Quick Checklist of Pennsylvania Caregiver Requirements

Pennsylvania regulates non-medical home care agencies through 28 Pa. Code Chapter 611. Every direct care worker must meet these standards before working with a client. If you want to get paid to care for a family member, you are treated as a professional caregiver and must fulfill the exact same requirements as any other home care aide.

Criminal History Report: State Police vs. FBI

Before an agency can hire you, they must review your criminal history. The type of background check you need depends on how long you have lived in the state.

If you have been a Pennsylvania resident for the two consecutive years right before your application, you only need a Pennsylvania State Police criminal record check. If you have lived outside of Pennsylvania at any point during those two preceding years, you must obtain a federal (FBI) background check. In addition to the FBI check, out-of-state applicants need a letter of determination from the Pennsylvania Department of Aging.

The home care agency reviews your report. Under state law, an agency may not hire you if your record includes specific prohibited convictions listed in 6 Pa. Code § 15.143. You are also disqualified if the Department of Aging letter states you are not eligible. You must obtain this background check at the time of your application, or you can use a report obtained within the one year prior.

Proof of Pennsylvania Residency

To qualify for the state-only background check, you must prove you meet the two-year residency requirement. According to 28 Pa. Code § 611.52, home care agencies accept several types of official documents to verify your address history.

You can provide a driver’s license or state ID. You can also use mortgage or rent receipts, utility bills, or local tax records. Tax returns and employment records are also acceptable proof. You should gather the most recent copies that establish your two-year timeline in Pennsylvania.

Competency: Training or Exam Requirements

Pennsylvania law requires home care agencies to ensure all caregivers are competent. You do not need a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license to work as a home care aide. Instead, 28 Pa. Code § 611.55 gives you three ways to prove you are ready to provide care.

First, you can hold a valid Pennsylvania nurse’s license. Second, you can pass the home care agency’s own competency exam. Third, you can complete a recognized training program. Acceptable programs include an agency training program, a home health aide program that meets federal standards (42 CFR 484.36), a Pennsylvania nurse aide training program, or a Medicaid waiver training program.

If you take an exam or training program, state law requires it to cover specific topics. You can read more about caregiver certification in PA, but the mandatory competency areas include:

Ready to start the hiring process? Call 215-974-0000 or fill out our contact form and choose “I am a caregiver” then “I already have a client” to speak with our team.

Tuberculosis (TB) Screening Rules

You must undergo a tuberculosis screening before you have any direct contact with a client. 28 Pa. Code § 611.56 requires this screening to check for active tuberculosis, following guidelines set by the CDC.

The screening result must be dated no more than one year before your start date. Once you are hired, you must update your TB screening every 12 months while you remain employed as a caregiver.

Provisional Hire: Can You Start Before Results Arrive?

Sometimes criminal background check results take time to process. Pennsylvania law allows home care agencies to hire you provisionally while waiting for your criminal history report to arrive.

If you have lived in Pennsylvania for the past two years, you can work provisionally for a maximum of 30 days. If you need the FBI check because you lived out of state, you can work provisionally for up to 90 days.

During this provisional period, you must still meet all competency and TB requirements before you are assigned to a client. The agency is required to monitor your work through random direct observation and by collecting feedback from your consumer.

Extra Rules for Relatives Through the CHC Waiver

When you get paid to care for a family member through Medicaid, specific program rules apply alongside state agency laws. Most Pennsylvanians who get home care through an Office of Long Term Living waiver are in the Community HealthChoices (CHC) waiver. This waiver pays for Personal Assistance Services, which includes help with eating, bathing, dressing, and routine support.

Family members can be paid caregivers under the CHC waiver. However, the waiver will not pay for services provided by the client’s spouse, legal guardian, representative payee, or Power of Attorney (POA). You can read more about the rules for spouses and POAs to understand these limitations.

Pandemic-era exceptions that previously allowed some of these roles to provide care ended on May 11, 2023. The Office of Long Term Living (OLTL) does not expect to make further exceptions. If you hold one of these roles, you cannot be the paid caregiver for that specific relative. If your relative needs to enroll in the waiver first, you can learn how to apply for PA Medicaid through the Independent Enrollment Broker and the County Assistance Office.

If your relative already gets services through a CHC plan (Keystone First CHC, PA Health & Wellness or UPMC Community HealthChoices), they choose which agency provides them. To move your case to us, they can switch agencies through their service coordinator.

What to Bring to New Century Home Care

New Century Home Care is a licensed non-medical home care agency located at 101 E Olney Ave #270, Philadelphia, PA 19120. We work with the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA), Keystone First, and AmeriHealth Caritas to provide services across Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware, and Chester counties.

When you apply for caregiver jobs or plan to care for a relative through our agency, you need to bring specific documents. Bring your identification and proof of Pennsylvania residency. Bring contact information for two non-family references. If you have a recent criminal history clearance or a TB test result from the past year, bring those as well.

As an employee at New Century, you receive weekly pay via direct deposit, paid sick days, and a $350 signing bonus. We also offer holiday pay, paid vacation or extra pay, a free health insurance plan (available), free life insurance, and a 401(k) retirement plan. If you are wondering about exact wages, you can review information on the caregiver pay rate in PA.

Take the next step in your caregiving career. Call 215-974-0000 or fill out our contact form and choose “I am a caregiver” then “I already have a client” to begin.