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Home care staff requirements in Hawaii
Hawaii licenses home care agencies (personal care and homemaker services) and home health agencies separately through the Department of Health. Home care agencies must clear every worker with direct client contact for TB before first client contact and run background checks under state law, and personal care aides must have completed a nurse aide course or equivalent. Agencies must provide orientation and ongoing in-service education, and a supervisor must visit each worker at the client's home at least once a year.
Licenses
- A home care agency, which provides personal care or homemaker services in the client's home, must be licensed by the Director of Health (HAR 11-700-2; HAR 11-700-4(a)).
- Home care agency licenses last two years and renewal must be filed at least 30 days before expiration (HAR 11-700-4(d)).
- Home health agencies are licensed separately by the Department of Health under HAR chapter 11-97.1 (HAR 11-97.1-1).
Background checks
- Home care agencies must run background checks under HRS 321-15.2 on all employees and volunteers who give client care or supervise staff, including the administrator (HAR 11-700-9(d)(4)).
- The checks look for criminal convictions, abuse, neglect, threatened harm or other maltreatment of children or adults related to the job, including assault, abuse, neglect, threatened harm or theft (HAR 11-700-9(d)(4)).
- A home care agency license application must include background check results on owners, management and staff (HAR 11-700-4(b)).
Training and competency
- Personal care services must be done by personal care aides, who must have completed a state-approved basic nurse aide course or an equivalent, or hold a qualifying health care license or certification (HAR 11-700-2; HAR 11-700-6(b)).
- Home care agencies must have an orientation program on agency policies for all staff serving clients and a continuous in-service education program (HAR 11-700-8(6)).
- Home health aides must have completed a basic nurse aide course or equivalent, with additional training and supervision for the role (HAR 11-97.1-1).
- Home health agencies must provide orientation and a continuous in-service education program for all staff serving patients (HAR 11-97.1-6(j)).
Health screening
- Home care agencies must document that every employee and volunteer with direct client contact has TB clearance under HAR chapter 11-164 before their first client contact (HAR 11-700-9(d)(3)).
- Home health agencies must have a plan for pre-employment and periodic medical exams, TB testing or chest x-ray, and other appropriate tests and immunizations for all personnel (HAR 11-97.1-6(i)(3)).
Also in the personnel file
- Home care agencies must have written job descriptions for each staff category and written HR policies given to each staff member (HAR 11-700-9(d)(1)-(2)).
- A home care supervisor must make a supervisory visit of every worker at each client's home at least once a year (HAR 11-700-9(c)).
- Homemaker services may be done by personal care aides or by homemakers with experience or training in homemaker work (HAR 11-700-2; HAR 11-700-6(c)).
- Home health agencies must periodically evaluate employee performance (HAR 11-97.1-6(n)).
Common questions
What background checks do home care aides need in Hawaii?
Home care agencies must run background checks under HRS 321-15.2 on all employees and volunteers who give client care or supervise staff, including the administrator (HAR 11-700-9(d)(4)).
How much training do home care aides need in Hawaii?
Personal care services must be done by personal care aides, who must have completed a state-approved basic nurse aide course or an equivalent, or hold a qualifying health care license or certification (HAR 11-700-2; HAR 11-700-6(b)).
Do home care workers in Hawaii need a TB test?
Home care agencies must document that every employee and volunteer with direct client contact has TB clearance under HAR chapter 11-164 before their first client contact (HAR 11-700-9(d)(3)).
Which license does a home care agency need in Hawaii?
A home care agency, which provides personal care or homemaker services in the client's home, must be licensed by the Director of Health (HAR 11-700-2; HAR 11-700-4(a)).
Some rules for Hawaii weren't confirmed from an official source. Check with the state before relying on this page.
Sources
- HAR 11-700-2, Definitions, home care agencies (Cornell LII)
- HAR 11-700-4, License (Cornell LII)
- HAR 11-700-6, Scope of services (Cornell LII)
- HAR 11-700-8, Policies and procedures (Cornell LII)
- HAR 11-700-9, Administration and standards (Cornell LII)
- HAR 11-97.1-1, Definitions, home health agencies (Cornell LII)
- HAR 11-97.1-6, Policies and procedures and standards (Cornell LII)
This page summarizes state licensing rules in plain words, with links to the rules themselves. It is not legal advice, rules change, and your license type decides what applies: check the linked source and your licensing agency. Medicare-certified home health agencies also follow 42 CFR 484.80. Checked October 2026.
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