(a)

1. (1) The Department of Human Services does not require an initial fee for this occupational license, however, there is a fee to take the state examination.
2. (2) The amount of the examination fee will be announced in a timely manner by the department or designated contractor.

(b) If there were to be an initial fee, per Arkansas Code § 17-5-104, the following individuals would not be required to pay an initial fee for this license:

1. (1) An individual receiving assistance through the:

   1. (A) Arkansas Medicaid Program;
   2. (B) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program;
   3. (C) Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children;
   4. (D) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program; or
   5. (E) Lifeline Assistance Program;
2. (2) An individual who was approved for unemployment within the last twelve (12) months; or
3. (3) An individual who has an income that does not exceed two hundred percent (200%) of the federal poverty income guidelines.

(c) The waiver of the initial fee does not include fees for:

1. (1) A criminal background check;
2. (2) An examination or a test; or
3. (3) A medical or drug test.

(d)

1. (1) The examination will be given at multiple sites geographically dispersed throughout the state.
2. (2) Schedules of times, locations, and registration requirements will be announced in a timely manner by the department or designated contractor.

(g)

1. (1) The department will be responsible for paying the examination fee one (1) time for individuals who are employed by a Medicaid-certified long-term nursing facility or those individuals that have a commitment (letter of intent as defined in 20 CAR § 403-901(b)) to be employed in a Medicaid-certified nursing facility.
2. (2) Letters of intent to hire from Medicaid-certified nursing facilities must be dated within twelve (12) months immediately preceding the date of the application to take the examination.
3. (3) Independent examination candidates who are taking the competency examination without an employment connection to a long-term care facility will be responsible to pay their own examination fee.
4. (4) In accordance with 42 C.F.R. § 483.154, no nurse aide who is employed by, or who has received an offer of employment from, a facility on the date on which the aide begins a nurse aide competency examination program may be charged for any portion of the program.
5. (5) If an individual who is not employed, or does not have an offer to be employed, as a nurse aide becomes employed by, or receives an offer of employment from, a facility not later than twelve (12) months after completing a nurse aide training and competency examination program, the state must provide for the reimbursement of costs incurred in completing the program on a pro rata basis during the period in which the individual is employed as a nurse aide.