OAR 411-054-0065: Administrator Qualifications and Requirements

(1) FULL-TIME ADMINISTRATOR. Each licensed residential care and assisted living facility must employ a full-time administrator. The administrator must be scheduled to be on-site in the facility at least 40 hours per week. Each individual serving as an administrator of a residential care or assisted living facility must soon obtain an administrator’s license. This new licensing program will be phased in over a two-year period; by January 1, 2022, in order to work as an administrator, individuals must obtain a full “Residential Care Facility Administrator” license from the Health Licensing Office, Oregon Health Authority, as required by OAR chapter 853. Until January 1, 2022, there are three different options available to administrators. These three options are outlined in sections (2), (3) and (4) below: (2) FULL ADMINISTRATOR LICENSE. (a) Individuals who applied to the Health Licensing Office by July 1, 2019 and met all requirements of OAR chapter 853, were issued a full residential care administrator license. (b) At any time, individuals who apply to the Health Licensing Office and complete all requirements in OAR chapter 853, including passing the Oregon laws and rules examination, will be issued a full administrator license. (c) By January 1, 2022, all individuals working as an administrator of a residential care or assisted living facility must have obtained this full license. (d) All individuals holding a full administrator license must comply with the annual training requirements and the standards of practice and professional conduct established by the Long Term Care Administrators Board, as outlined in OAR chapter 853, in order to maintain this license, (3) PROVISIONAL ADMINISTRATOR LICENSE. (a) Individuals who applied to the Health Licensing Office by July 1, 2019 but did not meet all requirements in OAR chapter 853, were issued a provisional administrator license. This provisional license expires on December 31st, 2020. Individuals holding a provisional license are required to pass the Oregon laws and rules examination before January 1, 2022 as outlined in OAR chapter 853, in order to continue to work as an administrator. (b) All individuals holding a provisional administrator license must comply with the annual training requirements and the standards of practice and professional conduct established by the Long Term Care Administrators Board, as outlined in OAR chapter 853, (4) DHS-APPROVED ADMINISTRATOR REQUIREMENTS. (a) Individuals may continue to serve as administrators under the original Department-approved program until January 1, 2022. This Department-approved program requires potential administrators meet the following: (A) Be at least 21 years of age: (B) Possess a high school diploma or equivalent; and (i) Have at least two years professional or management experience that has occurred within the last five years, in a health or social service related field or program, or have a combination of experience and education; or (ii) Possess an accredited Bachelor's Degree in a health or social service related field. (b) Facility administrators must meet the following training requirements before employment: (A) Complete a Department approved classroom administrator training program of at least 40 hours; (B) Complete a Department approved administrator training program that includes both a classroom training of less than 40 hours and a Department approved 40-hour internship program with a Department approved administrator; or (C) Complete another Department approved administrator training program. (c) Administrators must have 20 hours of documented Department-approved continuing education credits each year. The approved administrator training program fulfills the 20-hour continuing education requirement for the first year. (d) Persons who have met Department approved training program requirements, but have been absent from an administrator position for five years or less, do not have to re-take the administrator training, but must provide evidence of 20 hours of annual continuing education until January 1, 2022, by which date all administrators must have obtained a residential care administrator license. (e) Before employment as a facility administrator, persons must complete the criminal records check requirements in OAR 407-007-0200 to 407-007-0370 and comply with the tuberculosis screening recommendations in OAR 333-019-0041. An administrator of a facility may not have convictions of any of the crimes described in OAR 407-007-0275. (f) Newly hired administrators are responsible for the completion of form SDS 0566, Administrator Reference Summary, and are required to email or fax the completed form to the Department upon hire. The Department may reject a form that has been falsified or is incomplete. (5) DESIGNEE WHEN ADMINISTRATOR TEMPORARILY ABSENT. The administrator must appoint a staff member as designee to oversee the operation of the facility in the temporary absence of the administrator. Whomever is in charge, whether the administrator or the temporary designee, must at all times: (a) Be in charge on-site. (b) Ensure there are sufficient, qualified staff. (c) Ensure the care, health, and safety needs of the residents are met. (d) If the absence of the administrator is to exceed 30 days, the facility must notify the Department and obtain approval for arrangements prior to the absence. (6) INTERIM ADMINISTRATOR. During times of transition, when the facility does not have a licensed or approved administrator, the facility is responsible for providing administrator functions. In such a situation, the facility must contact the Department immediately and provide the following: (a) Documentation of the background and qualifications of the proposed interim administrator. (b) A completed background check request.