UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1655
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AN ACT relating to dementia training. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
ď˘Section 1. KRS 194A.545 is amended to read as follows: 3
(1) The Cabinet for Health and Family Services[secretary for health and family 4
services] shall develop an initial training course and continuing education courses 5
for employees of the Department for Community Based Services concerning the 6
dynamics of domestic violence and elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation; effects of 7
domestic violence and elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation on adult and child 8
victims; legal remedies for protection; lethality and risk issues; model protocols for 9
addressing domestic violence; available community resources and victim services; 10
and reporting requirements. The training shall be developed in consultation with 11
legal, victim services, victim advocacy, and mental health professionals with an 12
expertise in domestic violence. 13
(2) The Department for Community Based Services shall: 14
(a) Require the employees described in subsections (3) and (4) of this section to 15
complete a one (1) hour dementia training and continuing education course 16
that shall include but not be limited to the following subjects: 17
1. Basic aspects of Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia, 18
including but not limited to the warning signs, risk factors, and stages 19
of the disease; 20
2. Identification of adults with dementia; 21
3. Communication and dementia-related behavior; 22
4. Safety risks for adults with dementia such as wandering, 23
communication impairments, and elder abuse; and 24
5. Best practices for interacting with adults with dementia; and 25
(b) Use available training from a nationally recognized entity that has a specific 26
focus on Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia and is available at 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1655
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no cost to the cabinet or its employees. 1
(3) Each person employed by the Department for Community Based Services who 2
provides supervisory or direct service at the local, district, or state level shall 3
successfully complete the initial training course and, at least once every two (2) 4
years, the continuing education courses [course ]developed or provided under 5
subsections [subsection ](1) and (2) of this section. 6
(4) Each person who is employed by the Department for Community Based Services 7
or is contracted with the Department for Community Based Services to provide 8
adult protective services or to work on the development or implementation of 9
social services to respond to and prevent elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation shall 10
complete the training and continuing education as required under subsection (2) 11
of this section: 12
(a) Within six (6) months of the effective date of this Act; or 13
(b) Upon initial employment. 14
(5)[(3)] The cabinet[secretary] is encouraged to include an educational component 15
covering the recognition and prevention of pediatric abusive head trauma, as 16
defined in KRS 620.020, as part of the initial training and continuing education for 17
Department for Community Based Services front-line child protection staff. 18