Members of the Workforce Safety Work Group recommended a standardized safety curriculum focused on workplace violence prevention, de‑escalation and practical safety skills for home‑health staff, while debating whether the state should develop the curriculum or allow agencies to adopt nationally recognized, evidence‑based programs.

Cochair Tracy Wodach framed the training proposal as a top recommendation: “We had recommended, the state of Connecticut creating a comprehensive training curriculum,” she said, listing workplace violence prevention, communication skills and flexible delivery as core elements. Sasa added that many state agencies already offer workplace‑safety training and that the group should build on existing resources.

State and provider representatives raised implementation and fiscal concerns. Barbara Cass said it was unclear which state agency would be responsible for developing and administering a standardized program, and warned that shifting responsibility to the state could create fiscal‑note implications and require consultants. Anna (DSS) told the group that DSS would submit written comments and that DSS prefers agencies propose nationally recognized, evidence‑based trainings rather than requiring the state to develop a curriculum.

Providers and workforce representatives pressed for practical detail. Karen described credentialing requirements for psychiatric/behavioral health certification — including a practice prerequisite (she cited about two years/3,000 hours before eligibility), a renewal cycle (every five years) and continuing education hour requirements (about 75 hours) plus fees — and warned that requiring new certification for all nurses could create a barrier in an already strained workforce. John and others suggested separating statewide core training (de‑escalation, workplace violence prevention) from agency‑specific onboarding (policies, reporting systems) so training can “carry with you” across employers and avoid duplicate training for workers who work for multiple agencies.

Why it matters: Training and credentialing shape who is eligible to care for higher‑risk patients in the home. Members said standardized safety training can improve staff readiness and reduce on‑the‑job risk, but also emphasized that mandates without funding or implementation detail could worsen workforce shortages.

The group asked Wodach and Sasa to refine training language and to consider a model where the state identifies core competencies while allowing agencies to adopt recognized curricula and document individual staff completion.