Adult Abuse Registry

Q. What does it mean when someone is listed on the Adult Abuse Registry (AAR)?

A. It means that the State has substantiated a case of abuse, neglect, mistreatment, and/or financial exploitation against that person.

Q. I'm about to hire a caregiver to work with a family member in our home. Can I check to see if that person is on the Adult Abuse Registry?

A. Yes. You can now check the Adult Abuse Registry online.  Call the Adult Abuse Registry for further information. 

Complaints and Incidents

Q. How do I file a complaint about services provided to a resident or residents of a long term care facility?

A. You can send your complaint through the Internet or by telephone.

By Internet: You can send your complaint through the Internet using the Division's e-mail address for complaints and incidents, using our email complaint form .

By telephone: You can call the Complaint and Incident Reporting 24-hour, toll-free hotline . Division investigators are available to accept telephone complaints from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The hotline will be monitored daily. You can leave a message describing your complaint or request that an investigator return your call. You can also call from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and speak to someone directly.

Q. Do I have to give my name when I report abuse or neglect?

A. Yes. The investigator may have follow-up questions. All of the Division's investigative reports are confidential, and we protect the privacy of persons who report complaints to our Division. State law protects all persons who report abuse or neglect in good faith from retaliation by the facility.

Q. How will I know what happened to a case that I reported?

A. Once the case has been assigned to an investigator, you will receive a letter notifying you of the name of the investigator, if we have your name and address. When the case is closed, you will receive another letter with the final disposition of the case.

Q. What types of incidents must be reported by a long term care facility to the Division?

A. State of Delaware law requires that any incident in which an employee of a facility has reasonable cause to believe that a resident has been abused, mistreated, neglected, and/or financially exploited must be reported.

• 3201 Skilled and Intermediate Care Nursing Facilities
• 3225 Assisted Living Facilities

Q. Who must report these incidents?

A. Any employee of a facility or anyone who provides services to a resident of a facility who has reasonable cause to believe that a resident has been abused, neglected, mistreated, and/or financially exploited must report the incident to the Division.

Q. How does a long term care facility report an incident to the Division?

A. Long-term care facilities licensed by the Division utilize a web-based incident reporting system, LTCReporting, to transmit incident reports directly to the Division. System users are expected to follow the web site's prompts and provide the requested information. Enrollment in LTCReporting is completed as part of the facility licensing process. Individual staff members, visitors, family members, etc. may continue to make a personal report to the Division using the telephone, facsimile, or e-mail options described elsewhere in these FAQs.

Criminal Background Checks

Q. I was fingerprinted previously for employment in a bank (school, hospital, etc.). Do I have to be printed again to work in a long term care facility?

A. The Division has a process that is unique to employment in Long Term Care Facilities, Home Care Agencies and Temporary Agencies, who provide personnel to work in Long Term Care Facilities. If the potential employee has been fingerprinted for the BCC within the past three (3) years, for one of the above, then they do not need to be fingerprinted again.

Q. I've already been fingerprinted and had a background check done. Can you send me a copy that I can give to my new employer?

A. No. We cannot send your Criminal History results, if any, to another new employer. This is not allowed by the State Bureau of Investigation, under State Law; Federal Law does not allow your results of the FBI check to be released to any employer. Your new employer will enter you into the BCC just like any other new potential employee. They will not have to have you fingerprinted again if you were fingerprinted within the past three (3) years for the BCC.

Q. If I'm going to be working for a temporary agency, do I still need a background check?

A. Yes. If anyone is going to be working in a Long Term Care Facility for a contract/temporary agency they must have a Criminal Background Check done by the contract/temporary agency. Once the contract/temporary agency receives the Eligible letter from the BCC, they can give the Facility a copy to show that the person is eligible to work in the Long Term Care Facility.

CNA Registry

Q. Where can I get trained to become a certified nursing assistant (CNA)?

A. A list of approved nurse aide training programs in Delaware is available on line by visiting www.prometric.com/nurseaide/DE . The list is also available by calling the CNA Registry at (302) 421-7403.

Q. How many hours of training are required to become a CNA?

A. Delaware programs are required to have a minimum of 150 hours of training, equally divided between classroom and clinical hours.

Q. How can I get my certification renewed?

A. The Division of Health Care Quality, through its contractor, Prometric, sends a renewal reminder notice with instructions to all CNAs 45 days prior to the expiration date of the CNAs' certification. If a candidate has not received the application at least one month before the expiration date, he/she should call the CNA Registry at (302) 421-7403 to make sure that the Division has a current, up-to-date address. It is the CNA's responsibility to give the Division the correct current address for the Delaware Nurse Aide Registry.

Q. Can a CNA work with an expired certificate?

A. No.

Q. Are there a certain number of hours of employment required for re-certification?

A. Yes. Currently, CNAs must perform at least 64 hours of nursing-related services for pay under the supervision of a licensed nurse or physician in a 24-month certification period, in order to get their certifications renewed. CNAs who fail to work at least 64 hours in a 24-month certification period must re-train and re-test or just re-test to again become certified in the State of Delaware.

Q. Are there a certain number of hours of continuing education required for re-certification?

A. Yes. A total of 24 hours of approved continuing education is required during each 24-month certification period in order to qualify for recertification.

Q. What is the cost for certification renewal?

A. There is a $25 fee for certification renewal.

Q. Can a CNA who is trained and certified outside of the State of Delaware work in Delaware without a Delaware certificate?

A. No. Delaware certification is required before a person is employed as a CNA.

Q. How do you get certification from another state recognized in the State of Delaware?

A. For this process, called reciprocity, an application and instructions can be obtained on line by visiting www.prometric.com/nurseaide/DE. You can also get a copy by calling the CNA Registry at (302) 421-7403.

The Division will grant certification through the process of reciprocity if the following conditions are met: (1) the CNA has a current certificate from the State in which he or she currently practices (CNAs from the State of Maryland must also hold a current Geriatric Nursing Assistant certificate to be eligible for reciprocity); (2) the CNA must have three months of full-time experience as a CNA performing nursing-related services for pay under the supervision of a licensed nurse or physician or have completed a training program equal to at least 150 hours; and (3) the CNA must be in good standing in the state or states where he/she is currently certified.

Q. What is the cost of getting reciprocity in Delaware?

A. There is a $30 charge for reciprocity.

Q. How long will it take to get reciprocity?

A. Please allow 30 days for processing.

Nursing Homes

Q. How can I check up on the survey records of a specific nursing home?

A. You can get the latest survey reports online. You can also call the Division of Health Care Quality and request a copy of the facility's latest annual survey reports.

Q. What else can I do to evaluate a nursing facility before placing my loved one there?

A. You can access the Federal government's information about nursing facilities on-line by going to Nursing Home Compare, at www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/home.asp.

When choosing a facility, we also recommend that you visit the facility in person.

Q. How often are nursing homes inspected/evaluated by the Division of Health Care Quality?

A. Nursing homes are inspected at least annually. They also may receive complaint investigations, surprise visits, after-hours visits, and/or weekend visits.

Q. What questions could be asked of a facility to decide if good care is given?

A. Questions might include requesting information about a facility's restraint policy, how the facility monitors residents' weights and fluid intake, and what percentage of the facility's staff is temporary agency personnel.