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Home care staff requirements in Indiana

Indiana licenses home health agencies and personal services agencies, which provide non-medical attendant, homemaker and companion care, through the Indiana Department of Health. Both types must apply for a national or expanded criminal history check within three business days after an employee starts working in homes, and Indiana sets its own TB, physical exam and aide continuing education rules for home health agencies. Personal services agencies must test each attendant's competency on every task before the attendant works alone.

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Licenses

A personal services agency, which provides attendant care, homemaker or companion services in the client's home, must hold a license from the state health commissioner (IC 16-27-4-4; IC 16-27-4-6).
A person must get a license from the state health commissioner to operate a home health agency (IC 16-27-1-8(a)).

Background checks

Home health and personal services agencies must apply for a national criminal history background check or expanded criminal history check no later than three business days after an employee begins providing services in a client's home (IC 16-27-2-4(a), (b)).
An agency may not keep an employee working in client homes for more than 21 calendar days without receiving the check results, unless the delay is the fault of the state police, FBI or the private check vendor (IC 16-27-2-5(c)).
Agencies may not employ someone in client homes who has certain convictions, such as sex crimes, exploitation of an endangered adult, murder, or theft or fraud within set time limits (IC 16-27-2-5(a)(1)).
Agencies may not employ someone who has an abuse, neglect, mistreatment or misappropriation finding entered on the state nurse aide registry (IC 16-27-2-5(a)(2)).
Home health agency personnel records must include a copy of each employee's national or expanded criminal history check (410 IAC 17-12-1(f)(3)).

Training and competency

Before patient contact, a home health aide must have passed a competency evaluation program and be listed in good standing on the state aide registry (410 IAC 17-14-1(l)).
Home health aides must complete at least 12 hours of continuing education each calendar year, with at least 8 hours in 8 of the listed subject areas (410 IAC 17-14-1(h)).
In an aide's first year on the registry, the continuing education hours are prorated (410 IAC 17-14-1(i)).
Personal services agencies must evaluate each attendant's competency on every attendant care task the agency assigns, and train and re-evaluate on tasks that need improvement (IC 16-27-4-16(a), (b)).
An attendant must be found competent on a task before doing it for a client without direct agency supervision (IC 16-27-4-16(b)).
Attendants who provide lift services must be trained on general lift standards and on the specific client's lift at the client's home (IC 16-27-4-16(c)).
The content, date and evaluator signature for each personal services evaluation and training must be documented (IC 16-27-4-16(d)).

Health screening

Each home health employee with direct patient contact needs a physical exam by a physician or nurse practitioner no more than 180 days before first patient contact (410 IAC 17-12-1(h)).
Home health staff and contractors with direct patient contact need a baseline two-step Mantoux skin test or a QuantiFERON blood test, with the second step given one to three weeks after the first (410 IAC 17-12-1(i)(1), (2)).
People with a history of TB or a positive test need one chest X-ray to rule out TB (410 IAC 17-12-1(i)(3)).
After baseline testing, TB screening must be repeated every year (410 IAC 17-12-1(i)(4)).
Personal services agency employees with direct client contact must complete a TB test in the same way required for home health agency employees (IC 16-27-4-15).
Physical exam and TB records must be kept in separate confidential medical files (410 IAC 17-12-1(j)).

Also in the personnel file

Home health personnel records must show job orientation, including receipt of a job description, qualifications, a current license or certification, and annual performance evaluations (410 IAC 17-12-1(f)).
A registered nurse (or therapist for therapy-only cases) must make a supervisory visit to the patient's home at least every 30 days, with or without the aide present (410 IAC 17-14-1(n)).
Home health aides may not be given tasks that were not covered in their competency evaluation until they pass an evaluation on that task (410 IAC 17-14-1(m)).

Common questions

What background checks do home care aides need in Indiana?

Home health and personal services agencies must apply for a national criminal history background check or expanded criminal history check no later than three business days after an employee begins providing services in a client's home (IC 16-27-2-4(a), (b)).

How much training do home care aides need in Indiana?

Before patient contact, a home health aide must have passed a competency evaluation program and be listed in good standing on the state aide registry (410 IAC 17-14-1(l)).

What health screening do home care workers in Indiana need?

Each home health employee with direct patient contact needs a physical exam by a physician or nurse practitioner no more than 180 days before first patient contact (410 IAC 17-12-1(h)).

Which license does a home care agency need in Indiana?

A personal services agency, which provides attendant care, homemaker or companion services in the client's home, must hold a license from the state health commissioner (IC 16-27-4-4; IC 16-27-4-6).

Some rules for Indiana weren't confirmed from an official source. Check with the state before relying on this page.

Sources

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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