AGING AND DISABILITY SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
April 12, 2002
AASA: BH #2002-010
SUBJECT: LEARNING OUTCOMES AND COMPETENCIES
Dear Boarding Home Provider:
This mailing contains the Learning Outcomes and Competencies for the following required Aging and Disability Services Administration (AASA) Training Courses:
- Fundamentals of Caregiving (Basic)
- Dementia Training for Caregivers
- Mental Health Training for Caregivers
- Developmental Disabilities Training
Detailed information is included with each set of Learning Outcomes and Competencies.
When new training rules go into effect on September 1, 2002, Boarding Homes (BH) with a qualified instructor will be allowed to conduct facility-based training. Facilities may use either the state-developed curriculum or an alternative curriculum that has been approved by DSHS. Information on getting a curriculum approved will be sent to you by June 1, 2002. To be approved, a curriculum must include all the learning outcomes and competencies for that course so that it is "substantially similar to" the training developed by DSHS, as required in law.
To assist those who wish to develop a curriculum, AASA has developed:
- Learning Outcomes and Competencies for Fundamentals of Caregiving (basic) and a curriculum;
- Learning Outcomes and Competencies for Dementia Training for Caregivers and Mental Health Training for Caregivers.
The Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) has developed The Developmental Disabilities Specialty Curriculum Competencies, which is for BH administrators and/or designees, BH caregivers, AFH providers, and AFH resident managers.
Boarding Homes may develop their own alternative curricula based on all of the above-mentioned Learning Outcomes and Competencies or use the AASA/DDD developed curriculum.
A BH administrator or designee who successfully passes the specialty training competency test is authorized to train the caregivers working in their facility, using an approved Dementia/Mental Health Training for Caregivers curriculum. The administrator or their designee is not required to meet the minimum instructor qualifications for specialty instructors. The caregiver training includes a competency test. The Mental Health and Dementia Caregiver Training learning outcomes, and the Developmental Disabilities Specialty Curriculum Competencies are included in this mailing.
A BH administrator or their designee must successfully complete the specialty training developed by the department, or a training using an approved curriculum that is substantially similar. This training must be taught by a qualified instructor, and includes the standard competency test. This mailing includes the Developmental Disabilities specialty curriculum competencies for both administrators and caregivers. The learning outcomes for BH administrators and AFH providers/resident managers for the Mental Health and Dementia specialty trainings will be sent to you shortly. Competency tests, to be used statewide, will be developed by DSHS for each training course. The training requirements will be effective September 1, 2002.
We recently requested and received input from a diverse group of stakeholders, trainers, and consumers of long-term care services on the learning outcomes and competencies for these trainings. The responses were wide-ranging, with some people wanting more content included in the Learning Outcomes and Competencies and some people wanting to reduce the content of the courses. These outcomes reflect the training needs of caregivers in all community based settings-boarding homes, adult family homes, and in-home.
In the near future you will receive further information on the process that AASA will use for the approval of alternate curricula in boarding homes. In the meantime, if you have questions or would like more information about the Learning Outcomes and Competencies and their usage, please contact:
Marta Acedo,Chief
Aging and Disability Services Administration
(360) 725-2549
acedom@dshs.wa.gov.
Sincerely,
Patricia K. Lashway, Director
Residential Care Services
Enclosure
