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Committee reviews updates to nurse‑aide and administrator manuals and assisted‑living cost‑report requirement
Summary
The committee reviewed updates to the Nurse Aide Training Program and Nursing Home Administrator manuals to reflect 2023 laws extending certification eligibility and considering national certifications and automatic licensure; it also reviewed an assisted‑living provider manual amendment requiring annual cost reports for Medicaid participation.
Martina Smith, director for the Division of Provider Services and Quality Assurance, presented changes to the Nurse Aide Training Program (NATP) and Nursing Home Administrator (NHA) manuals to reflect legislation passed during the 2023 regular session. Smith said Act 137 removed a one‑year limitation for veterans applying for certification, extended consideration to spouses of veterans and active duty service members, and directed the department to consider national certifications for NHA licensure. She also cited Act 457 concerning automatic licensure of out‑of‑state applicants with similar credentials; staff made technical corrections and updated the manuals' table of contents. No public comments or known opposition were reported.
Jay Hill, division director for aging adult behavioral health, presented an amendment to the Living Choices assisted‑living Medicaid provider manual to comply with Act 198 (2023), which requires assisted‑living providers to submit annual cost reports as a condition of participation in Arkansas Medicaid.
Committee members raised no questions on these agenda items, and the chair recorded the rules as reviewed without objection. The department indicated the updates were administrative steps to align manuals with statutory changes and to clarify certification and licensure pathways.
