• Federal Home Health Aide training must total at least 75 hours of classroom and supervised practical training, and at least 16 hours of classroom training must come before at least 16 hours of supervised practical training. (U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), under the federal Home Health Agency Conditions of Participation at)
• Under 42 CFR 484.80, a Home Health Aide fails the competency evaluation if rated "unsatisfactory" in more than one required area. (U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), under the federal Home Health Agency Conditions of Participation at)
• A Home Health Aide rated unsatisfactory on a task may not do that task without direct RN supervision until they have been retrained in it and passed a later evaluation. (U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), under the federal Home Health Agency Conditions of Participation at)
• Federal Home Health Aide qualification lapses after 24 consecutive months without paid work as an aide, and the aide must then complete another qualifying program. (U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), under the federal Home Health Agency Conditions of Participation at)
• Federal rules require every Home Health Aide to complete at least 12 hours of in-service training in each 12-month period. (U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), under the federal Home Health Agency Conditions of Participation at)
• The federal Home Health Aide competency evaluation is run by a registered nurse: some subject areas must be observed with a patient or pseudo-patient, and the rest may be tested by written exam, oral exam, or observation. (U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), under the federal Home Health Agency Conditions of Participation at)
• Under federal rule 42 CFR 484.80, a qualified Home Health Aide must complete one of four routes: a training and competency evaluation program, a competency evaluation program alone, a state-approved nurse aide program with a current listing in good standing on the state nurse aide registry, or a state licensure program that meets the federal standards. (U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), under the federal Home Health Agency Conditions of Participation at)

Facts verified Oct 18, 2026 against U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), under the federal Home Health Agency Conditions of Participation at. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.