The Certified Medication Aide in Nursing Homes Staffing Support Act aims to alleviate staffing shortages in New Jersey's nursing homes by permitting certified medication aides to administer medications to residents. This change is intended to address the ongoing challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified healthcare professionals, a situation worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Act aligns New Jersey with 38 other states that already allow this practice, thereby reducing the burden on existing staff and enhancing resident care. The bill also amends existing laws related to the certification of nurse aides, personal care assistants, and medication aides, introducing a requirement for criminal history background checks to ensure that individuals with disqualifying records cannot be certified.

In addition to the background check requirements, the bill establishes procedures for conditional certification, allowing applicants to work while their checks are pending, and outlines the responsibilities of healthcare facilities in reporting disqualifications. It mandates a two-year certification period for medication aides, with specific continuing education requirements for renewal. Individuals removed from the medication aide registry for over a year must undergo retraining and retesting for reinstatement. The bill also specifies circumstances under which a medication aide's certification can be suspended or revoked, including abuse or criminal history disqualifications, and requires the Department of Health to notify aides of any disciplinary actions. The provisions are set to take effect six months after enactment.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 26:2H-83, 26:2H-84, 26:2H-85, 53:1-20.9, 45:1-28, 26:2H-12.2, 26:2H-12.96