Home Care Aide Exam Updates

Washington State Department of Health recently shared the upcoming changes to the way caregivers will schedule and pay for their home care aide exam.  These changes are on track to be implemented in February 2024.

In February 2024, all applicants will register and pay for their exams directly with Prometric. After submitting the credentialing application with Department of Health, applicants will be notified by Prometric via email that they can schedule their exam.

This Candidate Application and Scheduling Guide will help caregivers and employers or trainers better understand the new process for candidates to self-schedule and self-pay for their exams.

This Voucher Guide will provide assistance to employers, training programs, and other third parties that pay for caregiver exams, a better understanding of the process for purchasing bulk voucher payments for caregivers.

Please Note: WSDH will no longer accept examination fees on or after January 19, 2024, as they roll into the blackout period for the new testing portal. Prometric will also not be accepting payment or scheduling exams within this period.

Please stay tuned for more information on the upcoming training webinars for the exam scheduling system and payment portal.

Reminder:

• Per RCW 18.88B.041: Exemptions from training requirements. (wa.gov), long-term care workers who are not required to become certified as a home care aide if they are individual providers caring only for the individual’s biological, step, or adoptive child or parent; and individual providers caring only for the individual’s sibling, aunt, uncle, cousin, niece, nephew, grandparent, or grandchild, including when related by marriage or domestic partnership. If you are currently caring for one of these family members and hold a home care aide certification, you are not required to renew your credential.

 If you have questions, please contact the program manager Jenni Osbun.