The short version
- Competency must be demonstrated and documented (245D.09, subd. 3).
- Orientation is due within 60 calendar days of hire, unless stated otherwise. Maltreatment-related orientation is due within 72 hours of first providing direct contact services, and repeats annually (subd. 4).
- Orientation to each person's needs comes before unsupervised direct contact with that person (subd. 4a).
- Annual training on the orientation topics is required (subd. 5).
- You need a written orientation and training plan (subd. 8) and records that prove it.
Competency (subd. 3)
Direct support staff must be competent "as demonstrated through skills and knowledge training, experience, and education" (subd. 3(a)). The license holder determines competency "through knowledge testing or observed skill assessment," and the statute requires periodic performance evaluations based on direct observation (except for a license holder who is the sole direct support staff). The license holder "must verify and maintain evidence of staff competency."
Orientation (subd. 4)
Orientation must be completed within 60 calendar days of hire, unless the statute states otherwise. The subdivision does not apply to a license holder who does not supervise any direct support staff.
The required topics are listed in clauses (1) to (11). They include incident reporting, data privacy, service recipient rights, maltreatment reporting, first aid and sexual violence prevention. Maltreatment-related orientation has a shorter window: within 72 hours of first providing direct contact services, repeated annually (subd. 4(5)).
See also maltreatment reporting.
Orientation to each person served (subd. 4a)
- It must happen before staff have unsupervised direct contact with a person served by the program (subd. 4a(a)).
- For emergency admissions, the training must happen within 72 hours. The license holder must document the reason for the emergency and keep that documentation in the person's service recipient record (subd. 4a(g)).
- Unlicensed staff may perform medication setup or administration only after successfully completing the required medication training (subd. 4a(d)).
Annual training (subd. 5)
The license holder "must provide annual training to direct support staff on the topics identified in subdivision 4, clauses (3) to (11)." Staff with a current first aid certification do not need the annual first aid training for as long as the certification remains current.
The statute text does not set a number of annual training hours.
Prior training, subcontractors, temporary staff and volunteers
- Training from elsewhere may count if received in the 12-month period before the person's date of hire, and you must keep documentation of it (subd. 5a).
- Subcontractors and temporary staff must meet the training, orientation and supervision requirements, and you must keep documentation that they have (subd. 6).
- Volunteers providing direct support need the training, orientation and supervision necessary for the work, with the same documentation requirement (subd. 7).
The training plan (subd. 8)
The license holder "must develop a staff orientation and training plan documenting when and how compliance" with subdivisions 4, 4a and 5 will be met.
What this section does not say
The text of 245D.09 does not set annual training hours and does not separate its requirements by basic and intensive supports. DHS guidance and your licensor may add expectations, so confirm them.
Keeping the records
Sothcare tracks orientation, competency and annual training per person, with expiry alerts across every home. See group home software, the 245D documentation checklist and the IAPP checklist.
Sources
Requirements change. Check these primary sources before you act on anything on this page. Last reviewed October 2026.
General information summarizing statute text, not legal advice. Confirm current statute text and DHS licensing guidance before relying on this summary.