Training, Continuing Education, and Qualifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Below you’ll find answers to our most frequently asked questions about training, Continuing Education (CE), and qualifications.

For definitions to common terms, please review our terms and definitions page.

There are different types of IPs and different levels of training required for each.

Learning Requirements

Find your Provider Type to see what training is required. If you work for more than one employer and/or have multiple clients, you may have different training standards than indicated by the chart. A provider may fall into more than one category. They must meet the higher requirements for training and certification.
Orientation & Safety
(Complete prior to providing care)		 HCA Certification Application
(Complete 14 days from the date you are hired)		 Basic Training
(Complete by your training deadline)		 HCA Exam and Certification
(Complete by your exam date deadline)		 Continuing Education
(12 hours required annually)
Standard Home Care Aide (HCA)
Caregivers who take care of clients, part- or full-time.		 ✔ ✔ ✔
70 hours		 ✔ ✔
Adult Child Provider
Caregivers who are taking care of a parent or step-parent.		 ✔ ✔
30 hours		 ✔
Limited Service Provider
Caregivers who work fewer than 20 hours a month.		 ✔ ✔
30 hours
Family Provider
Caregivers caring only for a child, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, cousin, grandchild or grandparent, including relations by marriage or domestic partnership. Includes caregivers formerly called Parent Individual Providers (Non-DDA).		 ✔ ✔
30 hours
Parent Individual Provider (DDA)
Parents who take care of their child with a developmental disability.		 ✔ ✔
7 hours
Respite Provider
Takes care of another caregiver’s clients or family members for a short period of time (less than 300 hours per year).		 ✔ ✔
9 hours
If you have a Nursing Assistant-Certified credential (NAC), the chart below applies. (Does not include LPNs, RNs, or ARNPs)
Providers with a NAC or Special Education Endorsement (OSPI) ✔
Providers with an initial NAC or Special Education Endorsements (OSPI) ✔

Training is completed through SEIU 775 Benefits Group. See the SEIU 775 Benefits Group website for more information. If you have specific questions about the training, please call the SEIU 775 Member Resource Center (MRC) at 1-866-371-3200 or email mrc@myseiubenefits.org.

Orientation and Safety, and Basic Training, are completed once. You do not have to take them again. Any required Continuing Education (CE) is due every year by your birthday.

 

Learning Requirements

Find your Provider Type to see what training is required. If you work for more than one employer and/or have multiple clients, you may have different training standards than indicated by the chart. A provider may fall into more than one category. They must meet the higher requirements for training and certification.
Orientation & Safety
(Complete prior to providing care)		 HCA Certification Application
(Complete 14 days from the date you are hired)		 Basic Training
(Complete by your training deadline)		 HCA Exam and Certification
(Complete by your exam date deadline)		 Continuing Education
(12 hours required annually)
Standard Home Care Aide (HCA)
Caregivers who take care of clients, part- or full-time.		 ✔ ✔ ✔
70 hours		 ✔ ✔
Adult Child Provider
Caregivers who are taking care of a parent or step-parent.		 ✔ ✔
30 hours		 ✔
Limited Service Provider
Caregivers who work fewer than 20 hours a month.		 ✔ ✔
30 hours
Family Provider
Caregivers caring only for a child, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, cousin, grandchild or grandparent, including relations by marriage or domestic partnership. Includes caregivers formerly called Parent Individual Providers (Non-DDA).		 ✔ ✔
30 hours
Parent Individual Provider (DDA)
Parents who take care of their child with a developmental disability.		 ✔ ✔
7 hours
Respite Provider
Takes care of another caregiver’s clients or family members for a short period of time (less than 300 hours per year).		 ✔ ✔
9 hours
If you have a Nursing Assistant-Certified credential (NAC), the chart below applies. (Does not include LPNs, RNs, or ARNPs)
Providers with a NAC or Special Education Endorsement (OSPI) ✔
Providers with an initial NAC or Special Education Endorsements (OSPI) ✔

 

On the DirectMyCare web portal.

Step 1: Sign in to your DirectMyCare web portal account.

Step 2: Click your name in the upper right-hand corner to go to your profile.

Name

Step 3: Click the Qualifications button on the home page.

Qualification toolbar

Step 4: A pop-up box will be displayed. This will show what training and qualifications you have and the expiration date.

Qualifications
It is your responsibility to ensure all training and credentialing requirements are completed by the expiration date. CDWA will send out reminders using notifications in the DirectMyCare web portal.

Is there an advance arrow on the bottom of your Qualifications screen? If so, please be sure to click the arrow to go to the next page.

If you still do not see the training or credential, please follow the Training/Credential Correction Request instructions to submit the request in Workday.

No. DirectMyCare uses these dates for items that do not have an expiration date. At this time, the system requires a date instead of using N/A.

You have 120 days from the Okay to Provide Care date sent by CDWA.

You will not be paid for work as an IP if you miss your training deadline. You can start getting paid again once you are in compliance with your training. We will not pay for any work performed while you were out of compliance.

This is an internal CDWA validation. This is the date that CDWA verified your federal I-9 form during hiring tasks. You do not have to do anything with this.

Washington state regulation (RCW 74.39A.074) requires that IPs undergo specific training. The training requirements are based on the services and needs of the Client(s) who you provide services for. CDWA is invested in providing the highest quality care. Ensuring our IPs meet training regulations is a priority.

If you completed a fingerprint check while working for CDWA, you can find the number by following the steps below.

Step 1: Sign in to your DirectMyCare web portal account.

Step 2: Click on the Workday button.

Workday toolbar

Step 3: Click View All Apps.

View all apps

Step 4: Click Personal Information.

Personal Information

Step 5: Click Worker Documents.

Worker Documents

Step 6: Open your background check results document to find the OCA number.

Notification of background check

Your credential expiration date determines what you need to do to meet your HCA credential or qualifying equivalent requirement. Please review the table below.

Need to find your credential expiration date? Use the DOH Provider Credential Search tool. Be sure to click Exact when searching by name.

HCA Status What You Need to Do
No credential Get HCA credential or qualifying equivalent by your credential deadline.
Expired credential – less than 6 months Renew HCA credential by your credential deadline.

  • Complete the required forms and pay renewal fee.
  • Completing outstanding Continuing Education is not required to renew.
Expired credential – more than 6 months but less than 2 years No action required. From September 1, 2023 through July 1, 2025, your HCA credential will automatically renew.

  • No forms or renewal fees are required.
  • Completing outstanding Continuing Education is not required to renew.
Expired credential – more than 2 years but less than 5 years Renew HCA credential by your credential deadline.

  • Complete the required forms and pay renewal fee.
  • Completing outstanding Continuing Education is not required to renew.
Expired credential – more than 5 years Renew HCA credential by your credential deadline.

  • Retraining and reexamination is required.
  • Completing outstanding Continuing Education is not required to renew.

From September 1, 2023 through July 1, 2025, if the IP’s HCA credential has been expired for more than six months but less than two years, it will automatically renew with no fee, forms to complete, or continuing education requirements.

Effective July 23, 2023, House Bill 1694 added Client/IP relationships that are exempt from the certified home care aide requirement. The rule also changes the Basic Training requirement for IPs who qualify for the exemption.

The exemption applies to IPs caring for:
• Child (biological, step or adoptive)
• Parent (biological, step or adoptive)
• Registered Domestic Partner (serving in the Veteran Directed Program)
• Sibling (including when related by marriage or domestic partnership)
• Spouse (serving in the Veteran Directed Program)
• Aunt or Uncle (including when related by marriage or domestic partnership)
• Niece or Nephew (including when related by marriage or domestic partnership)
• Cousin (including when related by marriage or domestic partnership)
• Grandparent (including when related by marriage or domestic partnership)
• Grandchild (including when related by marriage or domestic partnership)

Yes. IPs will be issued a new hire date when they change employers or return to a previous employer following a break in employment. They will have 200 days to get or renew their credential from the Okay to Provide Care date. They will have 120 days from the Okay to Provide Care date to complete their Basic Training, if needed.

No. CDWA does not pay for training that is not required or part of an optional advanced training program.