Florida HHA Certification Requirements
To Work as Home Health Aide at a Home Health Agency
To work for a Medicare or Medicaid home health agency, a home health aide must complete at least 75 hours of training and/or successfully complete a competency evaluation given by the home health agency. To work in a licensed-only agency the home health aide must complete at least 40 hours of training or successfully complete a competency test given by the home health agency.
Some home health agencies require additional training above these minimum hours. Some home health agencies may hire certified nursing assistants to work as home health aides. (See information below on certified nursing assistants.) Individuals who have graduated from an accredited school of nursing and are waiting to take their state exam for licensure in Florida can work as a home health aide. Registered nurses and licensed practical nurses who can show proof they are licensed in another state or in Florida can work as a home health aide. Please note: these are the minimum requirements. A home health agency may have its own additional requirements beyond the minimum for home health aides.
To Work as Home Health Aide at a Nurse Registry
To work as a home health aide at a nurse registry, a home health aide must provide documentation of successful completion of at least 40 hours of home health aide training by one of the following:
- Public vocational technical school,
- Private career education school licensed by the Florida Department of Education, or
- Home health agency, if the home health aide was formerly employed by that home health agency.
A nurse registry cannot train home health aides unless it operates a school licensed by the Florida Department of Education.
In-Service Training
All home health aides employed by home health agencies and nurse registries must complete an HIV/AIDS training course. They also are required to obtain and maintain a current certificate in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Home health aides employed by Medicare and Medicaid home health agencies are required to have a total of 12 hours of in-service training during each 12-month period (this can be a calendar year or based on the date of hire). The HIV/AIDS training and CPR training may be counted toward meeting the 12 hours of in-service training.
If You Misplace Your Home Health Aide Certificate
No central state registry exists for home health aides in the state of Florida. If you misplace your home health aide certificate, you will need to contact the school in which you received your certificate in order to receive a replacement.
Questions Concerning Certified Nursing Assistants
An individual with a Florida certified nursing assistant (CNA) certificate can be employed by a home health agency as a home health aide. CNAs are certified by a different state agency, the Department of Health, Board of Nursing, Council on Certified Nursing Assistants. Passage of the state CNA test is required for certification. There are also in-service requirements for keeping the certification.
For information on these requirements, please go to their web site: www.floridasnursing.gov/licensing or call (850) 488-0595.
Other Questions? Call the AHCA Home Care Unit at (850) 412-4403.
