The short answer Oregon licenses in-home care agencies under OAR 333-536 (OHA), which sets a modest fixed training package for caregivers: orientation plus 8 hours of topic-specific training with a documented competency evaluation, and 6 hours of annual continuing education. Home health aides at licensed home health agencies must be Oregon CNAs.
What Oregon requires
Oregon
Initial caregiver training. OAR 333-536-0070 requires in-home care agency caregivers to complete agency orientation plus 8 hours of topic-specific training (2 hours before providing services; the remaining hours within 120 days of hire) and pass a competency evaluation combining direct observation and written or oral testing before working independently.
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Annual CE. Caregivers must receive at least 6 hours of education related to caregiver duties annually, plus 1 additional annual hour on medication administration if they assist clients with medications.
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License/certificate exemption. Caregivers holding a current Oregon health-care-related license or certificate (e.g., CNA) are exempt from the in-home caregiver training requirement, though competency must still be documented.
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Home health aides. Aides at Oregon-licensed home health agencies (OAR chapter 333, division 27) must be nursing assistants certified through the Oregon State Board of Nursing and listed on its Nurse Aide Registry; OSBN-approved nursing assistant level 1 programs must include at least 155 hours of instruction — 80 hours of classroom/lab and 75 hours of supervised clinical experience (OAR 851-061-0090) — exceeding the federal 75-hour floor.
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Full rule division. The complete in-home care agency rule set (OAR chapter 333, division 536) is published by the Oregon Secretary of State.
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The federal baseline (applies in every state)
Federal
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Primary sources for this page
- https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/viewSingleRule.action?ruleVrsnRsn=64930
- https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/viewSingleRule.action?ruleVrsnRsn=64930
- https://oregon.public.law/rules/oar_333-536-0070
- https://oregon.public.law/rules/oar_851-061-0090
- https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/displayDivisionRules.action?selectedDivision=1372