[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 12, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 42CFR484.4]

[Page 571-573]
 
                         TITLE 42--PUBLIC HEALTH
 
  CHAPTER IV--CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF 
                 HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES--(Continued)
 
PART 484--HOME HEALTH SERVICES--Table of Contents
 
                      Subpart A--General Provisions
 
Sec. 484.4  Personnel qualifications.

    Staff required to meet the conditions set forth in this part are 
staff who meet the qualifications specified in this section.
    Administrator, home health agency. A person who:
    (a) Is a licensed physician; or
    (b) Is a registered nurse; or
    (c) Has training and experience in health service administration and 
at least 1 year of supervisory or administrative experience in home 
health care or related health programs.
    Audiologist. A person who:
    (a) Meets the education and experience requirements for a 
Certificate of Clinical Competence in audiology granted by the American 
Speech-Language-Hearing Association; or

[[Page 572]]

    (b) Meets the educational requirements for certification and is in 
the process of accumulating the supervised experience required for 
certification.
    Home health aide. Effective for services furnished after August 14, 
1990, a person who has successfully completed a State-established or 
other training program that meets the requirements of Sec. 484.36(a) and 
a competency evaluation program or State licensure program that meets 
the requirements of Sec. 484.36 (b) or (e), or a competency evaluation 
program or State licensure program that meets the requirements of Sec. 
484.36 (b) or (e). An individual is not considered to have completed a 
training and competency evaluation program, or a competency evaluation 
program if, since the individual's most recent completion of this 
program(s), there has been a continuous period of 24 consecutive months 
during none of which the individual furnished services described in Sec. 
409.40 of this chapter for compensation.
    Occupational therapist. A person who:
    (a) Is a graduate of an occupational therapy curriculum accredited 
jointly by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation of 
the American Medical Association and the American Occupational Therapy 
Association; or
    (b) Is eligible for the National Registration Examination of the 
American Occupational Therapy Association; or
    (c) Has 2 years of appropriate experience as an occupational 
therapist, and has achieved a satisfactory grade on a proficiency 
examination conducted, approved, or sponsored by the U.S. Public Health 
Service, except that such determinations of proficiency do not apply 
with respect to persons initially licensed by a State or seeking initial 
qualification as an occupational therapist after December 31, 1977.
    Occupational therapy assistant. A person who:
    (a) Meets the requirements for certification as an occupational 
therapy assistant established by the American Occupational Therapy 
Association; or
    (b) Has 2 years of appropriate experience as an occupational therapy 
assistant, and has achieved a satisfactory grade on a proficiency 
examination conducted, approved, or sponsored by the U.S. Public Health 
Service, except that such determinations of proficiency do not apply 
with respect to persons initially licensed by a State or seeking initial 
qualification as an occupational therapy assistant after December 31, 
1977.
    Physical therapist. A person who is licensed as a physical therapist 
by the State in which practicing, and
    (a) Has graduated from a physical therapy curriculum approved by:
    (1) The American Physical Therapy Association, or
    (2) The Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation of 
the American Medical Association, or
    (3) The Council on Medical Education of the American Medical 
Association and the American Physical Therapy Association; or
    (b) Prior to January 1, 1966,
    (1) Was admitted to membership by the American Physical Therapy 
Association, or
    (2) Was admitted to registration by the American Registry of 
Physical Therapist, or
    (3) Has graduated from a physical therapy curriculum in a 4-year 
college or university approved by a State department of education; or
    (c) Has 2 years of appropriate experience as a physical therapist, 
and has achieved a satifactory grade on a proficiency examination 
conducted, approved, or sponsored by the U.S. Public Health Service 
except that such determinations of proficiency do not apply with respect 
to persons initially licensed by a State or seeking qualification as a 
physical therapist after December 31, 1977; or
    (d) Was licensed or registered prior to January 1, 1966, and prior 
to January 1, 1970, had 15 years of full-time experience in the 
treatment of illness or injury through the practice of physical therapy 
in which services were rendered under the order and direction of 
attending and referring doctors of medicine or osteopathy; or
    (e) If trained outside the United States,
    (1) Was graduated since 1928 from a physical therapy curriculum 
approved in the country in which the curriculum was located and in which 
there is a

[[Page 573]]

member organization of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy.
    (2) Meets the requirements for membership in a member organization 
of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy,
    Physical therapy assistant. A person who is licensed as a physical 
therapy assistant, if applicable, by the State in which practicing, and
    (1) Has graduated from a 2-year college-level program approved by 
the American Physical Therapy Association; or
    (2) Has 2 years of appropriate experience as a physical therapy 
assistant, and has achieved a satisfactory grade on a proficiency 
examination conducted, approved, or sponsored by the U.S. Public Health 
Service, except that these determinations of proficiency do not apply 
with respect to persons initially licensed by a State or seeking initial 
qualification as a physical therapy assistant after December 31, 1977.
    Physician. A doctor of medicine, osteophathy or podiatry legally 
authorized to practice medicine and surgery by the State in which such 
function or action is performed.
    Practical (vocational) nurse. A person who is licensed as a 
practical (vocational) nurse by the State in which practicing.
    Public health nurse. A registered nurse who has completed a 
baccalaureate degree program approved by the National League for Nursing 
for public health nursing preparation or postregistered nurse study that 
includes content aproved by the National League for Nursing for public 
health nursing preparation.
    Registered nurse (RN). A graduate of an approved school of 
professional nursing, who is licensed as a registered nurse by the State 
in which practicing.
    Social work assistant. A person who:
    (1) Has a baccalaureate degree in social work, psychology, 
sociology, or other field related to social work, and has had at least 1 
year of social work experience in a health care setting; or
    (2) Has 2 years of appropriate experience as a social work 
assistant, and has achieved a satisfactory grade on a proficiency 
examination conducted, approved, or sponsored by the U.S. Public Health 
Service, except that these determinations of proficiency do not apply 
with respect to persons initially licensed by a State or seeking initial 
qualification as a social work assistant after December 31, 1977.
    Social worker. A person who has a master's degree from a school of 
social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, and has 
1 year of social work experience in a health care setting.
    Speech-language pathologist. A person who:
    (1) Meets the education and experience requirements for a 
Certificate of Clinical Competence in (speech pathology or audiology) 
granted by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association; or
    (2) Meets the educational requirements for certification and is in 
the process of accumulating the supervised experience required for 
certification.

[54 FR 33367, August 14, 1989, as amended at 56 FR 32973, July 18, 1991]