Basic Training 70
Basic Training 70 prepares you with the information and skills you need to successfully pass the certification exam and become a Home Care Aide (HCA). Basic Training can take up to 5 weeks to complete. Enroll as soon as possible to make sure you complete your training by your deadline.
If you can attend classes in Seattle or Richland, you can choose to take the updated version of Basic Training 70 (version 4.0). Learn more.
Your path to a successful career in home care:
- Take Orientation & Safety.
- Before you can begin your training or working as a paid caregiver, you will need to complete Orientation & Safety. Learn more.
- Submit your HCA application as soon as possible.
- You need to submit your application to receive a testing date.
- Enroll and complete your training.
After completing your training and successfully passing your HCA exam, you will get a $0.25 per hour raise.
Individual Providers (IPs) can enroll in training online in the Caregiver Learning Center on My Benefits. Agency Providers (APs) should contact their employer to enroll.
You will be sent an email with your My Benefits your username, password and enrollment instructions. Learn more about using My Benefits to enroll and complete your training.
If you have questions, please contact the Member Resource Center (MRC) at 1-866-371-3200 (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pacific time, Monday through Friday) or mrc@myseiubenefits.org.
Basic Training 70 is a 70 hour training that includes 20 modules. Learn more:
- It takes place over a total of 14 days.
- Is a combination of in-person and webinar classes that run 3.5 to 7 hours each day.
- The 3.5-hour class days will have a 15-minute break.
- The 7-hour class days will have a lunch break and a 15-minute break for each module.
- You will get paid for the time you spend in class.
See an example of the current course structure and schedule.
This course is currently offered in Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Khmer, Korean, Russian, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese.
If you need language support in a different language, please contact the Member Resource Center (MRC) at 1-866-371-3200 (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pacific time, Monday through Friday) or mrc@myseiubenefits.org.
If you have any questions or need help, please contact the Member Resource Center (MRC).
- Phone: 1-866-371-3200, Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
- Email: mrc@myseiubenefits.org
- If your first language is not English, representatives at the MRC can speak with you in your language.
Your Training Deadline
Washington state extended the deadline for caregiver training requirements because of COVID-19 impacts. The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) set a new deadline based on your hire date.
If you do not finish your required training by your deadline, you will stop getting paid for the care you give the day after your missed deadline.
| Your hired or rehired date | Must complete Basic Training by |
| 8/17/2019 to 9/30/2020 | 1/31/2023 |
| 10/1/2020 to 4/30/2021 | 4/30/2023 |
| 5/1/2021 to 3/31/2022 | 7/31/2023 |
| 4/1/2022 to 9/30/2022 | 10/31/2023 |
| 10/1/2022 to 6/30/2023 | 11/30/2023 |
Eligibility for Basic Training 70
Basic Training 70 is available to Standard Home Care Aides who have that training requirement (click here to see the training requirements chart).
New Training Requirements Rule Effective July 23, 2023
A DSHS rule (starting July 23, 2023) means fewer caregivers are required to become certified Home Care Aides (HCAs) and take Basic Training 70. The training requirements for IPs who qualified for the certification exemption changed from Basic Training 70 to Basic Training 30.
To become exempt and have your training requirement changed by the July 23 date, you had to complete an attestation in June 2023 and submit it to your employer. If you have questions about your attestation, status or training requirement: Please contact your employer (for IPs: Consumer Direct Care Network Washington, or CDWA). You can also see more about training deadlines and CDWA’s DirectMyCare web portal online.
IMPORTANT: Changes to Training Requirements
- If your training requirement changed to Basic Training 30 and your previous Basic Training 70 deadline is July 31, 2023, your deadline did not change. Please enroll in Basic Training 30 right away. If you did not or will not complete Basic Training 30 by July 31, 2023, and you are employed by CDWA, you will get paid for training completed within 60 days of your missed deadline but you will not be paid for any care you give your client during that time. For any questions about your pay, contact CDWA.
- In the Caregiver Learning Center on My Benefits, your training information may be incorrect while worker category and training requirement changes are being processed. To confirm your official training deadline due date and requirement, please contact your employer (CDWA, for IPs).
- If you have already completed Basic Training 70: this completion will fulfill your Basic Training 30 requirement.