Connecticut HB 5143: AN ACT REQUIRING TRAINING FOR HOMEMAKER-COMPANION AGENCY EMPLOYEES.

Bill Text

Substitute House Bill No. 5143 
 
Public Act No. 26-50 
 
 
AN  ACT  REQUIRING  TRAINING  FOR  HOMEMAKER-COMPANION 
AGENCY EMPLOYEES. 
Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) (1) On and after January 
1, 2027, each homemaker-companion agency, as defined in section  20-
670 of the general statutes, shall provide not less than eight paid hours 
of: 
(A) Initial training to each new employee not later than ninety days 
after  a  new  employee's  start  of  employment,  which  shall  include,  but 
need  not  be  limited  to,  programs  relating  to  the  topics  described  in 
subdivisions  (2), (3) and (4) of subsection (b)  of this section and, if the 
new employee will provide services to persons with Alzheimer's disease 
or dementia, subdivision (6) of subsection (b) of this section; and 
(B)  Annual  continuing  education  to  each  employee,  which  shall  be 
comprised of programs on the list of approved homemaker-companion 
agency employee training programs developed pursuant to subsection 
(b) of this section. 
(2) If an employee of a homemaker-companion agency has received 
initial  training  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  subparagraph  (A) 
of  subdivision  (1)  of  this  subsection  while  employed  by  a  different 

Substitute House Bill No. 5143 
 
Public Act No. 26-50 2 of 5 
 
homemaker-companion  agency  within  the  three  years  preceding  the 
employee's  date  of  hire,  such  training  shall  satisfy  the  initial  training 
requirements  of  said  subparagraph,  provided  the  employee  furnishes 
proof  of  such  initial  training  by  providing  the  form  described  in 
subsection  (c)  of  this  section.  A  homemaker-companion  agency  shall 
retain a copy of such form in the employee's personnel file as proof of 
compliance with the initial training requirements. 
(3) The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to (A) a nurse's 
aide,  registered  pursuant  to  chapter  378a  of  the  general  statutes,  (B)  a 
home  health  aide,  (C)  a  personal  care  attendant,  as  defined  in  section 
17b-706 of the general  statutes, or (D) any employee of a homemaker-
companion  agency  who  does  not  provide  homemaker  services  or 
companion services, as such terms are defined in section 20-670 of the 
general  statutes.  For  the  purposes  of  this  subdivision,  "home  health 
aide"  means  a  person  who  provides  home  health  aide  services,  as 
defined  in  section  19a-490  of  the  general  statutes,  as  an  employee of  a 
home health aide agency, as defined in said section. 
(b)  Not  later  than  October  1,  2026,  the  Commissioner  of  Consumer 
Protection,  in  consultation  with  the  Commissioners  of Public  Health, 
Social   Services,   Developmental   Services   and   Mental   Health   and 
Addiction  Services,  shall  develop  a  list  of  approved  homemaker-
companion agency employee training programs appropriate for use by 
homemaker-companion agencies when providing mandatory employee 
training pursuant to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section. The 
list  of  approved  homemaker-companion  agency  employee  training 
programs shall be limited to programs concerning (1) communication, 
(2)  maintenance  of  a  clean  and  safe  environment,  including,  but  not 
limited  to,  best  practices  relating  to  dressing,  bathing  and  toileting 
assistance,  (3)  identification  and  reporting  of  abuse  and  neglect,  (4) 
identification  and  reporting  of  changes  in  a  homemaker-companion 
agency client's condition and service needs, (5) differentiation between 

Substitute House Bill No. 5143 
 
Public Act No. 26-50 3 of 5 
 
medical  and  nonmedical  care,  (6)  providing  nonmedical  services  to  a 
person  with  Alzheimer's  disease  or  dementia,  and  (7)  any  other  topic 
deemed  appropriate  by  the  Commissioner  of  Consumer  Protection,  in 
consultation with the Commissioners of Public Health, Social Services, 
Developmental Services and Mental Health and Addiction Services. The 
Commissioner   of   Consumer   Protection   shall   publish   the   list   of 
approved homemaker-companion agency employee training programs 
on  the  Department  of  Consumer  Protection's  Internet  web  site.  Each 
homemaker-companion   agency   shall   ensure   that   each   employee 
completes every program on such list at least once every two calendar 
years. 
(c)  Upon  completion  of  any  employee  training  conducted  pursuant 
to  subsection  (a)  of  this  section,  each  homemaker-companion  agency 
and employee shall complete a form, in a form and manner prescribed 
by   the   Commissioner   of   Consumer   Protection,   attesting   that   the 
employee  completed  such  training.  Such  form  shall  include  (1)  the 
names  of  the  homemaker-companion  agency  and  employee,  (2)  the 
training programs comp