Caregiver Training Requirements in Virginia

Home care organization licensure. The Virginia Department of Health licenses home care organizations (home health, personal care, and pharmaceutical services) under 12VAC5-381, Regulations for the Licensure of Home Care Organizations. Source ↗

Home attendant qualifications. Under 12VAC5-381-290, home attendants must speak, read, and write English and either complete a Board of Nursing-approved nurse aide education program, hold CNA certification, be enrolled in nursing education with a completed clinical course, or pass a competency evaluation meeting federal criteria. Source ↗

Provider training pathway. The chapter also recognizes a provider-based training pathway for personal care attendants — completion of an organization training program with competency testing by a licensed nurse, documented in the aide's personnel record — rather than a fixed statewide hour minimum for licensed-only agencies. Source ↗

Medicaid 40-hour PCA training. Virginia Medicaid (DMAS) requires personal care aides serving Medicaid/CCC Plus and consumer-directed program members to complete a DMAS-approved 40-hour PCA training curriculum or hold nurse aide credentials. Source ↗

Annual in-service. Virginia's licensure chapter does not impose a numeric annual in-service hour requirement; Medicare-certified home health agencies must provide the federal 12 hours per year under 42 CFR 484.80. 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 ↗