Bill proposes modifying Alzheimer’s training for employees

25 years ago, the Legislature passed SB 1836 and, since then, ALFs that advertise care for persons with ADRD have been providing their staff with between 4 and 12 hours of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders training that’s approved by the Department of Elder Affairs and taught by a credentialed instructor

SB 1572 Dementia-related Staff Training (Baxley, R-12), filed January 5^th is summarized as pulling together in one statutory location the training requirements for the different health care providers that have been required by Florida law to provide ADRD training. 

It’s worth noting SB 1572 also applies its in-service requirements to contracted workers, referring to them, for the first time in the education world, as employees as defined within the current background screening regulations.

For ALFs, the bill also bifurcates the existing initial 4-hour training requirement for direct contact workers thereby creating a 1 hour and a 3-hour training for different staff categories, including contract workers.

For Nursing Homes that advertise the provision of ADRD care to residents, the bill requires 4 hours of additional training for direct care staff.

Nursing Homes would also join ALFs in their existing requirement to provide 4 hours of continuing education annually to direct care staff providing services to residents with ADRD.

SB 1572’s companion bill is HB 1507 (Byrd, R-11).

Track SB 1572 and other sponsored bills through Florida’s Senate Tracker.

Review existing requirements in LSLE’s ADRD Training Requirements for ALF Employees.