Bill Text: IA SF232 | 2013-2014 | 85th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to direct care professionals, including the establishment of a board of direct care professionals, providing for implementation, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-12-31 - END OF 2013 ACTIONS [SF232 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2013-SF232-Introduced.html

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Senate File 232 - Introduced
SENATE FILE 232
BY HATCH , MATHIS , and JOCHUM
A BILL FOR
An Act relating to direct care professionals, including the
establishment of a board of direct care professionals,
providing for implementation, making penalties applicable,
and including effective date provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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Section 1. NEW SECTION . 152F.1 Definitions.
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise
requires:
1. “Board” means the board of direct care professionals
created under chapter 147.
2. “Community choices option” means a service delivery
option under the medical assistance home and community-based
services waiver program that allows eligible waiver recipients
to self-direct personal care, community and employment
supports, and individual directed goods and services necessary
to remain in the recipient’s home or community.
3. “Community living professional” means a direct care
associate who has completed advanced training and is certified
to provide home and community living, instrumental activities
of daily living, and personal support services.
4. “Consumer-directed attendant care” means a service
delivery option under the medical assistance home and
community-based services waiver program that allows eligible
waiver recipients to direct and manage the recipient’s own
skilled and nonskilled attendant care services necessary to
remain in the recipient’s home or community.
5. “Core training” means training specified by the board to
provide basic foundational knowledge and an introduction to the
direct care profession.
6. “Direct care associate” means any of the following:
a. An individual who has completed core training and is
certified to provide direct care services in the state.
b. An individual who has completed a nurse aide training
and competency evaluation program approved by the state as
required pursuant to 42 C.F.R. § 483.152, is registered on the
Iowa direct care worker registry established by the department
of inspections and appeals, complies with the requirements
of section 152F.3, and is certified to provide direct care
services in the state.
7. “Direct care instructor” means an individual approved
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by the board to provide direct care instruction to direct care
professionals.
8. “Direct care professional” means an individual who
provides direct care services for compensation and is a direct
care associate, a community living professional, a health
support professional, or a personal support professional.
9. “Direct care services” means the services provided
to individuals who have health conditions, are ill, or are
individuals with disabilities as specified in the individual’s
service plan or in documented goals, including but not limited
to home and community living services, instrumental activities
of daily living services, personal activities of daily living
services, personal support services, and health monitoring and
maintenance services.
10. “Direct care trainer” means a direct care instructor who
is approved by the board to train instructors.
11. “Health monitoring and maintenance services” means
services provided to support and maintain an individual’s
health, including observation and reporting of behaviors
or conditions; understanding the causes and symptoms of
conditions including but not limited to muscular/skeletal,
skin, respiratory system, and neurologic conditions, and
diabetes, mental illness, pain, cancer, and intellectual and
developmental disabilities; and providing functional support
specific to certain conditions.
12. “Health support professional” means any of the
following:
a. A direct care associate who has completed advanced
training and is certified to provide personal activities of
daily living and health monitoring and maintenance services.
b. An individual who has completed a nurse aide training
and competency evaluation program approved by the state as
required pursuant to 42 C.F.R. § 483.152, is registered on the
Iowa direct care worker registry established by the department
of inspections and appeals, complies with the requirements of
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section 152F.3, and is certified to provide personal activities
of daily living and health monitoring and maintenance services.
13. “Home and community living services” means services to
enhance or maintain independence of individuals including such
activities as helping individuals develop and meet personal
goals, providing direct physical and emotional support and
assistance for persons with disabilities, utilizing crisis
intervention and positive behavior supports, and using and
following individual support plans.
14. “Instrumental activities of daily living services” means
services provided to assist individuals with daily living tasks
to allow them to function independently in a home or community
setting, including but not limited to assistance with managing
money, transportation, light housekeeping, and shopping and
cooking.
15. “Personal activities of daily living services” means
services to assist individuals in meeting basic needs,
including but not limited to bathing, back rubs, and skin care;
grooming activities; assistance with dressing and undressing;
assistance with eating and feeding; assistance with toileting;
and assistance with mobility, including transfers, walking, and
turning in bed.
16. “Personal support professional” means a direct care
associate who has completed advanced training and is certified
to provide instrumental activities of daily living, personal
activities of daily living, and personal support services.
17. “Personal support services” means support services
provided to an individual as the individual performs personal
activities of daily living including but not limited to
coaching and prompting, and teaching skills and behaviors.
18. “Service plan” means a written, consumer-centered,
outcome-based plan of services.
19. “Specialty endorsement” means an advanced level of
certification based on requirements developed by experts in a
particular discipline or professional area and approved by the
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board.
Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 152F.2 Certification required ——
exceptions —— use of title.
1. Unless otherwise exempt under section 152F.4, beginning
January 1, 2015, an individual shall not provide direct care
services in this state without being certified as a direct care
associate.
2. An individual who is not certified pursuant to this
chapter shall not use words or titles which imply or represent
that the individual is certified as a direct care professional
under this chapter.
3. A direct care associate shall not act as or represent
that the individual is a direct care professional with advanced
training certification or a specialty endorsement, unless the
direct care associate is first certified at the appropriate
level of certification under this chapter.
4. An individual may voluntarily pursue advanced training
or a specialty endorsement under this chapter. Notwithstanding
any provision to the contrary, an individual who completes
advanced training or satisfies the requirements for a specialty
endorsement is not required to be certified at that level if
the individual does not act as or represent that the individual
is certified at that level. Section 147.83 does not apply
to a direct care associate who is not certified as a direct
care professional with advanced training certification or a
specialty endorsement if the direct care associate does not act
as or represent that the individual is certified at that level.
Sec. 3. NEW SECTION . 152F.3 Requirements to obtain
certification —— renewal —— continuing education —— reciprocity.
1. An applicant for certification as a direct care associate
shall present evidence satisfactory to the board that the
applicant satisfies all of the following requirements:
a. The applicant has successfully completed the required
education for the certification from a board-approved direct
care instructor or direct care trainer; or the individual has
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completed a nurse aide training and competency evaluation
program approved by the state as required pursuant to 42 C.F.R.
§ 483.152 and is registered on the Iowa direct care worker
registry established by the department of inspections and
appeals.
b. The applicant has paid all fees required by the board.
c. The applicant certifies that the applicant will conduct
all professional activities in accordance with standards for
professional conduct established by the board.
2. An applicant for certification as a direct care
professional with advanced training or a specialty endorsement
shall present evidence satisfactory to the board that the
applicant satisfies all of the following requirements:
a. The applicant has successfully completed the required
education for the certification from a board-approved direct
care instructor or direct care trainer.
b. The applicant has paid all fees required by the board.
c. The applicant has passed a state examination approved by
the board.
d. The applicant certifies that the applicant will conduct
all professional activities in accordance with standards for
professional conduct established by the board.
3. Notwithstanding subsection 2, an applicant for
certification as a health support professional shall present
evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant satisfies
all of the following requirements:
a. The applicant has complied with one of the following:
(1) Successful completion of the required education for
the certification from a board-approved direct care instructor
or direct care trainer and successful passage of a state
examination approved by the board.
(2) Successful completion of a nurse aide training and
competency evaluation program approved by the state as required
pursuant to 42 C.F.R. § 483.152 and registration on the Iowa
direct care worker registry established by the department of
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inspections and appeals.
b. The applicant has paid all fees required by the board.
c. The applicant certifies that the applicant will conduct
all professional activities in accordance with standards for
professional conduct established by the board.
4. An individual shall renew the individual’s certification
biennially. Prior to such renewal, the individual shall
present evidence that the individual has satisfied continuing
education requirements and shall pay a renewal fee as
determined by the board.
5. The board shall issue the appropriate certification to an
applicant who demonstrates experience in direct care services
in another state and satisfies the requirements established by
the board for the specific certification.
Sec. 4. NEW SECTION . 152F.4 Scope of chapter.
1. The provisions of this chapter do not apply to any of the
following:
a. An individual who is providing direct care services
and is governed by a collective bargaining agreement in place
before July 1, 2017, until the expiration of such agreement.
b. An individual providing direct care services to a family
member. However, if public funds are used to provide payment
for the direct care services provided by the family member,
the family member shall comply with the requirements of this
chapter unless otherwise exempt.
c. An individual otherwise licensed who is operating within
the scope of that license and who does not represent to the
public that the individual is a direct care professional.
2. a. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the
contrary, beginning January 1, 2015, an individual providing
direct care services under the medical assistance consumer
choices option or the consumer-directed attendant care program
is subject to the following:
(1) If the provider will provide services to only one
medical assistance recipient, the certification requirements of
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this chapter shall not apply to the provider.
(2) If the provider will provide services to more than one
medical assistance recipient, the provisions of this chapter
shall apply unless all of the following requirements are met:
(a) The provider has the necessary competencies and
training to deliver the services included in the consumer
choices option employment agreement or consumer-directed
attendant care agreement. Competencies shall be demonstrated
through documentation of prior training and experience or a
certificate of formal training as required by rule of the
department of human services for the specific program.
(b) The medical assistance recipient and the provider
sign and submit to the department of human services, with
the agreement, a separate written acknowledgment that the
recipient acknowledges that the provider has the necessary
competencies and training to provide the services specified in
the agreement. The written acknowledgment shall be accompanied
by documents verifying that the necessary competencies and
training requirements have been met.
b. This subsection shall not be interpreted as supplanting
the medical assistance recipient’s choice to train a provider
in a manner that comports with the medical assistance
recipient’s personal preferences and needs or to establish
additional provider qualifications based on the medical
assistance recipient’s needs and preferences.
3. This chapter shall not be interpreted to preclude
an individual who provides direct care services but is not
otherwise required to be certified under this chapter from
being certified under this chapter on a voluntary basis.
Sec. 5. NEW SECTION . 152F.5 Duties of the board.
The board shall do all of the following:
1. Adopt rules consistent with this chapter, chapter 147,
chapter 272, and the recommendations of the direct care worker
advisory council established pursuant to 2008 Iowa Acts,
chapter 1188, section 69, including the recommendations in the
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final report submitted by the advisory council to the governor
and the general assembly in March 2012, which are necessary for
the performance of its duties.
2. Adopt rules to provide a transition process that allows
individuals providing direct care services on or before January
1, 2015, who are subject to the certification requirements
of this chapter, to continue providing direct care services
while completing certification under this chapter. The rules
shall provide that certification requirements for an individual
subject to the transition process are based on consideration
of previous training, employment history, and experience. An
individual subject to the transition process shall complete the
requirements for direct care associate certification within a
time frame determined by rule of the board. The rules shall
provide for acceptance of prior record checks completed by the
individual’s current employer in lieu of new record checks, if
the individual has had no gap in employment since completion
of the checks.
3. Establish standards and guidelines for direct care
professionals, including establishing or approving, as
applicable, training and curriculum requirements for direct
care associates and each advanced training credential and
specialty endorsement.
a. The curriculum for core training shall provide for
its incorporation into and completion through a flexible
delivery system, utilizing a variety of settings and methods,
as approved by the board, including but not limited to
employer-provided training, community college courses, and
online training including but not limited to the college of
direct support.
b. The curriculum requirements for health support
professionals shall satisfy the curriculum requirements
specified for nurse aides pursuant to 42 C.F.R. § 483.152.
c. The training and curriculum requirements approved by
the board shall provide for adaptations, accommodations,
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modifications, and individualization for applicants, based on
their needs, abilities, and personal learning styles.
4. Require an individual to undergo criminal history
and child and dependent adult abuse record checks prior
to certification, and establish record checks requirements
applicable to direct care professionals consistent with section
135C.33. The requirement shall provide for acceptance of prior
record checks completed by the individual’s current employer in
lieu of new record checks, if the individual has had no gap in
employment since completion of the checks.
5. Establish child abuse and dependent adult abuse
reporting and training requirements consistent with section
232.69 and chapters 235B and 235E, as applicable.
6. Establish standards and guidelines for certification
reciprocity.
7. Prepare and conduct, or prescribe, an examination for
applicants for certification.
8. Establish standards and guidelines for direct care
instructors and direct care trainers, including minimum
curriculum requirements and continuing education requirements.
Training and continuing education guidelines shall provide
diverse options for completion of the training and continuing
education, as appropriate, including but not limited to online,
employer-based, or educational institution-based opportunities.
9. Define educational activities which fulfill continuing
education requirements for renewal of certification.
10. Establish guidelines for inactive certification status
and inactive certification reentry.
11. Establish a grace period of no less than thirty days
during which a newly employed individual may provide direct
care services before being required to complete the appropriate
level of certification under this chapter.
12. Establish the parameters for an exemption from the
requirements of this chapter for an individual who provides
direct care services in an employment position for not more
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than ninety days or seven hundred and twenty hours, annually.
13. Adopt rules to establish a process for requesting and
approving, as a part of the application for certification, a
financial hardship exemption from payment of the initial direct
care associate certification fee for individual applicants
whose income is one hundred percent or less of the federal
poverty level as defined by the most recently revised poverty
guidelines published by the United States department of health
and human services.
Sec. 6. NEW SECTION . 152F.6 Certification suspension and
revocation.
A certification issued by the board under this chapter may be
suspended or revoked, or renewal of certification may be denied
by the board, for violation of any provision of this chapter,
section 147.55 or 272C.10, or rules adopted by the board.
Sec. 7. Section 10A.402, subsection 1, Code 2013, is amended
to read as follows:
1. Investigations relative to the practice of regulated
professions and occupations, except those within the
jurisdiction of the board of medicine, the board of pharmacy,
the dental board, and the board of nursing , and the board of
direct care professionals .
Sec. 8. Section 135.11A, Code 2013, is amended to read as
follows:
135.11A Professional licensure division —— other licensing
boards —— expenses —— fees.
1. There shall be a professional licensure division within
the department of public health. Each board under chapter 147
or under the administrative authority of the department, except
the board of nursing, board of medicine, dental board, and
board of pharmacy, and board of direct care professionals shall
receive administrative and clerical support from the division
and may not employ its own support staff for administrative and
clerical duties.
2. The professional licensure division and the licensing
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boards may expend funds in addition to amounts budgeted, if
those additional expenditures are directly the result of actual
examination and exceed funds budgeted for examinations. Before
the division or a licensing board expends or encumbers an
amount in excess of the funds budgeted for examinations, the
director of the department of management shall approve the
expenditure or encumbrance. Before approval is given, the
department of management shall determine that the examination
expenses exceed the funds budgeted by the general assembly
to the division or board and the division or board does not
have other funds from which examination expenses can be paid.
Upon approval of the department of management, the division
or licensing board may expend and encumber funds for excess
examination expenses. The amounts necessary to fund the excess
examination expenses shall be collected as fees from additional
examination applicants and shall be treated as repayment
receipts as defined in section 8.2 .
Sec. 9. Section 135.31, Code 2013, is amended to read as
follows:
135.31 Location of boards —— rulemaking.
The offices for the board of medicine, the board of pharmacy,
the board of nursing, and the dental board , and the board
of direct care professionals shall be located within the
department of public health. The individual boards shall have
policymaking and rulemaking authority.
Sec. 10. Section 147.1, subsections 3 and 6, Code 2013, are
amended to read as follows:
3. “Licensed” or “certified” , when applied to a physician
and surgeon, podiatric physician, osteopathic physician and
surgeon, physician assistant, psychologist, chiropractor,
nurse, dentist, dental hygienist, dental assistant,
optometrist, speech pathologist, audiologist, pharmacist,
physical therapist, physical therapist assistant, occupational
therapist, occupational therapy assistant, orthotist,
prosthetist, pedorthist, respiratory care practitioner,
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practitioner of cosmetology arts and sciences, practitioner
of barbering, funeral director, dietitian, marital and
family therapist, mental health counselor, social worker,
massage therapist, athletic trainer, acupuncturist, nursing
home administrator, hearing aid dispenser, or sign language
interpreter or transliterator , or direct care professional
means a person licensed under this subtitle .
6. “Profession” means medicine and surgery, podiatry,
osteopathic medicine and surgery, practice as a physician
assistant, psychology, chiropractic, nursing, dentistry,
dental hygiene, dental assisting, optometry, speech pathology,
audiology, pharmacy, physical therapy, physical therapist
assisting, occupational therapy, occupational therapy
assisting, respiratory care, cosmetology arts and sciences,
barbering, mortuary science, marital and family therapy, mental
health counseling, social work, dietetics, massage therapy,
athletic training, acupuncture, nursing home administration,
hearing aid dispensing, sign language interpreting or
transliterating, orthotics, prosthetics, or pedorthics , or
practice as a direct care professional .
Sec. 11. Section 147.2, subsection 1, Code 2013, is amended
to read as follows:
1. A person shall not engage in the practice of medicine
and surgery, podiatry, osteopathic medicine and surgery,
psychology, chiropractic, physical therapy, physical
therapist assisting, nursing, dentistry, dental hygiene,
dental assisting, optometry, speech pathology, audiology,
occupational therapy, occupational therapy assisting,
orthotics, prosthetics, pedorthics, respiratory care,
pharmacy, cosmetology arts and sciences, barbering, social
work, dietetics, marital and family therapy or mental health
counseling, massage therapy, mortuary science, athletic
training, acupuncture, nursing home administration, hearing aid
dispensing, or sign language interpreting or transliterating,
or shall not practice as a physician assistant or as a direct
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care professional , unless the person has obtained a license for
that purpose from the board for the profession.
Sec. 12. Section 147.13, Code 2013, is amended by adding the
following new subsection:
NEW SUBSECTION . 25. For direct care professionals, the
board of direct care professionals.
Sec. 13. Section 147.14, subsection 1, Code 2013, is amended
by adding the following new paragraph:
NEW PARAGRAPH . x. For the board of direct care
professionals, a total of eleven members, six of whom are
direct care professionals who represent diverse settings and
populations served, two members of the public who are consumers
or family members of consumers of direct care services, one
registered nurse who serves as a direct care instructor,
one human services professional who serves as a direct care
instructor, and one licensed nursing home administrator.
Sec. 14. Section 147.74, Code 2013, is amended by adding the
following new subsection:
NEW SUBSECTION . 23A. A direct care professional certified
under chapter 152F and this chapter may use the following:
a. A direct care professional certified as a direct care
associate may use the title “direct care associate” or the
letters “D.C.A.” after the person’s name.
b. A direct care professional certified as a community
living professional may use the title “community living
professional” or the letters “C.L.P.” after the person’s name.
c. A direct care professional certified as a personal
support professional may use the title “personal support
professional” or the letters “P.S.P.” after the person’s name.
d. A direct care professional certified as a health support
professional may use the title “health support professional” or
the letters “H.S.P.” after the person’s name.
e. A direct care professional certified with a specialty
endorsement may use the title or letters determined by the
specialty endorsement entity and approved by the board of
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direct care professionals.
f. A direct care professional who completes a nurse aide
training and competency evaluation program approved by the
state as required pursuant to 42 C.F.R. § 483.152 may use the
title “certified nursing assistant” or the letters “C.N.A.”
after the person’s name.
Sec. 15. Section 147.80, subsection 3, Code 2013, is amended
to read as follows:
3. The board of medicine, the board of pharmacy, the dental
board, and the board of nursing , and the board of direct care
professionals shall retain individual executive officers, but
shall make every effort to share administrative, clerical, and
investigative staff to the greatest extent possible.
Sec. 16. Section 147.88, Code 2013, is amended to read as
follows:
147.88 Inspections and investigations.
The department of inspections and appeals may perform
inspections and investigations as required by this subtitle,
except inspections and investigations for the board of
medicine, board of pharmacy, board of nursing, and the dental
board , and the board of direct care professionals . The
department of inspections and appeals shall employ personnel
related to the inspection and investigative functions.
Sec. 17. Section 272C.1, subsection 6, Code 2013, is amended
by adding the following new paragraph:
NEW PARAGRAPH . ag. The board of direct care professionals,
created pursuant to chapter 147.
Sec. 18. MEDICAL ASSISTANCE CONSUMER-DIRECTED ATTENDANT
CARE PROGRAM AND CONSUMER CHOICES OPTION —— RULES. The
department of human services shall adopt rules for the medical
assistance consumer-directed attendant care and consumer
choices options programs as follows:
1. To specify the necessary competencies and training that
a provider is required to demonstrate to deliver the specific
services included in a consumer choices option employment
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agreement or consumer-directed attendant care agreement,
and the documentation necessary to demonstrate the required
competencies or training. The competencies shall be consistent
with those specified for direct care professionals under
chapter 152F, as enacted in this Act, relative to the types of
services to be provided.
2. To require that the medical assistance recipient and
the provider sign and submit to the department of human
services, with the consumer choices option employment agreement
or consumer-directed attendant care agreement, a separate
written acknowledgment that the recipient acknowledges that the
provider has the necessary competencies and training to provide
the services specified in the agreement.
Sec. 19. DEPARTMENT OF INSPECTIONS AND APPEALS —— NURSE AIDE
CURRICULUM. The department of inspections and appeals shall
collaborate with the direct care workforce initiative workgroup
to ensure that the training curriculum requirements developed
for a health support professional credential satisfy the
requirements for a nurse aide pursuant to 42 C.F.R. § 483.152.
If the training curriculum requirements developed satisfy
this standard, beginning January 1, 2015, the department of
inspections and appeals shall approve the health support
professional training as the approved training curriculum for
nurse aides pursuant to 42 C.F.R. § 483.152.
Sec. 20. TRANSITION PROVISIONS.
1. An individual providing direct care services on or
before January 1, 2015, who is subject to the certification
requirements of this Act, may continue providing direct care
services while completing certification as required under this
Act. The board of direct care professionals shall adopt rules
to provide that certification requirements for an individual
subject to the transition process are based on consideration
of previous training, employment history, and experience, and
require such individuals to complete the requirements for
direct care associate certification within the time frame
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determined by rule of the board.
2. An individual who is registered on or before January
1, 2015, on the Iowa direct care worker registry established
by the department of inspections and appeals, is deemed to
satisfy the certification requirements for a health support
professional under this Act and, notwithstanding any provision
of this Act to the contrary, shall, upon application, be issued
initial certification as a direct care associate or a health
support professional, as requested by the individual.
3. Notwithstanding sections 147.14 and 147.16, for the
initial board of direct care professionals, the governor may
appoint, subject to confirmation by the senate, in lieu of the
six members required to be direct care professionals and the
two members required to be direct care instructors, members
with employment experience providing direct care services in
diverse settings or expertise that is substantially equivalent
to the professional requirements for a direct care professional
or direct care instructor, as applicable.
Sec. 21. IMPLEMENTATION. The provisions of this Act shall
be implemented as follows:
1. The sections of this Act relating to the board of direct
care professionals including sections 152F.1 and 152F.5, as
enacted in this Act; sections 10A.402, 135.11A, 135.31, 147.13,
147.14, 147.80, 147.88, and 272C.1, as amended in this Act,
and as specified in the transition provisions; and the section
of this Act providing transition provisions relating to the
board shall be implemented so that a board of direct care
professionals is appointed no later than December 15, 2013.
2. The sections of this Act relating to requirements for
certification of direct care professionals including sections
152F.2, 152F.3, 152F.4, and 152F.6, as enacted in this Act;
and sections 147.1, 147.2, and 147.74, as amended in this Act,
shall be implemented so that the requirements are applicable
beginning no later than January 1, 2015.
Sec. 22. FUNDING PROVISIONS.
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1. The department of public health shall limit the indirect
service charge for the board of direct care professionals to
not more than fifteen percent.
2. It is the intent of the general assembly that the board
of direct care professionals be self-sustaining by January 1,
2018.
Sec. 23. MEDICAL ASSISTANCE —— PREFERENTIAL RATE FOR
CERTIFIED DIRECT CARE PROFESSIONALS. The department
of human services shall review the feasibility of and
benefits to the medical assistance program in providing a
preferential reimbursement rate for services provided by
direct care professionals based upon the individual’s level
of certification. The department shall report findings and
recommendations to the chairpersons and ranking members of the
joint appropriations subcommittee on health and human services
by December 15, 2013.
Sec. 24. EFFECTIVE UPON ENACTMENT. This Act, being deemed
of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
EXPLANATION
This bill provides for the certification of direct care
professionals under new Code chapter 152F. The bill provides
definitions relating to levels of certification and services
provided, and defines the “board” as the board of direct care
professionals.
The bill requires individuals who provide direct care
services for compensation (direct care professionals) to be
certified as direct care associates.
The bill also provides for advanced training and specialty
endorsements as the bases for higher levels of certification.
The bill provides requirements for certification, renewal
of certification, continuing education, and reciprocity
of certification. The bill provides for exemptions
from certification and for suspension or revocation of
certification. The bill specifies the duties of the board of
direct care professionals.
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The bill makes conforming changes in the Code including
those under Code chapter 147 (general provisions for
health-related professions), and Code chapter 272C (regulation
of licensed professions and occupations).
The bill provides transition provisions for the initial
appointment of the board and for application of requirements to
direct care professionals providing direct care services prior
to implementation of direct care professional requirements on
January 1, 2015. The bill takes effect upon enactment, but
provides for phased-in implementation.
The provisions of Code chapters 147 and 272C, including
a provision in Code section 147.86 that a violation of Code
chapter 147 or new Code chapter 152F is a serious misdemeanor,
are applicable to new Code chapter 152F.
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