Home Care Aide Workforce Updates
Home Care Aide Credentialing and Fingerprint Results
Over the past two years, WHCA has engaged in stakeholder work to gain better understanding of the significant home care aide (HCA) backlogs to credentialing. While there are many moving parts to this catastrophe, two main issues arise when it comes to moving a pending HCA candidate to active status. One is proof of employment, and the other is a valid OCA number for background check finalization.
Last week, it came to our attention via an email between a provider member and a Department of Health (DOH) representative, that there was two different OCA numbers issued; only one of those numbers is valid to move the HCA pending status to active status.
When an assisted living facility runs an initial name and date-of-birth background check, an OCA number is generated and included on the results document. That OCA number is used to schedule the caregiver for a fingerprinting appointment.
Once the fingerprinting results are complete, the facility gets a final report that includes both the name and date-of-birth and the fingerprinting results. The OCA number listed on this final document is the OCA number that DOH needs for activation of the HCA credential.
For clarification, see the depiction below.
For questions about HCA credentialing, email Vicki McNealley at the WHCA office or call 360-352-3304 extension 107.
The Home Care Aide program has extended the emergency rules regarding alternative certification timelines for individuals pursuing certification as home care aides, in response to the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The department acknowledges that many long-term care workers continue to face challenges in obtaining certification, and this extension is essential to protect public health and safety, as well as to support the long-term care workforce and help prevent staffing shortages.
The certification deadline for workers hired between July 1, 2023 through January 31, 2024, has been extended from April 30, 2025 to July 31, 2025. All other certification deadlines are unchanged.
This emergency rule was initially established under Engrossed Substitute House Bill (ESHB) 1120, passed in 2021, which granted the department authority to provide additional time for long-term care workers to achieve certification. The rule was further extended under WSR 25-10-015.pdf on April 25, 2025, to apply to those hired within the specified hire date timeframe.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the Home Care Aide program at [email protected].
