FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Please be advised that the Department reserves the right to amend or adopt new rules related to the establishment of training curricula guidelines and requirements for the approval of other qualified training providers. The following answers are based on current best practices.
Required Training Questions
Anyone who works or volunteers in a place that serves people living with dementia and must pass a Level-2 background check. This includes people who:
- Spend time with participants or residents on a regular basis
- Help with daily tasks, such as giving medicines, bathing, dressing, or meals
- Support their physical, mental, or emotional well-being
Yes. Volunteers or contractors must take the one-hour training if they:
- Are required to pass a Level-2 background check, and
- Provide personal care or have regular contact with people living with dementia
- Talking with or helping participants every day
- Helping with medicines or other daily tasks
- Helping with bathing, dressing, or meals
- Supporting a person’s physical, mental, or emotional well-being
Anyone who works or volunteers in a place that serves people living with dementia and provides personal care or has regular contact needs to complete the additional training. The amount of training depends on where they work.
People need to complete additional training if they:
- Give personal care to participants or residents
- Spend time with them on a regular basis
- Help with daily tasks, such as medicines, bathing, or meals
- Support their physical, mental, or emotional well-being
No. Section 430.5025, Florida Statutes states the initial 1-hour training must come from the Florida Department of Elder Affairs. No other training course can be used to meet this requirement.
Hospice agencies are the only exception.
Because they were not included in the new law, hospice agencies may choose to use the Department’s 1-hour training video or submit their own 1-hour training for approval.
Yes. If an employee was hired before July 1, 2023, they have until July 1, 2026 to complete the Department’s 1-hour training program.
If an employee was hired on or after July 1, 2023, they must complete the 1-hour training program within 30 days of their hire date.
It depends on the care setting.
(for example, they move from one assisted living facility to another), they do not need to redo the same ADRD training they already completed.
The law does not allow swapping one type of training for another.
Personal care means helping someone with their daily needs. This can include:
- Helping with bathing, dressing, eating, or using the bathroom
- Helping someone take their medicine
- Doing homemaker or companion services
- Providing nursing care
- Doing any tasks that support a person’s physical, mental, or emotional well-being
Every care setting must give new employees basic written information about how to interact with people living with dementia when they start their job. Employers can make their own written information if they want to, but they do not have to.
The Department has already created a free, ready-to-use basic written information packet that any employer can download and give to their staff here.
Continuing education is only required for employees who work in:
- Assisted living facilities,
- Adult day cares, or
- Adult family-care homes
If an employee works in one of these settings, they must complete:
- 4 hours of dementia continuing education every calendar year.
- In-person classes (contact hours)
- On-the-job training (up to 2 hours per year)
- Online or electronic learning
Training Provider Questions
Yes. Any trainers that were approved before July 1, 2023 are still valid under the new law. Trainer approvals do not expire at this time.
To become an approved trainer, you must fill out the online application for the care setting you want to teach in. You will also need to upload documents that show your training, credentials, and experience.
You can find more information about the approval process and online applications here.
No. There is no cost to apply to become an approved training provider for the State of Florida.
The Department usually reviews training provider applications within 30 days after they are received. Sometimes the review may take longer if unexpected circumstances warrant a longer review process.
You may only give training in the care setting you were approved for.
If you want to train in more than one type of care setting, you must submit a separate application for each one.
Curriculum Questions
Yes. Any training curricula that were approved before July 1, 2023 are still valid under the new law. Training curricula stay valid until their original expiration date, which is three years after they were first approved.
Yes. If your curriculum was approved before July 1, 2023, it is still valid. You do not have to change it. If you want to shorten it from four hours to three hours, you can, but you must still teach every part of the approved content. Nothing can be removed.
It is your job as the training provider to make sure the full approved content is taught and that it meets the rule for your care setting.
You can view a list of approved curricula here. Each curriculum shows the creator’s contact information. You will need to contact the creator directly to ask:
- whether the curriculum is available for purchase, and
- what the cost will be.
To submit your curriculum, fill out the online application for the care setting you want to create training for, and upload all required documents. The application link is available here.
No. There is no cost to submit a curriculum application.
After we receive your curriculum, it is sent to a subject-matter expert (SME) to review the content. The review typically takes about 30 days from the day it is sent to the SME.
The Department may need more time if something unexpected happens or if the review requires extra attention.
Your curriculum can only be used in the specific care setting you were approved for.
If you want your curriculum to be used in more than one care setting, you must submit a separate application for each setting.
