Florida 2021 Regular Session Status: In Committee

SB 634 — Dementia-related Staff Training

Last action — Died in Appropriations

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2021 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Dementia-related Staff Training; Citing this act as the "Florida Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Training Act"; requiring the Department of Elderly Affairs or its designee to develop or approve certain dementia-related training by a specified date; requiring the department or its designee to issue unique identifiers to approved training providers; providing that certain employees do not need to repeat certain training when changing employment, under certain circumstances; requiring certain employees to receive additional training within a specified timeframe if the employing entity advertises that it provides certain special care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders, etc.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

503 added · 520 removed

503 line(s) added, 520 removed.

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Florida Senate - 2021 CS for CS for SB 634 By the Committees on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs;
Florida Senate - 2021 CS for SB 634 By the Committee on Health Policy;
and Health Policy;
and Senators Gibson, Baxley, and Farmer 588-02672-21 2021634c1 A bill to be entitled An act relating to dementia-related staff training;
and Senators Gibson, Baxley, Farmer, and Torres 586-03584-21 2021634c2 A bill to be entitled An act relating to dementia-related staff training;
requiring the Department of Elderly Affairs or its designee to develop or approve certain dementia-related training by a specified date;
requiring certain entities, as a condition of licensure, to provide specified dementia related training for new employees within a specified timeframe;
requiring such training to be offered in a variety of formats;
requiring certain employees to receive additional dementia-related training under certain circumstances within a specified timeframe;
authorizing the department or its designee to approve existing training courses and curricula if they meet certain requirements;
providing requirements for the training;
requiring annual dementia-related training for certain employees;
requiring certain employees to receive additional training developed or approved by the Department of Elderly Affairs under certain circumstances;
providing that such additional training counts toward a certified nursing assistant’s total annual training;
authorizing certain health care practitioners to count certain continuing education hours toward the dementia-related training requirements under certain circumstances;
requiring the department to approve such continuing education hours to satisfy the dementia-related training requirements;
requiring training providers to issue employees a certificate upon completing the training and passing the assessments;
requiring the department or its designee to approve courses used to satisfy the dementia-related training requirements;
requiring such courses to be approved in various;
requiring training providers to develop certain assessments and passing scores for a specified purpose;
requiring certain employees to take and pass such assessments upon completion of the training;
requiring training providers to issue such employees a certificate upon completing the training and passing the assessments;
providing that copies of training certificates for employees and direct care workers must be available for inspection as a requirement of facility licensure;
requiring licensees to maintain copies of training certifications for each of their employees and direct care workers;
requiring certain entities to provide specified dementia-related training for new employees within a specified timeframe;
requiring licensees to make such copies available for inspection for a specified purpose;
requiring such entities to maintain copies of the employees’ training certificates;
requiring the department to adopt rules;
providing that employees who complete such training do not need to repeat the training upon change of employment under certain circumstances;
requiring certain employees to receive additional dementia-related training under certain circumstances within a specified timeframe;
providing requirements for the training;
requiring biennial dementia-related training for certain employees;
providing that such training counts toward a certified nursing assistant’s annual training requirements;
providing that such training may be used to count toward certain core training requirements;
requiring certain employees to receive additional training within a specified timeframe if the employing entity advertises that it provides certain special care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders;
providing that such additional training counts toward a certified nursing assistant’s annual training requirements;
authorizing certain health care practitioners to count certain continuing education hours toward the dementia-related training requirements under certain circumstances;
requiring the department to approve such continuing education hours to satisfy the dementia-related training requirements;
revising dementia-related staff training requirements for nursing homes, home health agencies, hospices, facilities that provide special care for persons with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders, assisted living facilities, adult family-care homes, and adult day care centers, respectively, to conform to changes made by the act;
revising dementia-related staff training requirements for nursing homes, home health agencies, hospices, facilities that provide special care for persons with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders, assisted living facilities, adult family care homes, and adult day care centers, respectively, to conform to changes made by the act;
62 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
56 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
64 Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Florida Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Training Act.” Section 2. Section 430.5025, Florida Statutes, is created to read:
58 Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Florida Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Training Act.” Section 2. Section 430.5025, Florida Statutes, is created to read:
(b) “Direct care worker” means an individual who, as part of his or her employment duties, provides or is expected to provide direct contact assistance with personal care or activities of daily living to clients, patients, or residents of any facility licensed under part II, part III, or part IV of chapter 400 or chapter 429.
(b) “Direct care worker” means an individual who, as part of his or her employment duties, provides or has access to provide direct contact assistance with personal care or activities of daily living to clients, patients, or residents of any facility licensed under part II, part III, or part IV of chapter 400 or chapter 429.
(c) “Employee” means any staff member, contracted staff, or independent contractor hired or referred by a licensee who is required to have a level 2 background screening as required by s.
(c) “Employee” means any staff member who has regular contact or incidental contact on a recurring basis with clients, patients, or residents of a facility licensed under part II, part III, or part IV of chapter 400 or chapter 429.
408.809(1)(e).
and companions or homemakers.
and any other individuals who may have regular contact or incidental contact on a recurring basis with clients, patients, or residents.
(2) By January 1, 2022, the department or its designee must develop or approve the courses that licensees may use to satisfy the training requirements under this section.
(2) As a condition of licensure, licensees must provide to each of their employees, within 30 days after their employment begins, 1 hour of dementia-related training, which must include methods for interacting with persons with Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder and for identifying warning signs of dementia.
The department or its designee must develop or approve training offered in a variety of formats and languages, including, but not limited to, Internet-based training, videos, teleconferencing, and classroom instruction.
(3) In addition to the training requirements of subsection (2), licensees must require all employees who are direct care workers to receive at least 3 hours of evidence-based training if the direct care workers are expected to, or their responsibilities require them to, have direct contact with clients, patients, or residents with Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder or with populations that are at a greater risk for Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder.
The department or its designee may approve any existing training course or curriculum that is being used by licensees if it meets the requirements of this section.
The training must be completed within the first 3 months after employment begins and must include, but need not be limited to, an overview of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders and person-centered care, assessment and care planning, activities of daily living, and dementia-related behaviors and communication for clients, patients, and residents with Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder.
(3) The department or its designee shall develop a process for registering training providers and maintain a list of those providers approved to provide training required under this section.
Each calendar year thereafter, the licensee must require all of its direct care workers to receive at least 4 hours of continuing education, approved by the department, on these topics and any related changes in state or federal law.
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The process must take into account those training providers who are already approved and include a method to verify that all training providers are actively providing training required under this section.
(4) If a licensee advertises that it provides special care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder which includes direct care to such individuals, the licensee must require its direct care workers to complete 4 hours of training developed or approved by the department.
This training is in addition to the training requirements of subsections (2) and (3) and must be completed within 4 months after employment begins.
(5) Completion of the 4 hours of training developed or approved by the department under subsection (4) shall count toward a certified nursing assistant’s annual training requirements.
(6) If a health care practitioner as defined in s.
456.001 completes continuing education hours as required by that practitioner’s licensing board, he or she may count those continuing education hours toward satisfaction of the training requirements of subsections (3) and (4) if the course curriculum covers the topics required under those subsections.
The department must approve such continuing education hours for purposes of satisfying the training requirements of subsections (3) and (4).
(7) The department or its designee shall develop a process for registering training providers and maintain a list of those providers approved to provide training required under this section.
(4) Upon completion of any training under this section, the training provider must issue the employee or direct care worker a certificate that includes the training provider’s name and unique identifier, the topic covered in the training, the date of completion, and the signature of the training provider.
(8) The department or its designee shall approve the courses that licensees may use to satisfy the training requirements under this section.
The department or its designee must approve training offered in a variety of formats, including, but not limited to, Internet-based training, videos, teleconferencing, and classroom instruction.
(9) For each training topic required under this section, the training provider shall develop an assessment that measures an individual’s understanding of the topic and indicate a minimum required score to pass the assessment.
Upon completion of any training under this section, the employee or direct care worker must pass the related assessment.
If an employee or a direct care worker completes a training and passes the related assessment, the training provider must issue the employee or direct care worker a certificate that includes the training provider’s name and unique identifier, the topic covered in the training, the date of completion, and the signature of the training provider.
Copies of the employee’s or direct care worker’s training certificate issued under this section must be available for inspection in each facility in which he or she may be employed in order to meet the requirements of that facility’s licensure.
Licensees must maintain copies of certificates issued to each of their employees or direct care workers under this section and must make them available for inspection to meet the requirements of licensure.
(5) Licensees must provide to each of their employees 1 hour of dementia-related training that includes methods for interacting with individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder and for identifying warning signs of dementia.
(10) The department shall adopt rules to implement this section.
(a) A licensee must require an employee to complete the training within 30 days after employment begins.
Employees hired on or before October 1, 2021, must be required to complete the training within 3 months after the training is developed or approved pursuant to subsection (2).
(b) A licensee must maintain a copy of the employee’s training certificate in the employee’s personnel records.
(c) An employee who has completed the training required by this subsection is not required to repeat the course upon changing employment to a different licensee if he or she has a copy of the training certificate.
(6) In addition to the training requirements of subsection (5), licensees must require all employees who are direct care workers to receive at least 3 hours of evidence-based training developed or approved pursuant to subsection (2).
The training must be completed within the first 4 months after employment begins and must include, but need not be limited to, an overview of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders and person-centered care, assessment and care planning, activities of daily living, and dementia-related behaviors and communication for clients, patients, and residents with Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder.
Except for providers licensed under part IV of chapter 400, every 2 calendar years thereafter, the licensee must require all of its direct care workers to receive at least 2 hours of continuing education, developed or approved pursuant to subsection (2), on these topics and any related changes in state or federal law.
(a) Employees hired on or before October 1, 2021, must complete the training under this subsection within 6 months after the training is developed or approved pursuant to subsection (2) if they have not received any applicable dementia-related training within the preceding calendar year.
(b) Completion of the 2 hours of continuing education under this subsection counts toward a certified nursing assistant’s annual training requirements.
(c) Continuing education under this subsection may count toward core training requirements as described under s.
429.52.
(7) In addition to the training requirements of subsections (5) and (6), if a licensee advertises that it provides special care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder which includes direct care to such individuals, the licensee must require its direct care workers to complete 4 hours of training developed or approved pursuant to subsection (2).
This training must be completed within 4 months after employment begins and shall count toward a certified nursing assistant’s annual training requirements.
(8) If a health care practitioner as defined in s.
456.001 completes continuing education hours as required by that practitioner’s licensing board, he or she may count those continuing education hours toward satisfaction of the training requirements of subsections (5) and (6) if the course curriculum covers the topics required under those subsections.
The department must approve such continuing education hours for purposes of satisfying the training requirements of subsections (5) and (6).
Section 10. This act shall take effect October 1, 2021.
Section 10. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.
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Action History

  1. Died in Appropriations

  2. Now in Appropriations

  3. CS/CS by Children, Families, and Elder Affairs read 1st time

  4. Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)

  5. CS/CS by Children, Families, and Elder Affairs; YEAS 7 NAYS 1

  6. On Committee agenda-- Children, Families, and Elder Affairs, 03/30/21, 9:00 am, 37 Senate Building

  7. On Committee agenda-- Children, Families, and Elder Affairs, 03/23/21, 12:30 pm, 37 Senate Building --Temporarily Postponed

  8. Now in Children, Families, and Elder Affairs

  9. CS by Health Policy read 1st time

  10. Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)

  11. CS by Health Policy; YEAS 9 NAYS 0

  12. On Committee agenda-- Health Policy, 03/10/21, 10:30 am, 412 Knott Building

  13. Introduced

  14. Referred to Health Policy; Children, Families, and Elder Affairs; Appropriations

  15. Filed

Sponsors

  • Gibson · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 163 not signed on · 1 voted No

Sponsors (1)

  • Gibson

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (163)

163 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 634 do?
Dementia-related Staff Training; Citing this act as the "Florida Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Training Act"; requiring the Department of Elderly Affairs or its designee to develop or approve certain dementia-related training by a specified date; requiring the department or its designee to issue unique identifiers to approved training providers; providing that certain employees do not need to repeat certain training when changing employment, under certain circumstances; requiring certain employees to receive additional training within a specified timeframe if the employing entity advertises that it provides certain special care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders, etc.
Who sponsors SB 634?
SB 634 is sponsored by Gibson.
What is the current status of SB 634?
This bill died with 2021 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 634?
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