Arkansas Mandates Minimum Training Standards for All PCAs
Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe (D) signed a law on April 23 requiring all personal care aides (PCAs) to receive a minimum of 40 hours of training as a condition of employment.
The new law, Arkansas Act 1410 (pdf), cleared both houses of the state legislature with wide bipartisan support.
Prior to Act 1410, only PCAs employed by agencies that serve clients in Medicaid-funded programs were required to undergo the minimum 40 training hours.
Because of that loophole, Arkansans seeking to hire PCAs through a private home care agency could not be assured that their workers were trained properly, Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education executive director Larry D. Wright told PHI in March.
The law is scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2014.
— by Matthew Ozga
