Additionally, DFPS regulates other pre-service hourly training requirements for caregivers and employees. Caregivers and certain employees must complete the following training hours before the specified time frame: Who is required to receive the training?
What type of pre-service training?
How many hours of training are needed?
When must the training be complete?
(1) All caregivers
General pre-service training
Eight hours
Before the person can be the other caregiver responsible for a child in care
(2) Caregivers caring for children receiving only child care services or programmatic services
Pre-service training regarding emergency behavior intervention
Eight hours
At least four hours of training before the person can be the only caregiver responsible for a child in care, and all eight hours of training within ninety days of being responsible for a child in care
(3) Caregivers caring for children receiving treatment services
Pre-service training regarding emergency behavior intervention
Sixteen hours, however, if the operation prohibits the use of emergency behavior intervention, then only eight hours of training are needed
A least half of the required hours of training before the person can be the only caregiver responsible for a child in care, and all of the required hours of training within ninety days of being responsible for a child in care
(4) Child care administrators, professional level service providers, treatment directors, and case managers
Pre-service training regarding emergency behavior intervention
Eight hours
All eight hours of training within ninety days of beginning job duties*
*40 Tex. Admin. Code § 748.863(a) (2012).
A person is not considered qualified until his or her training is complete. All training must be documented in the employee’s personnel records.497 If a caregiver or employee has previously worked at a safe house, however, he or she is exempt from completing the eight hours of general pre-service training.498 Moreover, time spent in orientation training cannot count towards the pre-service training requirement.499 Orientation is focused on providing new employees with information about the safe house and how it operates. Pre-service training is focused on preparing new employees to do their job competently. Therefore, they must be counted separately in the pre-service or annual training requirements. 497 40 Tex. Admin. Code § 748.863(b) (2012). 498 40 Tex. Admin. Code § 748.867 (2012). 499 40 Tex. Admin. Code § 748.865 (2012). 87