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Ohio Administrative Code (Last Updated: January 12, 2021) |
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5123:2 Community Services |
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Chapter5123:2-5. Certification Standards for Employees of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities |
5123:2-5-01. Adult services certification standards
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(A) Purpose
This rule establishes minimum qualifications through certification standards that shall apply to persons, directly providing or supervising the provision of adult services, who are employed by county boards of developmental disabilities. Staff of entities under contract with county boards of developmental disabilities to provide or supervise the provision of adult services are not required to hold adult services certification.
(B) Definitions
(1) "Accredited college or university" means a college or university accredited by a national or regional association in the United States or a foreign college or university of comparable standing.
(2) "Adult services" has the same meaning as in section 5126.01 of the Revised Code.
(3) "Certification" means:
(a) Certification issued to a "management employee" or a "professional employee" as those terms are defined in section 5126.20 of the Revised Code; and
(b) Registration issued to a "service employee" as that term is defined in section 5126.20 of the Revised Code and who is required to hold registration pursuant to section 5126.25 of the Revised Code.
(4) "Continuing professional education" means training approved by the department or a superintendent required for renewal of adult services certification.
(5) "County board" means a county board of developmental disabilities.
(6) "Department" means the Ohio department of developmental disabilities.
(7) "Superintendent" means a person certified by the department in accordance with rule 5123:2-5-03 of the Administrative Code and employed in that capacity by a county board or for purposes of issuing certification and/or approving continuing professional education in accordance with this rule, a person who is authorized in writing by the superintendent to perform those functions.
(C) Description
There are two levels of adult services certification:
(1) Adult services worker
(a) A superintendent may issue adult services worker certification for an initial period of five years to an employee of the county board who:
(i) Is at least eighteen years of age; and
(ii) Holds a high school diploma or general education development certificate.
(b) The superintendent shall ensure that adult services workers successfully complete, no later than ninety calendar days after hire, an orientation program of at least eight hours that addresses, but is not limited to:
(i) Organizational background of the county board, including:
(a) Mission, vision, values, principles, and goals;
(b) Organizational structure;
(c) Key policies, procedures, and work rules;
(d) Ethical and professional conduct and practice;
(e) Avoiding conflicts of interest; and
(f) Working effectively with individuals, families, and other team members.
(ii) Components of quality care for individuals served, including:
(a) Interpersonal relationships and trust;
(b) Cultural and personal sensitivity;
(c) Effective communication;
(d) Person-centered philosophy, planning, and practice;
(e) Development of individual service plans;
(f) Roles and responsibilities of team members; and
(g) Record-keeping, including progress notes and incident/accident reports.
(iii) Health and safety, including:
(a) Signs and symptoms of illness or injury and procedure for response;
(b) Building/site-specific emergency response plans; and
(c) Program-specific transportation safety.
(iv) Positive behavioral support, including:
(a) Principles of positive culture;
(b) Role of adult services worker in creating a positive culture;
(c) General requirements for intervention and behavioral support strategies and role of adult services worker, including documentation;
(d) Human rights committees established in accordance with rule 5123:2-2-06 of the Administrative Code; and
(e) Crisis intervention techniques.
(v) Services that comprise adult services.
(c) The superintendent shall ensure that adult services workers (other than those who have at least one year of experience providing adult services at the point of hire) during the first year after hire, are assigned and have access to a mentor employed by the county board.
(d) The superintendent shall ensure that adult services workers (other than those who have at least one year of experience providing adult services at the point of hire) successfully complete, no later than one year after hire, at least eight hours of training specific to the provision of adult services that includes, but is not limited to:
(i) Skill building in vocational assessment, ongoing job supports, task analysis, job-seeking skills, on-the-job instruction and support, developing natural supports, identifying community resources, personal adjustment, work adjustment, and vocational planning; and
(ii) Self-determination which includes assisting the individual to develop self-advocacy skills, to exercise his or her civil rights, to exercise control and responsibility over the services he or she receives, and to acquire skills that enable him or her to become more independent, productive, and integrated within the community.
(e) The superintendent shall ensure that each adult services worker successfully completes on-the-job training specific to each individual he or she serves that includes:
(i) What is important to the individual and what is important for the individual; and
(ii) The individual's support needs including, as applicable, behavioral support strategy, management of the individual's funds, and medication administration/delegated nursing.
(f) The superintendent shall ensure that adult services workers, commencing in the second year of hire, annually complete at least eight hours of continuing professional education in accordance with paragraphs (D) and (E) of this rule.
(g) A superintendent may renew the adult services worker certification for a second period of five years provided the employee has successfully completed:
(i) The orientation program described in paragraph (C)(1)(b) of this rule;
(ii) At least eight hours of training specific to the provision of adult services described in paragraph (C)(1)(d) of this rule; and
(iii) At least forty hours of continuing professional education during the period of the initial adult services worker certification. The training described in paragraphs (C)(1)(b), (C)(1)(d), and (E) of this rule may be counted toward the forty hours.
(h) A superintendent may renew the adult services worker certification for subsequent periods of five years provided the employee has successfully completed at least forty hours of continuing professional education during the period of the preceding adult services worker certification. The training described in paragraph (E) of this rule may be counted toward the forty hours.
(2) Adult services supervisor
(a) A superintendent may issue adult services supervisor certification for an initial period of five years to an employee of the county board who:
(i) Is at least eighteen years of age;
(ii) Holds a high school diploma or general education development certificate; and
(iii) Has either:
(a) A bachelor's degree or graduate-level degree from an accredited college or university; or
(b) At least four years of full-time (or equivalent part-time), supervised, paid work experience in programs or services for individuals with developmental disabilities.
(b) The superintendent shall ensure that adult services supervisors successfully complete, no later than ninety calendar days after hire, the orientation program described in paragraph (C)(1)(b) of this rule.
(c) The superintendent shall ensure that adult services supervisors (other than those who have at least one year of experience as an adult services supervisor at the point of hire) successfully complete, no later than one year after hire, at least eight hours of training specific to the supervision of adult services that includes, but is not limited to, the topics set forth in paragraph (C)(1)(d) of this rule.
(d) The superintendent shall ensure that adult services supervisors, commencing in the second year of hire, annually complete at least fifteen hours of continuing professional education in accordance with paragraphs (D) and (E) of this rule.
(e) A superintendent may renew the adult services supervisor certification for a second period of five years provided the employee has successfully completed:
(i) The orientation program described in paragraph (C)(1)(b) of this rule;
(ii) At least eight hours of training specific to the supervision of adult services described in paragraph (C)(2)(c) of this rule; and
(iii) At least seventy-five hours of continuing professional education during the period of the initial adult services supervisor certification. The training described in paragraphs (C)(2)(b), (C)(2)(c), and (E) of this rule may be counted toward the seventy-five hours.
(f) A superintendent may renew the adult services supervisor certification for subsequent periods of five years provided the employee has successfully completed at least seventy-five hours of continuing professional education during the period of the preceding adult services supervisor certification. The training described in paragraph (E) of this rule may be counted toward the seventy-five hours.
(D) Written plan of training priorities
The superintendent shall ensure that a written plan identifying training priorities for employees who hold adult services certification is developed and implemented. The training priorities shall be consistent with the needs of individuals served, best practice, and the county board's mission, vision, and strategic plan. The written plan of training priorities shall describe the method (e.g., written test, skills demonstration, or documented observation by supervisor) that will be used to establish employees' competency in areas of training. The written plan of training priorities shall be updated at least once every twelve months and shall identify who is responsible for arranging or providing the training and projected timelines for completion of the training.
(E) Annual training requirements
The superintendent shall ensure that employees who hold adult services certification annually complete training in accordance with the written plan of training priorities. The training may be structured or unstructured and may include, but is not limited to, lectures, seminars, formal coursework, workshops, conferences, demonstrations, visitations or observations of other services/programs, distance and other means of electronic learning, video and audio-visual training, and staff meetings. The training shall enhance the skills and competencies of the employee relevant to his or her job responsibilities and shall include, but is not limited to:
(1) The rights of individuals set forth in sections 5123.62 to 5123.64 of the Revised Code;
(2) The requirements of rule 5123:2-17-02 of the Administrative Code including a review of health and welfare alerts issued by the department since the previous year's training;
(3) The requirements relative to the employee's role in providing behavioral support to the individuals he or she serves;
(4) Best practices related to the provision of adult services; and
(5) Ohio's employment first policy set forth in rule 5123:2-2-05 of the Administrative Code.
(F) Application fees
A superintendent may require applicants for adult services certification to pay an application fee.
(1) The application fee for adult services worker certification shall not exceed thirty dollars.
(2) The application fee for adult services supervisor certification shall not exceed seventy-five dollars.
(G) Reciprocity
(1) A superintendent shall accept as valid adult services certification issued in accordance with this rule by the superintendent of another county board.
(2) A superintendent shall accept as valid continuing professional education approved by the department or the superintendent of another county board in accordance with this rule.
(H) Adult services registration and certification issued prior to July 4, 2013
(1) Substitute grade, temporary grade, provisional grade, and professional grade adult services registration and certification issued prior to July 4, 2013 shall remain in effect until their assigned expiration dates. No additional substitute grade, temporary grade, provisional grade, or professional grade adult services registration or certification shall be issued on or after July 4, 2013.
(2) An employee of a county board who, on July 4, 2013, held substitute grade, temporary grade, provisional grade, or professional grade adult services registered service level registration or temporary grade, provisional grade, or professional grade adult services specialist level certification issued prior to July 4, 2013 shall be eligible for adult services worker certification and shall not be compelled to meet the requirements set forth in paragraph (C)(1)(b), (C)(1)(c), or (C)(1)(d) of this rule provided the employee applies for the adult services worker certification prior to expiration of the adult services registered service level registration or adult services specialist level certification. Renewal of the employee's adult services worker certification shall be in accordance with paragraph (C)(1)(h) of this rule.
(3) An employee of a county board who, on July 4, 2013, held temporary grade, provisional grade, or professional grade adult services management one level registration, adult services management two level certification, or adult services management three level certification issued prior to July 4, 2013 shall be eligible for adult services supervisor certification and shall not be compelled to meet the requirements set forth in paragraph (C)(2)(a)(iii), (C)(2)(b), (C)(2)(c), (C)(2)(d), or (C)(2)(e) of this rule provided the employee applies for the adult services supervisor certification prior to expiration of the adult services management one level registration, adult services management two level certification, or adult services management three level certification. Renewal of the employee's adult services supervisor certification shall be in accordance with paragraph (C)(2)(f) of this rule.
(I) Renewal of expired adult services certification
(1) Adult services certification issued on or after July 4, 2013 which has been expired for less than one year may be renewed upon completion of all renewal requirements of the expired certification.
(2) Adult services certification issued on or after July 4, 2013 which has been expired for one year or more shall not be renewed; the applicant shall be required to meet the requirements for initial adult services worker certification or adult services supervisor certification, as applicable, pursuant to paragraph (C) of this rule.
(J) Administrative review
An applicant for adult services certification whose application is disapproved based upon the applicant's failure to meet the requirements of this rule, may request in writing, within thirty calendar days of the rejection, an administrative review by the superintendent or the superintendent's designee.
(K) Denial, suspension, or revocation
Adult services certification is subject to denial, suspension, or revocation in accordance with rule 5123:2-5-04 of the Administrative Code.