Since there are no state certification requirements for home health aides in Ohio, most training happens on the job. Depending on your employer, additional training and qualifications may be required or preferred before you are hired.
Working for a Home Health Agency:
Home health aides employed by a Medicare/Medicaid certified agency need to pass a competency evaluation and complete a minimum of 75 training hours and supporting 16 clinical hours. Most agencies will also provide initial and ongoing training to home health aides.
Independent Home Health Aides:
To become a Medicaid-certified independent home health aide, you can enroll through the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. You must obtain a background check through the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (this can be done at your nearest Webcheck location.) If you have lived in Ohio for less than 5 years, you will also need to obtain an FBI background check.
Voluntary Certification:
The National Association of Home Care and Hospice offers a home health aide certification program. The program includes training, skills evaluation, and a written exam. While this certification is not mandatory, it will assure future employers that you meet national standards for home health aides. Call (202) 547- 7424 for more information about the NAHC home health aide certification program.
Home health aide certification programs are also available through vocational schools and community colleges. Check your local institution for more information about courses or programs for home health aides.
Select Training Schools:
1. Med-Cert Training Center
3 week program for $500.00
Address: 20 West Grace, Bedford, OH 44146
2. Phoenix Healthcare Institute
4 week program for $800.00
Address: 814 East 185 TH Street, Suite 300, Cleveland, OH 44119
3. D and S Training Center
3 week program for $422.00
Address: 333 Oakland Ave, Findlay, OH 45840
4. National institute of Technology
24 week program for $10,000.00
Address: 2545 Bailey Road, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221
5. Huron School of Nursing
week program for $10,000.00
Address: 13951 Terrace Road, East Cleveland, OH 44112
6. Cincinnati State Technical and Community College
3 week program for $1,235.00
Address: 3520 Central Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45223
7. St. Marys Alzheimers Center
2 week program for $600.00
Address: 1899 West Garfield Road, Columbiana, OH 44408
8. Premier Choice Health Service
2 week program for $400.00
Address: 1997 East Dublin Granville Road, Columbus, OH 43219
9. Nurse Okeke Homecare Service LLC. Training Center
4 week program for $200.00
AddressL 595 East Broad Street Suite 115, Columbus, OH 43215
10. Sinclair Community College
15 week program for $325.00
Address: 444 W. Third Street, Dayton, OH 45402
Some of the top HHA Agencies are as follows:
1. A M Friends & Family Health Care
Address: 2211 LAKE CLUB DRIVE, SUITE 200, Columbus, OH 43232
2. Able Support Services
Address: 2021 East Dublin Granville Road, Suite 250, Columbus, OH 43229
3. Americare Health Care Services
Address: 1279 East Dublin Granville Road, Columbus, OH 43229
For more agencies please click here
Approximately 65,010 people were employed as Home health aides in Ohio in 2015.
Hourly Rate - Home health aides earned between $8.43/hour and $11.88/hour in 2015 (average rate was $10.09/hour)
Annual Salary - The annual salary ranged between $17,530 and $24,720 (average annual wage was $20,980)
Source - Bureau of Labor Statistics
Home health agencies are regulated by the Ohio Department of Health. There is no state licensure for home health agencies and no state testing or certification for home health aides in Ohio.
However, HHAs must gain accreditation by a nationally-recognized accreditation organization in order to become Medicare certified. The 3 currently approved accreditation organizations are the Community Health Accreditation Program, the Accreditation Commission for Health Care and the Joint Commission.