Relias is a leading online learning and performance management platform used by over 12,000 healthcare and human services organizations across the United States. If your employer has assigned you Relias training modules or you are preparing for a Relias assessment, this guide explains what Relias is, how the platform works, what types of assessments it administers, and how to prepare for Relias certification competency tests in 2026.
Relias is a cloud-based learning management system (LMS) and workforce management platform developed by Relias LLC, headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina. Founded in 2004 (originally as Essential Learning), Relias was purpose-built for healthcare, behavioral health, intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), senior care, and human services organizations. It is now used by hospitals, home health agencies, assisted living facilities, community mental health centers, and state agencies to deliver mandatory compliance training, continuing education, and performance assessments to their workforce.
Unlike generic LMS platforms such as Moodle or Canvas, Relias is deeply specialized for the regulatory and competency requirements of the healthcare and human services sector. Its content library includes thousands of accredited courses covering clinical skills, compliance topics (HIPAA, infection control, workplace safety), professional ethics, and job-specific competencies for roles such as certified nursing assistants (CNAs), direct support professionals (DSPs), social workers, and behavioral health technicians.
For employees, Relias means logging into your organization's Relias portal — typically accessed via a URL like yourorganization.relias.com — and completing assigned training modules, competency assessments, or annual compliance tests. Completions are automatically tracked and reported to supervisors and HR, and certificates of completion are available for courses that earn continuing education (CE) or continuing medical education (CME) credits.
The Relias platform is organized around three core functions: learning management, assessment and measurement, and analytics and reporting. Organizations purchase access to the platform and then customize it with their specific training requirements, competency assessments, and compliance deadlines.
From an employee perspective, you access Relias through a web browser on any device — the platform is mobile-responsive and has apps for iOS and Android. After logging in with your employee credentials provided by your employer, you see a dashboard showing your assigned courses, upcoming due dates, and completion history. Courses typically consist of video content, interactive modules, knowledge check questions, and a final assessment. Most individual training modules range from 15 to 60 minutes.
Competency assessments in Relias are scored tests designed to verify that you have retained the knowledge from training and can apply it in real work scenarios. These are distinct from simple course completion checks — a competency assessment may require a passing score of 80% or higher to be marked complete, and some organizations require employees to retake failed assessments. The platform automatically tracks attempts, scores, and completion status, making it easy for managers and accreditation surveyors to verify that all required training is current.
Many organizations use Relias not just for training delivery but as the testing platform for job-specific competency certifications. These assessments verify that employees meet the minimum knowledge standards for their role before working independently with clients, patients, or residents. Failing a Relias competency assessment may delay your start date, restrict your work assignments, or trigger mandatory remediation — making preparation important.
The most common Relias certification assessments encountered by new employees in healthcare and human services settings include:
Assessment passing scores on Relias typically range from 70–85%, depending on the organization and the criticality of the topic. Some organizations allow multiple attempts before triggering formal remediation; others have a one-strike policy for certain compliance modules.
Relias serves a wide range of organizations in the health and human services sector. Understanding which industries use the platform and why helps you approach your assigned training with better context and greater motivation.
Healthcare facilities: Hospitals and health systems use Relias for mandatory annual compliance training, new employee orientation, and department-specific clinical competency assessments. Nursing, allied health, and administrative staff all receive Relias assignments. Joint Commission and CMS surveys increasingly expect documented evidence of staff training, which Relias provides through its automated tracking and reporting tools.
Behavioral health organizations: Community mental health centers, substance use treatment programs, and residential behavioral health facilities use Relias to train and assess their workforce in trauma-informed care, de-escalation, crisis intervention, and recovery-oriented practices. Licensing by state behavioral health agencies often includes training requirements that Relias helps organizations meet systematically.
Senior care: Assisted living communities, memory care facilities, and skilled nursing facilities use Relias for CNA (certified nursing assistant) training, dementia care competencies, fall prevention programs, and annual required training for all staff. State licensing surveys frequently include audits of staff training records — Relias reporting functions make audit preparation straightforward.
Intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) providers: Organizations providing residential, day program, and supported employment services to individuals with IDD use Relias to train direct support professionals (DSPs) in person-centered planning, positive behavior support, and community integration. Many states have formal DSP credentialing programs that can be tracked and documented through the Relias platform.
Whether you are taking a Relias assessment for new employee onboarding, annual compliance recertification, or a job-specific competency exam, a structured approach to preparation yields better results than simply clicking through the training modules and hoping for the best.
Complete the assigned training modules fully. Relias assessments are tied directly to the didactic content in the preceding modules. Questions frequently paraphrase specific definitions, procedures, and scenarios from the training. Skipping ahead or rushing through video content is the most common mistake that leads to assessment failure.
Identify the high-stakes topics in advance. Ask your supervisor or HR which Relias modules have the highest required passing score or the most consequences for failure. Allocate more preparation time to those modules. In most organizations, HIPAA, abuse and neglect reporting, and medication safety modules have the highest stakes because they are tied to regulatory compliance.
Use practice questions before the real assessment. Practice Test Geeks offers free Relias practice tests covering all major topic areas, including professional standards, communication, assessment, and compliance. Using practice questions in the same multiple-choice format as the real Relias assessment builds familiarity with question style and reduces test anxiety.
Apply the material to your role. Relias questions frequently present scenario-based questions asking what you should do "in this situation." The correct answer reflects both the general principle and how it applies in a direct care or professional setting. Think about how each training concept connects to your actual job responsibilities rather than memorizing facts in isolation.
Manage your time during the assessment. Most Relias assessments do not have a strict time limit and you can pause and return. However, some organizations implement time restrictions on high-stakes competency tests. Know your organization policy before starting. If time is limited, answer the questions you are confident about first, then return to uncertain items with remaining time.
Contact Relias support or your LMS administrator if you encounter technical issues during training such as a video that will not play, progress not saving, or a completion not recording. Relias maintains a support line and help center available to all users. Document technical issues with screenshots so your administrator can verify that a failed completion was due to a system problem rather than performance.
Practice Test Geeks offers free Relias practice questions designed to simulate the format and difficulty of real Relias competency assessments. The practice tests cover all major topic areas including professional standards, safety and compliance, assessment and evaluation, industry regulations, and core knowledge fundamentals. Each practice test includes instant scoring and explanations so you can identify gaps before sitting the real assessment.
For employees preparing for new hire Relias onboarding or annual recertification, working through at least two practice tests in your assigned topic areas is one of the highest-leverage preparation activities available. The free professional standards and safety and compliance quizzes are the most frequently used by Relias learners because these are the topics most organizations mandate for all employees regardless of role.