CNAs may work in other programs and settings for adults with developmental disabilities besides SNFs/PED or day programs exclusively serving residents of a SNF/PED under either of 2 circumstances:
Nurse Assistant/Aide (CNA) must have verification of completion of at least eight years of grade school. If verification cannot be obtained, the TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education) or another DHS-approved test (ie., ABLE, CASAS) can be used to demonstrate an education equivalent to 8th grade.
Please review the following important information:
Agencies covered by this Act should designate one person as a Portal Registration Authority (PRA) to act as a liaison with the IDPH's Information Technology Security for the purpose of managing portal accounts and application security role assignments. The PRA must register for a portal account to access the IDPH Health Alert Network through the online registration process.
If the fingerprint background check process is not yet available in your area, agencies must continue to obtain an Illinois State Police name-based Criminal Background Check. The person's social security number (SSN) must be written on the result and reported to the Health Care Worker Registry on or before the first day of DSP training class. Electronic fingerprint background check results are automatically reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).
Important: Your agency is responsible for checking the HCWR to verify that the background check results were received and posted to the HCWR. If the results are not posted within three to four weeks of submittal, it is the agency's responsibility to contact the HCWR to determine what needs to be done to get the background check result posted. Verifications can be made to the HCWR by phone, mail, or Internet web site by using the contact information listed below.
Illinois Department of Public Health Health Care Worker Registry 535 West Jefferson Street, 4th floor Springfield, Illinois 62761 Phone: (217) 785-5133 TTY: (800) 547-0466
DSP Registry packets must be accurately completed and postmarked within 30 days of the program completion date. Complete information about this process is in the DSP Illinois HCWR Registry Packet Instruction Manual. The training completion date is listed on the front page of the Direct Support Person Training Program Core Competency Area Checklist. Any DSP Registry packets that are postmarked beyond 30 days following completion of DSP training WILL NOT be processed and Southern Illinois University's Registration Services will return these packets to your agency.
If this occurs, please contact DDD at (217) 782-9438 or email DHS.BQM@illinois.gov. You will be sent a summary form to complete. Once reviewed and approved by DDD, you will be given clearance to resubmit a packet to SIU. DSP Registry packets that are incomplete or contain errors will be returned for corrections delaying any processing.
Important: It is critical to ensure that the employee's name and SSN on the background check are exactly the same as employee's name and SSN on the Direct Support Persons (DSP) Training Roster Form and the Illinois Health Care Workers Application Scan Form submitted to SIU.
IDPH approves the Nursing Assistant/Aide curriculum, but any additional hours to train a Nursing Assistant/Aide to become a DSP Person must be approved by DDD and you will be reimbursed up to that number of hours, not to exceed 130 hours.
If your agency is approved to train elsewhere for the classroom portion of training, the OJT training must be completed at the employing agency. The DDD will verify that the billing agency has an approved program, approved training site and an approved instructor. It is the employing agencies responsibility to verify that the train out agency also has an approved training program, approved training site and an approved instructor. Both training programs must be current and Department approved for the individual's ENTIRE training period.
Illinois Department of Human ServicesJB Pritzker, Governor · Dulce Quintero, Secretary
IDHS Office Locator
IDHS Help Line 1-800-843-6154 1-866-324-5553 TTY
© 2023 Illinois Department of Human Services