This regulation requires Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services (PRS) agencies to implement a staff training plan covering initial and ongoing training in psychiatric rehabilitation practices. New staff must complete a Department-approved 12-hour orientation course within one year of hire, and all staff must complete 18 hours of annual training, with at least 12 hours focused on psychiatric rehabilitation, recovery, or resiliency. Agencies serving individuals aged 14–17 must include 6 hours of youth-focused training and training on child abuse mandated reporter requirements. Agencies must document all training hours and ensure new staff competency through service-specific orientation and mentoring.
View official source55 Pa. Code § 5230.56 - Staff training requirements State Regulations Compare A PRS agency shall implement a staff training plan that ensures initial and ongoing training in PRS practices as specified under § 5230.4 (relating to psychiatric rehabilitation processes and practices). (1) Staff providing services in a PRS agency shall complete a Department-approved 12-hour psychiatric rehabilitation orientation course no later than 1 year after hire. This course shall be credited to the annual training requirement listed under paragraph (2) for the calendar year in which it is completed. (2) Staff providing services in a PRS agency shall complete 18 hours of training per calendar year as follows: (i) A minimum of 12 hours of the required annual training shall be focused on psychiatric rehabilitation, recovery practices or resiliency, or a combination of the three. (ii) If the PRS agency serves individuals 14 years of age or older but under 18 years of age, 6 hours of the required annual training shall be focused on youth services. (2.1) If the PRS agency serves individuals 14 years of age or older but under 18 years of age, training in the child abuse mandated reporter requirements of 23 Pa.C.S. §§ 6301 - 6388 (relating to Child Protective Services Law) and Chapter 3490 (relating to protective services) shall be completed. (3) A PRS agency shall assure competency of new staff by providing an additional PRS service-specific orientation that includes the following: (i) Six hours of training in the specific PRS model or approach outlined in the agency service description prior to new staff working independently. This training is required within the first year of employment. (ii) Six hours of mentoring for new staff prior to new staff delivering services independently. Mentoring shall be provided by a PRS director or psychiatric rehabilitation specialist designated as a supervisor and must be completed in person within the first year of employment. (4) A PRS agency shall assure that training has learning objectives. (5) A PRS agency shall maintain documentation of training hours in the PRS agency records under § 5230.13 (6)(v) (relating to agency records). Notes 55 Pa. Code § 5230.56 Amended by Pennsylvania Bulletin, Vol. 55, No. 03, January 18, 2025 , effective 1/18/2025 State regulations are updated quarterly; we currently have two versions available. Below is a comparison between our most recent version and the prior quarterly release. More comparison features will be added as we have more versions to compare. No prior version found. State Regulations Toolbox