6326.1 All staff training shall be specific to the ages and characteristics of the residents served by the independent living program.

6326.2 A new staff member of an independent living program shall receive pre-service training.

6326.3 The pre-service training required by § 6326.2 for new staff shall be for at least twenty (20) hours and include:

(a) The independent living program's administrative structure, procedures, and overall program;

(b) The independent living program's emergency plan as required by § 6335;

(c) Communicable diseases and universal precautions;

(d) Conflict resolution; and

(e) An introduction to daily living skills for young adults;

(f) The independent living program's discipline policy, including acceptable methods of discipline;

(g) Recognizing and understanding the effects of trauma;

(h) Recognition of substance abuse symptoms and treatment resources;

(i) Domestic violence prevention and intervention; and

(j) Truancy prevention and intervention.

6326.4 A full-time staff member shall receive at least forty (40) hours of annual in-service training. A part-time staff member shall receive at least twenty (20) hours of annual in-service training.

6326.5 Annual in-service training shall include:

(a) The independent living program's emergency plan as required by § 6335;

(b) The principles and practices of resident care, including appropriate training on age-specific and special physical, emotional, and medical needs;

1. (c) Life skills as set forth in § 6330;
2. (d) The independent living program's administrative structure;
3. (e) The independent living program's policies and procedures as set forth in § 6307.2(n);
4. (f) For the administrator, clinical director, social workers, and counselors appropriate techniques of behavior management and discipline pursuant to § 6347;
5. (g) For the administrator, clinical director, social workers, and counselors techniques and methodologies of crisis management;
6. (h) Child development;
7. (i) Methods of working with young adults that take into account their culture and interests;
8. (j) Manifestation of and techniques for working with abused, neglected, and traumatized residents;
9. (k) The independent living program's discipline policy, including acceptable methods of discipline;
10. (l) Recognition and prevention of abuse, neglect, and risks to the resident's health or safety;
11. (m) The independent living program's procedures for reporting actual or alleged resident abuse or neglect, and actual or alleged risk to a resident's health or safety, as set forth in § 6304, including training on mandatory reporting, and policies and procedures relating to child abuse or neglect and risks to residents' health or safety;
12. (n) Recognition of substance abuse symptoms and treatment resources;
13. (o) Universal precautions;
14. (p) Recognition of mental health disorders and treatment resources;
15. (q) Suicide prevention;
16. (r) Depression; and

(s) Topics determined jointly by the independent living program and CFSA.

6326.6 In-service and pre-service training may be provided by an entity other than the independent living program provided that the trainer is proficient in the subject area.

6326.7 No more than one-half (1/2) of the required in-service and pre-service training may be conducted online, by video, or other means of distance learning.

6326.8 An independent living program shall maintain records of attendance and completion of required training.

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 49 DCR 1591 (February 22, 2002); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 66 DCR 1058 (January 25, 2019).