To qualify as an individual Home Health Aide agent in Pennsylvania, you must complete:
1. A minimum of 75 hours of training including minimum 16 hours of clinical training.
2. Once you’ve completed training, you also need to pass criminal background checks, child abuse clearances, and if direct consumer contact is required you need to pass TB screening.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health lists the following requirements, that Home Health Aides Agencies must provide information to the consumer concerning:
- What services will be provided
- The identity of the direct care workers that will provide the service
- The hours when services will be provided
- Total cost of services provided
- Department of Health contact information regarding licensure requirements
- Department of Health complaint hotline number
- Telephone number for the local Ombudsman and competency requirements for direct care workers
- Whether the direct care worker is an employee or independent contractor
- Tax obligations and employment responsibilities of HCA/HCR and consumer with regard to the direct care workers
- Documentation that demonstrates personal face-to-face interviews with all direct care workers or independent contractors
How to Get Trained as a Home Health Aide in Pennsylvania
There are multiple ways you can receive training as a Home Health Aide in Pennsylvania:
1. Pass a competency examination developed by the Home Health Care agency you are employed with
2.. Pass a nurse aide certification and training program sponsored by the PA Department of Education
3. Complete a program approved by the PA Department of Health and published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
Pennsylvania has a number agencies that assist you in finding the best HHA for your family.
1. The Pennsylvania Homecare Association which represents more than 500 home health agencies.
2. Pennsylvania Department of Health Quality Assurance Facility Directory allows you to check compliance history of a provider
Useful Links:
1. Pennsylvania Department of Health – Home Health Agencies
2. Pennsylvania Department of Health – Directory of Home Health Agencies
3. Pennsylvania Department of Health – Registration of Home Care Agencies
4. Pennsylvania Department of Aging
Approximately 51,300 people were employed as Home health aides in Pennsylvania in 2015.
Hourly Rate - Home health aides earned between $8.02/hour and $14.05/hour in 2015 (average rate was $10.58/hour)
Annual Salary - The annual salary ranged between $16,680 and $29,230 (average annual wage was $22,000)
Source - Bureau of Labor Statistics
In Pennsylvania, Home Health Agencies (HHAs) are licensed and regulated by the PA Department of Health. This state agency enforces Home Health Aide standards by mandating requirements, and conducting periodic, unannounced state licensure surveys of these agencies.