News  Notice to All Nursing Home Administrators - Mandatory CE in Domestic and Sexual Violence

Due to changes in the law, nursing home administrators are required to obtain continuing education (CE) in particular subject matter as a condition of licensure.  Effective July 1, 2015, the law¹ requires certain regulatory boards² to provide their licensees with training in domestic violence and in sexual violence.  According to the law, the training must include, but not be limited to, “the common physiological and psychological symptoms of domestic violence and sexual violence, the physiological and psychological effects of domestic violence and sexual violence on victims, including children who witness such abuse, the challenges of domestic violence and sexual violence victims who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, low-income, minority, immigrant or non-English speaking, availability of rape and sexual assault shelter and support services within the commonwealth. Training shall also address the pathology of offenders including, but not limited to, identifying the system of abusive behaviors used to maintain control, the intentionality of the violence, the tendency to minimize abuse and blame the victim and the risk to the victim created by “joint counseling.”

M.G.L.c. 112 §264 further states that “Each board may work with community-based domestic violence, rape and sexual assault service providers and certified batterer’s intervention programs in order to develop the standards required by this section.” All DPH Boards will develop training programs in consultation with the Division of Prevention and Wellness within the Department of Public Health.  The Division promotes health and wellness by providing standards and training in several areas, including violence prevention.  Please check the NHA Board’s website frequently for updates on course availability.

¹ M.G.L.c. 112 §264

² The board of registration in medicine, the board of registration in nursing, the board of registration of physician assistants, the board of Registration in nursing home administrators, the board of registration of social workers, the board of registration of psychologists and the board of registration of allied mental health and human services.