Caregiver Training Requirements in Illinois

Home services worker training. Under 77 Ill. Adm. Code 245.71, each licensed home services agency must provide a minimum of 8 hours of training per worker — 4 hours before the first assignment and 4 hours within the first 30 days — plus a minimum of 8 hours of training during each year of employment. Source ↗

HHA training (120 hours). Illinois exceeds the federal 75-hour floor: under 77 Ill. Adm. Code 245.70, home health aides must be approved on the Health Care Worker Registry after completing a training program approved under the Long-Term Care Assistants and Aides Training Programs Code, and 77 Ill. Adm. Code 395.150 sets the Basic Nursing Assistant Training Program minimum at 120 hours — 62 hours of theory, 18 hours of lab, and 40 hours of clinical instruction. Source ↗

Dementia training mandate. Following Illinois' Alzheimer's/dementia training legislation, IDPH rules require staff with direct access to clients with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias (hired after June 2, 2019) to complete at least 6 hours of dementia training within 60 days of hire and 3 hours of advanced dementia training annually. Source ↗

Licensure structure. Part 245 (Home Health, Home Services, and Home Nursing Agency Code) creates three distinct license types; placement of workers performing ADL assistance triggers the home services agency license and its worker training rules. Source ↗

75-hour HHA training standard. Under 42 CFR 484.80(b), home health aides at Medicare-certified home health agencies must complete a training program of at least 75 hours, including at least 16 hours of classroom training completed before beginning at least 16 hours of supervised practical (hands-on) training. Source ↗

Competency evaluation / CNA pathway. 42 CFR 484.80(a) allows aides to qualify by completing the 75-hour training and competency evaluation program, by passing a competency evaluation alone, or by completing a state nurse aide training and competency evaluation program (CNA) and being in good standing on the state nurse aide registry. Source ↗

12-hour annual in-service. 42 CFR 484.80(d) requires home health aides to receive at least 12 hours of in-service training during each 12-month period, which may occur while the aide is furnishing care and must be supervised by a registered nurse. Source ↗

RN trainer requirements. Under 42 CFR 484.80(b)(3) and (c)(2), classroom and supervised practical training must be performed by or under the general supervision of a registered nurse with at least 2 years of nursing experience, at least 1 year of which must be in home health care; competency evaluations must likewise be performed by an RN in consultation with other professionals. Source ↗