HB4486 Summary

• Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act to authorize direct care staff to administer medications under registered nurse supervision in small developmental disability programs (16 persons or fewer).

• Expands the definition of "medications" that direct care staff may administer to include oral, topical, injectable insulin (via pre-filled pens), oxygen, epinephrine auto-injectors, and vaginal/rectal medications, removing the prior limitation to oral and topical only.

• Establishes training requirements for authorized direct care staff including high school diploma/GED, functional literacy, Health and Safety training completion, and scoring 100% on competency-based assessments specific to each individual's medications.

• Requires annual re-evaluation of authorized staff by nurse-trainers, quarterly medication reviews by licensed professionals, and quality assurance reviews of medication errors within 7 days.

• Provides employment protections allowing staff up to 3 months and two attempts to pass required training/testing before dismissal, prohibits suspension for errors unless willful and wanton, and requires consideration for salary differential upon qualification.