuing education requirements during your off-duty time at other facilities.  You will not be compensated for completing your state-mandated training at other facilities or through other employers during your off-duty time.  

- We will pay you for any continuing education hours completed using our resources at the Company’s current rate of pay for training.  Any in-services attended or online training courses completed at our office will be paid on the next pay date.  

- Again, as a reminder, you will not be paid for any online continuing education credit hours completed through a different employer or completed at a different facility away from the Company during your off-duty time.

Will you be removed from your shifts if you fail to complete the state-mandated continuing education requirement each year?

- Failure to complete the continuing education requirement by December 31st of the current year will result in you being removed from all shifts until the requirement is met.  Continued failure to meet your state-mandated training requirements will subject you to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Miscellaneous Items

- Please note that for the online training courses, you cannot complete the same course more than once in a calendar year.  

*At any time and in the agency’s sole discretion the terms of this policy may be revised, amended, deviated from, or rescinded, in part or in whole, if