Virginia Law

A. Required initial training.

1. Within seven days following their begin date, each staff member responsible for supervision of children shall receive basic orientation to the facility's behavior intervention policies, procedures, and techniques regarding less restrictive interventions, timeout, and physical restraint.

2. Within 14 days following an individual's begin date, and before an individual is alone supervising children, the provider shall conduct emergency preparedness and response training that shall include:

a. Alerting emergency personnel and sounding alarms;

b. Implementing evacuation procedures, including evacuation of residents with special needs (i.e., deaf, blind, nonambulatory);

c. Using, maintaining, and operating emergency equipment;

d. Accessing emergency information for residents including medical information; and

e. Utilizing community support services.

3. Within 14 days following their begin date, new employees, employees transferring from other facilities operated by the same provider, relief staff, volunteers, and students/interns shall be given orientation and training regarding:

a. The objectives of the facility;

b. Practices of confidentiality;

c. The decision-making plan;

d. These regulations including the prohibited actions as outlined in this regulation; and

e. Other policies and procedures that are applicable to their positions, duties, and responsibilities.

4. Within 30 days following their begin date, all staff working with residents shall be enrolled in a standard first aid class and in a cardiopulmonary resuscitation class facilitated by the American Red Cross or other recognized authority, unless the individual is currently certified in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

5. Within 30 days following their begin date, all staff working with residents shall be trained in child abuse and neglect, mandatory reporting, maintaining appropriate professional relationships, and interaction among staff and residents, and suicide prevention.

6. Within 30 days following their begin date, all staff shall be trained on the facility's policies and procedures regarding standard precautions.

7. Within 30 days following their begin date, all staff shall be trained on appropriate siting of children's residential facilities, and good neighbor policies and community relations.

8. Before administering medication, all staff responsible for medication administration shall have successfully completed a medication training program approved by the Board of Nursing or be licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia to administer medications.

9. All staff shall be trained in any area of quality improvement as identified from the results of the quality improvement plan.

B. Required annual retraining.

1. All employees, contractors, students/interns, and volunteers shall complete an annual refresher emergency preparedness and response training that shall include:

a. Alerting emergency personnel and sounding alarms;

b. Implementing evacuation procedures, including evacuation of residents with special needs (i.e., deaf, blind, nonambulatory);

c. Using, maintaining, and operating emergency equipment;

d. Accessing emergency information for residents including medical information; and

e. Utilizing community support services.

2. All staff who administer medication shall complete annual refresher medication training.

3. All child care staff shall receive annual retraining on the provider's behavior supports and timeout policies and procedures.

4. All staff working with residents shall receive annual retraining in child abuse and neglect, mandatory reporting, maintaining appropriate professional relationships, and interaction among staff and residents, and suicide prevention.

5. All staff shall receive annual retraining on the provider's policies and procedures regarding standard precautions.

C. Each full-time staff person who works with residents shall complete an additional 15 hours of annual training applicable to their job duties.

D. Providers shall develop and implement written policies and procedures to ensure that part-time staff receive training applicable to their positions.

E. Training provided shall be comprehensive and based on the needs of the population served to ensure that staff have the competencies to perform their jobs.