DDD Ends Online Article 9 June 30, 2023
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DDD has decided to disallow Online Article 9 (Computer based training) and require all training to be delivered in person class or in a virtual environment.
OMNEAN will be making a response to DDD and we are asking agencies and DSPs to share thoughts, questions and concerns in the comments below.
From Vendor Blast:
Article 9 Training
At the beginning of the PHE, the Division suspended in-person Article 9 training and allowed Qualified Vendors to use approved Article 9 training via live video conferencing. In order to ensure access to care, the Division also allowed Qualified Vendors to submit alternate methods to the Division’s training department for consideration, including computer-based training (CBT).
Article 9 specifies that “Any person who is involved in the use of a behavior treatment plan shall be trained by the Division or trained by an instructor approved by the Division.” [A.A.C 6-6-906 (A)] In order to ensure compliance with Article 9, effective July 1, 2023, all direct support professionals and other required staff must receive Article 9 training either in-person or via instructor-led virtual training. CBT is not permitted.
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Official comment
What I find most odd about this decision is the policy they reference. That policy is referencing Prevention and Support not Article 9. Article 9 is NOT required for those on behavior plans. Article 9 is required for anyone funded by the Division. Clearly Prevention and Support is required in-person.
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Online Article 9 training gives DSP's the flexibility to take the course at their pace and their time frames. It also allowed provider agencies to onboard new employees at a much faster rate. With staff numbers low already this faster onboarding due to Article 9 being immediately available was invaluable. This decision by DDD appears to be a step backwards rather than forward.
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As an employer, this change will make it even more difficult to hire and train new staff, and to meet training requirements for existing staff. Also, Article 9 is not a requirement for residents with BTPs, it is required for all staff. I feel this is a huge step backward and an unnecessary new burden imposed on us by DDD.
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As a Qualified Vendor Agency, we are disappointed DDD has decided to forbid CBT Training. During the three years CBT was allowed we have noticed it has been more flexible for all new hires and current Direct Care Providers complete the Article 9 training class. Not all Direct Care Providers can understand and grasp information easily through a regular class setting or live virtual training.
Allowing them to train through CBT everyone can go at their own steady pace of learning the curriculum of Article 9. This can also make the training more effective and more practical in the environment of their home.
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I find this a disappointing decision that I completely disagree with. Having the ability to take the article 9 training online allows for more ability to complete it as one’s convenience. This also allows the pacing and timing to be navigated individually.
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This is a huge hinderance to our organization as we are already short staffed for our Direct Care professionals. Being able to have the convenience of allowing employees to complete the class online has been a significant help to our company to meet the needs of our business and serve our clients. This is truly saddening that the state feels it is necessary to discontinue this extremely beneficial online course.
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We find it very disappointing that DDD had decided not to allow CBT to continue for Article 9. Online training allows the person to finish at their own pace and convenience. It also improves the time it takes to onboard new hires. I have spoken to many of our staff and all of them state that they prefer the CBT for Article 9.
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I was surprised to read that the "Online Article 9" was ending! One reason I find it hard to understand is because the class is taught by a certified instructor that does an excellence job, all the important and crucial points are covered. I took the online Article 9 class last year and I felt that I learned more than doing in-person. With online you can go back and repeat the video to get a better understanding before answering the questions. Also, everyone learns differently, being able to do at your own pace is important to the learning process, for me, I paid closer attention, to see and hear and manually respond, I felt I gain and retained more information than taking the class in-person.
Second, most of our caregivers are parents providing for their own child, the convenience of being able to take Article 9 online not having to arrange for a babysitter has been a tremendous help.
Third, a lot of our caregivers have two jobs, so being able to do Article 9 online after hours at home has saved them time and money.
Fourth, there has been a shortage of caregivers, so when we hire a new employee we want to hired them as soon as possible, online helps to complete the process faster.
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This news is very disappointing, particularly considering the staffing crisis that the caregiving industry has been in for some time now, with no light at the end of the tunnel. A return to in-person required training will result in further strain, taking much needed direct care workers out of the field to sit in a room and listen to the same quality lecture that they have been receiving on line and on their own timeline. Logistically, this is not efficient. It also creates a disadvantage for DCW's and family providers who learn best in a variety of learning styles that may or may not include in-person classroom learning. I have been a certified master trainer with the Arizona Department of Health Services. I designed and facilitated multi-media/venue learning opportunities and found trainings to be much more effective toward the success of the worker when they are given choices in regard to how they learn and develop work related skills. With all of that said, I believe that required training, whether it be on-line or in the classroom, is really just a foundation. The real learning happens in the field. More direct supervision and field training is what this industry needs to see. Put the Supervisors and Instructors in the field with the workers.
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As a provider with a compromised immune system, I sit here typing while having Covid! It is not gone yet! I try to avoid crowds even now. Despite that here I sit with a pretty good case of Covid! Mine is not mild. So the prospect of having to do in person training for Article 9 when it is just as effective online does not make sense to me. Most institutions and professional organizations continue to provide virtual and in person options. Why not offer both. The goal is to learn the information. Most of us have spent 3 years learning and doing our jobs online when possible. This is one instance, where online training offers the same information as in person and keeps more people safe that live with significant immune system impairment. I cannot control that but I do try to keep safe! Despite my precautions I still contracted the latest strain of Covid and my provider said she is spending her entire day talking with Covid patients. We are seeing a surge with a new variant. She indicates this is likely to continue! Please consider allowing online Article 9 as an option.
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I have 32 employees that have to be Article 9 certified in 7 different cities some as far as 187 miles from each other. Being able to have an online class I can be assured that they are all getting the correct and same information.
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I don’t understand why this class cannot longer be offered as a pre-recorded course. We will have to cancel DDD therapy sessions to accommodate a structured class. This allows the freedom to complete on the weekend. In addition, I don’t know of any virtual classes available that are “live” and this will be a big issue for providers who are providing teletherapy services out of state, which DDD and AHCCCS allows. How will they get credentialed/re-credentialed? In rural areas, like where we live in Prescott, there are very few in person classes here that we can even find.
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I just received an email saying there is a DDD/DES Developmental Home and All Group Home Provider meeting on May 11th at 10:00 a.m. To join the meeting, you can go to https://azdes.zoomgov.com/j/1610585435.
This may be an opportunity for us to voice our concerns.
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We do believe making a first time DCW take the course in person makes sense. It assists us in determining that the DCW is serious about their role, they are being trained properly with the ability to ask questions to an industry professional, and they are not in any way distracted or have the ability to cheat.
However, Article 9 is the same dry and boring course it has been since 2002 with minor edits made occasionally. Anyone who has been in the field over 10 years knows the two basic versions of the test by now. Unless the course is being seriously revamped or there is additional information added to the course every three years, why are we making all staff retake this thing over and over? How is this benefiting the bottom line and making a difference in the life of the member?
I would be willing to pay for all my staff to get trained yearly if it meant a new levels of Article 9, if it meant some new material, some newer scenarios, some deep dives into some of the topics that are crammed into the 3 hours and some guest speakers with real Article 9 incidents that they have experienced. We owe the disability community better than 3 hours of the same regurgitated material every three years, and if we can't do better let's not waste our gas and time going to an in-person course, give them the online version or better yet give an online test out option yearly.
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Online Article 9 training gives DSPs the flexibility to take the course at their own pace and based on their availability. With many DSPs having other jobs, flexibility to take the course when they are available and being able to start, stop and go back allows Qualified Vendors to onboard DSPs that they may not typically be able to onboard.
With the workforce shortage already in crisis mode, flexibility is vital. We have received feedback from experienced DSPs that have taken in person Article 9 classes many times that the online class was the best class they have ever attended. They felt the information was concise, offered in an exceptional way, detailed, they had the opportunity to pause and process the information, to go back and rewatch sections that spoke to them, etc.
My hope is that decision is not final and will be reconsidered.0 -
Who do I express my opposition to classroom training for Article 9? We’re all getting over a horrible case of Covid (we are parent caregivers for our son) and classroom training radically increases risk of another infection. We’ve been super cautious and still got Covid! We’ve been through many Article 9 training sessions and the need for in person training is risky and unnecessary.
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I'm with the majority when I say how convenient online article 9 training is. There are lots of providers who are also parents and can't always find the right support so they can leave to take such courses. I myself am not a parent provider however being able to provide my client's mother time so she can leave to work has helped her tremendously. If i would have to travel to attend article 9 classes this could inconvenience the parent of the client who I support as they wouldn't be able to attend work on time or even on occasions at all. I don't see why something that works perfectly fine should be changed.
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I’d like the people who make these decisions come to our house for a day. If one of us leaves the other has to care for our son who requires 2 people most of the time. Ugh
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Let's use both on person and online? Also, I don't drive and getting to places by bus is even more challenging! Being a migraine sufferer, also has set backs! I agree with what the others are saying! I also have noticed the article 9 is the same thing! Except that when I explained about not all diabetes is the same! Other than that, please, keep the online version, it only hurts more clients and their employees, not you folks who are making this decision!!
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