Caregiver Training & Certification

Overview

Caregiver training and certification is a foundational operational requirement at TheKey, governing who can be hired, placed, and retained across all markets. The company operates in multiple jurisdictions (Canadian provinces including Quebec and BC, and U.S. states) each with distinct regulatory expectations, making credential verification a complex but critical function. Training spans both pre-hire credentials candidates bring to the role and ongoing education delivered internally through platforms like CareAcademy and the former Home Care Assistance University. The integrity of this process directly affects client safety, facility partnership eligibility, and regulatory compliance.

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Key People

• Meera Ladani — Referenced in context of Care Academy course completion and certificates; noted upcoming in-person Mobility training rollout (2023). [Re: Winston Park-Schegel — 2023-02-22]
• Sharon Speirs — Forwarded BC Health Care Registration Number pilot communications; key contact for credential registration initiatives. [2023-10-12 and 2023-10-26]
• Charles (Chuck) Terlesky — Engaged with Schlegel facility certification requirements for PSWs; managing facility-access credential compliance in Ontario. [Fwd: Care Academy - Schlegel Courses — 2022-11-02]
• Joey Taylor — HR Director (Montreal); coordinated a CPR course booking for June 2021. [Fwd: CPR Course Confirmation — 2021-06-08]
• Timothy Thomas — Montreal-area manager; handled and forwarded numerous candidate applications with credential reviews.
• Michele Boehmer — Referenced CPR/First Aid certification efficiency recommendations in a 2019 cohort context. [March Cohort Agenda — 2019-03-08]
• Mary Lou Masterpole — Raised credential equivalency question regarding CCAs vs. PSWs in Nova Scotia. [Re: Baddeck Nova Scotia case — 2022-04-01]

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Processes & Policies

Minimum Credential Expectations (Canada – Montreal market)

Candidates are expected to hold combinations of the following prior to or at hire:

• CPR/First Aid (with AED) — universally cited across applicants
• PDSB (Principes pour Déplacer les Bénéficiaires en toute Sécurité) — Quebec-specific safe patient handling certification
• PSW (Personal Support Worker) or PAB (Préposé aux Bénéficiaires) designation
• Law 90 — Quebec legislation compliance training (typically ~90 hours)
• Home Care Assistant program completion (e.g., 320-hour programs via Academie Horizon or Essor College)

Minimum Credential Expectations (U.S. markets)

Per the WellSky + TheKey Match Training Deck, caregiver profiles are tagged with applicable credentials including:

• CHHA, CNA, HHA, PCA, LVN/LPN, or RN licenses
• CPR Certification, First Aid Certification
• Nurse Delegation, Tuberculosis Test, COVID-19 Vaccine
• Hospice Experience, Fall Risk competency, Feeding Tube experience

Ongoing Training — CareAcademy

• Caregivers complete courses through CareAcademy and receive certificates/documents confirming completion. [Re: Winston Park-Schegel — 2023-02-22]
• As of December 2024, CareAcademy retired the Dynamic Leadership, Impactful Communication, and Customer Service libraries, replacing them with a new People Skills Library. [CareAcademy — 2024-12-05]
• In-person Mobility training was flagged as an upcoming addition in early 2023.

Ongoing Training — HCA University (legacy)

• Home Care Assistance University was introduced in 2016, covering state/province-specific training and certification courses plus 300+ hours of approved continuing education for all 50 U.S. states and Canadian provinces. [HCA News and Updates — 2016-05-13 and 2016-05-20]

Competency Requirements per Plan of Care (Kansas)

• Managers and care staff receive training covering: communication with clients with hearing deficits or dementia, and other specialized Plan of Care competencies. [TheKey Kansas Policies & Procedures Manual]

Facility-Specific Requirements

• Facility partners such as Schlegel require extensive certifications before TheKey PSWs can be placed on-site. These requirements exceed standard hire-level credentials. [Fwd: Care Academy - Schlegel Courses — 2022-11-02]

BC Registration Pilot

• Proof of training (certificate/diploma/transcript), English language proficiency test (if applicable), and International Credential Evaluation Services documentation are required for BC Health Care Registration Numbers. [Sharon Speirs — 2023-10-12 and 2023-10-26]

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Timeline & Key Events

| Date | Event |

|------|-------|

| 2016-01 | Earliest applicant records showing CPR/First Aid/PSW as standard credential set |

| 2016-05 | Home Care Assistance University launched; 300+ continuing education hours, all 50 states + Canadian provinces |

| 2017-02 | Teepa Snow's "Becoming Dementia" online course series identified as a dementia certification option [Janik Fauteux — 2017-02-09] |

| 2019-03 | Cohort discussion of CPR/First Aid certification efficiency and cost recommendations [Michele Boehmer — 2019-03-08] |

| 2021-06 | Montreal HR arranged a CPR training course for June 16 via Joey Taylor |

| 2022-11 | Schlegel facility certification requirements flagged as a barrier to PSW placement [Charles Terlesky — 2022-11-02] |

| 2023-02 | Meera Ladani confirmed Care Academy certificates in use; in-person Mobility training announced as upcoming |

| 2023-10 | BC Health Care Registration Number pilot launched; Sharon Speirs circulated requirements |

| 2024-12 | CareAcademy People Skills Library launched; previous training libraries retired |

| 2026-02 | WellSky CCS-HH Certification course advertised (April 21–22, 2026, WellSky HQ) |

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Key Decisions

• CareAcademy as the primary ongoing training platform: Certificates of completion are issued through the platform and serve as documentation for caregivers. This is the internal standard for post-hire training.
• PDSB + CPR/First Aid as non-negotiable minimums (Montreal): Consistently applied across applicant screening over 9+ years of records.
• BC pilot participation: TheKey (via Sharon Speirs) engaged with the BC Health Care Registration Number pilot, signaling intent to standardize provincial registration for caregivers.
• Facility partnership requirements treated separately: Schlegel-level certifications are above the standard hire bar; PSWs require additional credentialing before placement in partner facilities.
• Dementia-specific training pursued: Teepa Snow's certification categories were evaluated as an add-on training pathway as early as 2017.

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Open Questions & Gaps

• No documented minimum credential standard exists in the email record for all markets: Requirements appear to vary significantly between Quebec, BC, Nova Scotia, and U.S. states, with no unified TheKey-wide policy visible in sources.
• CCA vs. PSW credential equivalency is unresolved: Mary Lou Masterpole raised this directly in the Nova Scotia context in April 2022 — no documented resolution found. [Re: Baddeck Nova Scotia case — 2022-04-01]
• BC Registration pilot outcomes unknown: Sharon Speirs forwarded the pilot information in October 2023 but no follow-up or outcome is reflected in available records.
• Applicants with in-progress certifications: Multiple candidates applied while certifications were not yet complete (e.g., currently taking CPR/First Aid). No documented policy on whether conditional hiring is permitted.
• HCA University status post-rebrand: It is unclear whether HCA University was retired, migrated to CareAcademy, or continues to operate under TheKey branding.
• Continuing education tracking mechanism: No system or process for tracking caregiver certification renewals or expiration dates is described in available sources.

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Related Topics

1. Caregiver Recruitment & Hiring

2. Care Academy Platform & Operations

3. Facility Partnership Requirements

4. Regulatory Compliance by Market (Quebec, BC, U.S. States)

5. Plan of Care Development & Competency Reviews