Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The main responsibility of a Home Health Aide (HHA) is to provide personal care in the home setting. Home Health Aides help elderly adults with “activities of daily living” (ADL’s) such as bathing, getting dressed, preparing meals, eating, mobility and hygiene needs. Home Health Aides are required to get a certification here in New Jersey. Home Health Aides assist in making sure clients are safe and have their personal needs met on a daily basis. In addition to the skilled care parts of the job Home Health Aides provide companionship, errand running, meal preparation and light housekeeping duties to those in need. Caregivers in the state of NJ must be licensed and work with an accredited agency.
In NJ the CHHA training requirements consist of 60 hours of class lecture and 16 hours of clinical training in an on-site skills lab from a state approved training program. Once training is complete, students will have the knowledge and skills required by the New Jersey State Board of Nursing to become a Certified Home Health Aide. You will receive a certificate once you have finished the course; however, you must apply to the Board of Nursing, NJ Department of Consumer Affairs within 6 months of completing the course and pass the required background checks to receive your state certification/license.
*You are not eligible to work until the state of New Jersey officially notifies you that your license has been issued.
The CNA to CHHA conversion course consists of 10 hours of class lecture covering the required Home Care Module. You must have an active NJ CNA license to take this class. Once training is complete, students will have the knowledge required by the New Jersey State Board of Nursing to become a Certified Home Health Aide. You will receive a certificate once you have finished the course; however, you must apply to the Board of Nursing, NJ Department of Consumer Affairs within 6 months of completing the course and pass the required background checks to receive your state certification/license. You cannot take the conversion course if you are a CNA or CHHA from another state or if your license is expired.
Applicants must be 18 years of age, U.S. citizens or qualified legal alien, and have the ability to read, write and speak English proficiently. You must be physically capable of participating in class work such as lifting, getting patients out of bed, giving bed baths, aiding transfers for those with limited mobility, and other patient related care. The NJ Board of Nursing requires that applicants be current on child support obligations, not be in default of student loans, not have been convicted on any “Disqualifying Crimes”. The NJ Board of Nursing also requires any documents pertaining to name changes, such as marriage certificates or divorce decrees. All applicants will have to pass a criminal background check and be fingerprinted. You will be asked to bring all required documents to register for our training courses.
Required Documentation for Course Registration:
- Birth Certificate or US Passport
- Social Security Card for Verification
- Non-US Citizens – Green Card/ Permanent Resident Card or Work Authorization
- Passport Photo – 2”x2” passport photo *this must be an official passport photo
Per NJ Board of Nursing regulations, you must be certified in the state of New Jersey to practice as a CHHA within NJ. To see if your states certificate is transferable to New Jersey please call the Board of Nursing and speak with a customer service representative. You will have to have to be employed by an accredited agency in order to get approved for your license in NJ.
Depending on when your license expired, you may have to take the course again or take a competency test and skills evaluation. Please call our office to discuss the details of your specific situation. State fees may vary. Applications will need to be completed in order to reinstate your certification.
Yes. All HHA’s certified through the NJ Board of Nursing need to have a “promise of employment” from an accredited HHA agency in order to be licensed. In order to maintain your certification, you will need to be employed and registered with an agency during your certification and at time of renewal. In NJ CHHAs may not work independently. They must be employed by a health care service firm and be under the supervision of an R.N.
All NJ CHHA certifications expire every November 30th during odd years, no matter when your license was approved.
Once you have completed the training course, we will assist you in submitting your application to the state of NJ. After the application is submitted the state of NJ will send you information on how to complete the fingerprinting process. You will need to schedule your appointment to do this. After you have done the fingerprinting, it will take between 4-8 weeks for your license to be approved. To ensure a successful outcome please use an email and mailing address that you check frequently. It is up to you to respond to the state if they request additional information. We will walk you through the process and answer any questions you may have during the approval period.
A Certified Home Health Aide (CHHA) typically works in the homes of a patients and are typically responsible for basic healthcare tasks such as checking vital signs, medication reminders, assisting with personal hygiene and assisting with patient mobility in addition to these a CHHA assists with light housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation and errands. The job of a CHHA is to help the patient remain safe at home where they are most comfortable.
A certified nursing assistant (CNA) works in a wide variety of environments that can include assisted living centers, nursing homes, and hospitals. They perform many of the same duties as the CHHA. CNA’s, unlike CHHAs, usually care for a several patients at a time instead of one. This care is performed in a medical facility.
Both a CHHA and CNA are required to obtain a license in the state of NJ.
With a Certified Home Health Aide license, you may find employment in:
- Home health agencies, home care agencies
- Assisted living residences
- Comprehensive personal care homes, assisted living programs, hospices or alternate family care providers licensed by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services
You must successfully complete all 60 hours of the online training prior to registering for your 16 hour in person clinical. Students must attend all 16 hours of the in person clinical class. If you are registered for your clinical and cannot attend either of the days you will have to reschedule your clinical portion.
* We are limited to how many students we can have in our clinical classes; you may be required to pay a cancellation fee if you do not attend the class as scheduled.
We are located in Fort Lee, NJ.
Please come to the in person clinical class wearing comfortable clothing you can move in. Shoes should also be closed toe, comfortable and allow you to perform the patient care tasks required. Scrubs are not required, however if you are more comfortable wearing them you are welcome to do so.
If you would like to register or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at: (201) 375-8551
Interested in learning more about our programs?
For more information, please call or click contact us below: