This Florida Senior Living Association's Administrative Rule Review reports on recently proposed regulatory changes affecting Florida’s ALFs as a service to FSLA members.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: In response to FSLA's request for additional information, DOEA has provided FSLA with the following information:
DOEA is working on updating their website to reflect the changes to ADRD training requirements outlined in the new training bill (HB299) and related to USF no longer serving as the training contractor. The applications, review, and approval/revisions will be done through DOEA. The website will be updated to reflect that.
It will also include the new 1-hour training content outlined in the bill. All new content will be housed at https://elderaffairs.org/programs-services/bureau-of-elder-rights/alzheimers-disease-and-related-disorders-training/.
AHCA is aware of this change and will not implement this piece into their monitoring process until the content is available. DOEA and AHCA will work together to ensure that all licensed facilities are made aware when the content is available.
FSLA will continue to monitor DOEA's activities, and once the content is loaded on the website will request additional meetings as needed to discuss faithful implementation of the requirements of HB 299. We will keep you informed as additional information becomes available.
Please contact Jason Hand, FSLA's Vice President of Public Policy & Legal Affairs, for more information!
BACKGROUND: As previously reported by FSLA, on June 22, 2023, Governor DeSantis signed into law HB 299, Education and Training for Alzheimer's disease and related forms of dementia. Current required training requirements for Alzheimer’s disease and related forms of dementia vary across health care provider types. The passage of HB 299 seeks to bring consistency to these training requirements regardless of the health care setting.
The bill revises minimum training requirements and timeframes for nursing homes, assisted living facilities, home health agencies, nurse registries, homemaker and companion service providers, adult family-care homes, and adult day care centers. The legislation also makes the training requirements applicable to employees of health care services pools. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Elder Affairs to offer certain education about Alzheimer’s disease and related forms of dementia to the general public.
FSLA's partner core trainer, Monica Wilson with ICE Bridge, has developed a summary of the bill, and a training table, available to FSLA members.
Regarding immediate actions needed by ALFs and their employees, the long and short is this:
Employees hired before July 1, 2023: Have until July 1, 2026, to complete these new training requirements. Also, proof of completion of equivalent training completed before July 1, 2023, substitutes for these new training requirements.
Employees hired after July 1, 2023: Must complete the training withing the timeframes identified in the bill. However, until DOEA adopts rules creating new training curricula guidelines, they can use ADRD training curriculum that was approved by DOEA (or its designee) before July 1, 2023.
The bill provides that DOEA may establish training curricula guidelines, requirements for the approval of other qualified training providers, and a process for conducting a sampling of training or training curriculum. Additionally, the bill requires DOEA to to provide 1-hour training at no cost that is available online. These efforts are pending.
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