Section 1194 - Dementia care services training for staff employed by assisted living facilities(a) Within 180 days of the implementation of this Act, an individual directly employed by an assisted living facility who provides direct care to residents receiving dementia care services in a secured memory care unit must complete a minimum of 4 hours of dementia care services training. Training must be provided by the facility, approved by the Department, and include all of the following topics: (1) Communicating and interacting with individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias.(2) The psychological, social, and physical needs of individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias.(3) The benefits of non-pharmacological approaches to treatment.(4) Safety measures necessary for individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, including preventing and responding to a resident's unauthorized exit from either the secured memory care unit or the facility.(b) Within 180 days of the implementation of this Act, an individual directly employed by an assisted living facility who provides non-direct care to residents receiving dementia care services in a secured memory care unit must complete a minimum of 2 hours of dementia care services training. Training must be provided by the facility, be approved by the Department, and include all of the following topics: (1) Communicating and interacting with individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias.(2) Safety measures necessary for individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, including preventing and responding to a resident's unauthorized exit from either the secured memory care unit or the facility.(c) Within 60 days of hiring, an individual directly employed by an assisted living facility who provides direct care to residents receiving dementia care services in a secured memory care unit must complete a minimum of 4 hours of dementia care services training. Training must be provided by the facility, approved by the Department, and include all of the following topics:(1) Communicating and interacting with individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias.(2) The psychological, social, and physical needs of individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias.(3) The benefits of non-pharmacological approaches to treatment.(4) Safety measures necessary for individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, including preventing and responding to a resident's unauthorized exit from either the secured memory care unit or the facility.(d) Within 60 days of hiring, an individual directly employed by an assisted living facility who provides non-direct care to residents receiving dementia care services in a secured memory care unit must complete a minimum of 2 hours of dementia care services training. Training must be provided by the facility, be approved by the Department, and include all of the following topics:(1) Communicating and interacting with individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias.(2) Safety measures necessary for individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, including preventing and responding to a resident's unauthorized exit from either the secured memory care unit or the facility.(e) In addition to the initial dementia care services training required by this section, an individual directly employed by an assisted living facility that provides direct care for residents receiving dementia care services in a secured memory care unit must complete annually a minimum of 4 hours of dementia care services training. Training must be provided by the facility, be approved by the Department, and include all of the following topics:(1) Communicating and interacting with individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias.(2) The psychological, social, and physical needs of individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias.(3) The benefits of non-pharmacological approaches to treatment.(4) Safety measures necessary for individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, including preventing and responding to a resident's unauthorized exit from either the secured memory care unit or the facility.(f) In addition to initial dementia care services training required by this section, an individual directly employed by an assisted living facility that provides non-direct care for residents receiving dementia care services in a secured memory care unit must complete annually a minimum of 2 hours of dementia care services training. Training must be provided by the facility, be approved by the Department, and include all of the following topics:(1) Communicating and interacting with individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias.(2) Safety measures necessary for individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, including preventing and responding to a resident's unauthorized exit from either the secured memory care unit or the facility.(g) The Department, in its sole discretion, may allow other required dementia care services training to satisfy the training requirements in this section.(h) Upon an individual's completion of a training defined in this section, an assisted living facility must provide the individual proof of completion of the training within 10 business days of the individual's completion of the training.(i) An assisted living facility must maintain a record of each individual's completion of training required by this section for a minimum of 3 years after the individual has completed the training.Added by Laws 2023, ch. 327,s 1, eff. 8/1/2024.