Illinois 77 Administrative Code 973 – Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Services Act

Illinois 77 Administrative Code 973, also known as the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Services Act, a regulation pertaining to any and all Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias services, was recently acted on as follows:

• Illinois Title 77 Administrative Code 973 was adopted and passed into law on 6/7/19.

• Effective immediately.

• Applicability:
  • Entities that Illinois 77 Administrative Code 973 applies to include, but are not limited to: health care facilities licensed or certified by the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act; Nursing Home Care Act; Home Health, Home Services, and Home Nursing Agency Licensing Act; and Hospice Program Licensing Act.
  • Illinois 77 Administrative Code 973 applies to any and all Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias services.
  • Illinois Title 77 Administrative Code 973 does not apply to physicians licensed to practice medicine in all its branches.

• Required Care Plan for Applicable Entities
  • The entity must have a care plan for all clients or residents with an Alzheimer's disease or related dementias diagnosis. The plan shall be implemented in accordance with nationally recognized standards of care or guidelines for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Examples of organizations that promulgate nationally recognized Alzheimer's guidelines include, but are not limited to, the Alzheimer's Association (ALZ), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), and the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (CDP).

• Training Requirements
  • Staff with direct access to clients with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia hired after June 2, 2019 shall complete a minimum of 6 hours of initial training in the first 60 days of employment using an Alzheimer's disease and related dementias services curriculum, as defined below.
• Does not apply to the following:
  • Staff who received at least 6 hours of comparable training in compliance with licensure or certified training requirements prior to being hired; and
  • Staff temporarily hired or temporarily detailed by a facility licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act to permit the facility to meet statutory staffing requirements.
  • An Alzheimer's disease and related dementias services curriculum shall include, at a minimum, the following topics:
    • Understanding dementia (e.g., hoarding, paranoia, hallucinations, and sundown syndrome);
    • Effectively communicating with individuals with dementia;
    • Assisting individuals with dementia in performing activities of daily living;
    • Problem solving with individuals with dementia who exhibit challenging behavior (e.g., aggressive and catastrophic behaviors);
    • Fundamentals of dementia care;
    • Safe environments (e.g., wandering);
    • Managing the activities of individuals with dementia.

• As of June 2, 2019, staff with direct access to clients with dementia shall receive 3 hours of advanced training on caring for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias each year. The mandated training shall include, at a minimum:

• Promoting resident dignity, independence, individuality, privacy and choice;
• Resident rights and principles of self-determination;
• Care of elderly persons with physical, cognitive, behavioral, and social disabilities; and
• Effectively communicating with individuals with dementia.

• As of June 2, 2019, Alzheimer's disease and related dementias services employers shall maintain training records and make them available to the Department on request. (Section 30 of the Act)  

Bill Section 973.140 Staff Training

The following section of the bill relates to staff training: 

a) The Alzheimer's services director shall have documented course work in dementia
care and ability centered care, and shall meet at least one of the following
requirements:

1) Have an associates or bachelor's degree or be a registered nurse and have
at least one year of experience working with persons with Alzheimer's
disease and other related dementias and have completed training in ability centered care (see 77 Ill. Adm. Code 300.7030); or

2) Have a minimum of five years of experience working with persons with
Alzheimer's disease and other related dementias, at least two years of
which are management experience working with persons with Alzheimer's
disease and other related dementias and have completed ability centered
care training.

b) The Alzheimer's services director also shall complete at least 12 hours of
continuing education annually, especially related to serving residents with
Alzheimer's disease and other related dementias.

c) Alzheimer's services directors working in an entity licensed under 77 Ill. Adm.
Code 245 or 280 shall complete at least eight hours of training annually using an
Alzheimer's disease and related dementia services curriculum, and shall meet at
least one of the following requirements:

1) Achieve a certification from either the Alzheimer's Association's
EssentiALZ program, a certified dementia specialist (CDS) credentialing
certificate, or certification by the National Council of Certified Dementia
Practitioners (CDP) as a certified dementia practitioner. The Alzheimer's
services director shall also obtain at least eight hours of training annually
using Alzheimer's disease and related dementia services curriculum; or

2) Have a minimum of two years of experience working with persons with
Alzheimer's disease and other related dementias, at least one year of which
is management experience working with persons with Alzheimer's disease
and other related dementias, and have completed ability-centered care
training.

CPI Training Can Help Your Facility Comply With the Illinois 77 Administrative Code 973

CPI offers training and resources to help facilities meet legislative mandates like the policy requirements set forth in the Illinois Title 77 Administrative Code 973. Dementia Capable Care training equips staff with techniques for both the prevention of and the safe use of restraint. Our train-the-trainer program helps staff identify underlying causes of resident behaviors, and how staff and residents behaviors affect each other. The program also emphasizes:

 

• Evaluating risk of harm and signs of distress.
• Documenting incidents.
• Safer, less restrictive holding skills to be used only as a last resort.
• Behavioral supports.
• Implementing evidence-based practices.

How to Get Training
We can bring the Dementia Capable Care training program on-site to your facility, or you can attend training in one of more than 170 public locations throughout the US.
 
More Resources
Get helpful hints for crisis intervention and learn about CPI training and restraint reduction.