If you’re wondering how to get a home health aide certificate, you’re in the right place.
There is currently a very high demand for certified home health aides across the U.S. Just as important, the demand is expected to grow as Baby Boomers start to need care.
Here’s what you need to know to get properly certified.
What Are The Requirements To Get A Home Health Aide Certificate?
There are no formal education requirements you must have in order to obtain a HHA Certificate. Specifically, no high school diploma or its equal is required.
However, some home health aide and hospice agencies may require a high school diploma from their employees. So, check first with potential employers regarding their qualifications.
Home Health Aide Federal Laws
It’s important to know how the certification process works when you’re looking to get a home health certificate because depending on where you live, the process may be different.
There are both federal and state laws when it comes to certified home health aides.
The federal law states that certified home health aides have 75 hours of total training, including 16 hours of clinical training, plus pass a test.
Those are the basic requirements for all 50 states throughout the U.S. to be certified.
In some states you need to be certified to work as a home health aide. In other states, certification is only required if you work at an approved medicare facility.
Home Health Aide State Laws
Next, there are state laws. Some states have choose to go over and above the 75 hours of training time above.
To see what the training hours are for your state, view the table below.
| State | Minimum Training Hours | Minimum Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|
| State | Minimum Training Hours | Minimum Clinical Hours |
| Alabama | 75 | 16 |
| Alaska | 140 | 80 |
| Arizona | 75 | 16 |
| Arkansas | 75 | 16 |
| California | 120 | 20 |
| Colorado | 75 | 16 |
| Connecticut | 75 | 16 |
| Delaware | 75 | 16 |
| District of Columbia | 75 | 16 |
| Florida | 75 | 16 |
| Georgia | 75 | 16 |
| Hawaii | 100 | 70 |
| Idaho | 120 | 40 |
| Illinois | 120 | 40 |
| Indiana | 75 | 16 |
| Iowa | 75 | 16 |
| Kansas | 110 | 45 |
| Kentucky | 75 | 16 |
| Louisiana | 75 | 16 |
| Maine | 180 | 70 |
| Maryland | 100 | 40 |
| Massachusetts | 75 | 16 |
| Michigan | 75 | 16 |
| Minnesota | 75 | 16 |
| Mississippi | 75 | 16 |
| Missouri | 75 | 16 |
| Montana | 91 | 25 |
| Nebraska | 75 | 16 |
| Nevada | 75 | 16 |
| New Hampshire | 100 | 60 |
| New Jersey | 76 | 16 |
| New Mexico | 75 | 16 |
| New York | 75 | 16 |
| North Carolina | 75 | 16 |
| North Dakota | 75 | 16 |
| Ohio | 75 | 16 |
| Oklahoma | 75 | 16 |
| Oregon | 75 | 16 |
| Pennsylvania | 75 | 16 |
| Rhode Island | 100 | 20 |
| South Carolina | 75 | 16 |
| South Dakota | 75 | 16 |
| Tennessee | 75 | 16 |
| Texas | 75 | 16 |
| Utah | 75 | 16 |
| Vermont | 80 | 30 |
| Virginia | 75 | 16 |
| Washington | 85 | 50 |
| West Virginia | 75 | 16 |
| Wisconsin | 120 | 32 |
| Wyoming | 91 | 16 |
How To Get A Home Health Aide Certificate | Options
Now that you know the hours of training ahead of you to get a home health aide certification, you can begin to look at where you can get a home health aide certificate.
You have a few options
- Local community colleges or vocational schools
- Home health aide agencies
- Use a previous qualification, such as a CNA, to qualify as a home health aide. Exemptions to training vary by state, so if you have a previous health certification, check with your state first.
Since demand is so high for certified home health aides, you may be able to find free training from a home health aide agency.
When looking into a training program it’s important to make sure that it’s approved by the state or if the state doesn’t approve, the NAHC.
Colleges may offer programs, which will help you with the education, but if they’re not approved, they don’t count towards the 75 hours of training.
Congratulations on your choice to get a home health aide certificate. It’s a growing field, that will be in high demand in the future!
