Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3721.31 – Approving or rejecting programs

(A)
1. (1) Except as provided in division (E) of this section, the director of health shall approve competency evaluation programs and training and competency evaluation programs in accordance with rules adopted under section 3721.30 of the Revised Code and shall periodically review and reapprove programs approved under this section.
2. (2) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(3) of this section, the director may approve and reapprove programs conducted by or in long-term care facilities, or by any government agency or person, including an employee organization.
3. (3) The director shall not approve or reapprove a competency evaluation program or training and competency evaluation program conducted by or in a long-term care facility that was determined by the director or the United States secretary of health and human services to have been out of compliance with the requirements of subsection (b), (c), or (d) of section 1819 or 1919 of the Social Security Act, 49 Stat. 620 (1935), 42 U.S.C.A. 301, as amended, within a two-year period prior to making application for approval or reapproval and shall revoke the approval or reapproval of a program conducted by or in a facility for which such a determination is made.
4. (4) A long-term care facility, employee organization, person, or government entity seeking approval or reapproval of a competency evaluation program or training and competency evaluation program shall make an application to the director for approval or reapproval of the program and shall provide any documentation requested by the director.
5. (5) The director may conduct inspections and examinations of approved competency evaluation programs and training and competency evaluation programs, competency evaluation programs and training and competency evaluation programs for which an application for approval has been submitted under division (A)(4) of this section, and the sites at which they are or will be conducted. The director may conduct inspections of long-term care facilities in which individuals who have participated in approved competency evaluation programs and training and competency evaluation programs are being used as nurse aides.
(B) In accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, the director may do the following:
1. (1) Deny, suspend, or revoke approval or reapproval of any of the following that is not in compliance with this section and section 3721.30 of the Revised Code and rules adopted thereunder:
  1. (a) A competency evaluation program;
  2. (b) A training and competency evaluation program;
  3. (c) A training program for instructors or coordinators for training and competency evaluation programs;
  4. (d) A training program for evaluators for competency evaluation programs.
2. (2) Deny a request that the director determine any of the following for the purposes of division (B) of section 3721.28 of the Revised Code:
  1. (a) That a program completed prior to the dates specified in division (B)(3) of section 3721.28 of the Revised Code included a competency evaluation component no less stringent than the competency evaluation programs approved or conducted by the director under this section, and was otherwise comparable to the training and competency evaluation programs being approved under this section;
  2. (b) That an individual satisfies division (B)(5) of section 3721.28 of the Revised Code;
  3. (c) That an individual meets the conditions specified in division (F) of section 3721.28 of the Revised Code.
(C) The director may develop and conduct a competency evaluation program for individuals used by long-term care facilities as nurse aides at any time during the period commencing July 1, 1989, and ending January 1, 1990, and individuals who participate in training and competency evaluation programs conducted in or by long-term care facilities. The director also may conduct other competency evaluation programs and training and competency evaluation programs. When conducting competency evaluation programs and training and competency evaluation programs, the director may use a nurse aide competency evaluation prepared by a testing service, and may contract with the service to administer the evaluation pursuant to section 3701.044 of the Revised Code.
(D) The director may approve or conduct programs to train instructors and coordinators for training and competency evaluation programs and evaluators for competency evaluation programs. The director may conduct inspections and examinations of those programs that have been approved by the director or for which an application for approval has been submitted, and the sites at which the programs are or will be conducted.
(E) Notwithstanding division (A) of this section and division (C) of section 3721.30 of the Revised Code, the director, in the director's discretion, may decline to approve any competency evaluation programs. The director may require all individuals used by long-term care facilities as nurse aides after June 1, 1990, who have completed a training and competency evaluation program approved by the director under division (A) of this section or who have met the conditions specified in division (F) of section 3721.28 of the Revised Code to complete a competency evaluation program conducted by the director under division (C) of this section. The director also may require all individuals used as nurse aides by long-term care facilities after June 1, 1990, who were used by a facility at any time during the period commencing July 1, 1989, and ending January 1, 1990, to complete a competency evaluation program conducted by the director under division (C) of this section rather than a competency evaluation program approved by the director under division (A) of this section.
(F) The test materials, examinations, or evaluation tools used in any competency evaluation program or training and competency evaluation program that the director conducts or approves under this section are subject to the confidentiality provisions of section 3701.044 of the Revised Code.
(G) The director shall impose fees prescribed by rules adopted under section 3721.30 of the Revised Code for both of the following:
1. (1) Making application for approval or reapproval of either of the following:
  1. (a) A competency evaluation program or a training and competency evaluation program;
  2. (b) A training program for instructors or coordinators for training and competency evaluation programs, or evaluators for competency evaluation programs;
2. (2) Participation in any competency evaluation program, training and competency evaluation program, or other program conducted by the director under this section.