CPR and First Aid Training

CPR/First Aid Training Licensing Rules and Approved Providers

Licensing rules require providers operating group and family child care homes, as well as all child care staff members, to obtain certification in pediatric first aid and pediatric infant, child and adult CPR prior to providing care to children.

Child care centers must ensure that not less than 50 percent of program staff are certified in pediatric, child, and adult CPR and pediatric first aid before the issuance of a license and prior to each license renewal.

Pediatric First aid/Pediatric and adult CPR certifications and/or training must be received from a person certified as a Red Cross instructor or an organization approved by the department. CPR and first aid training may be completed online. If CPR and first aid training is completed online, an in-person skills test must also be completed for the training to be valid. In-person skills tests must be done face-to-face. They cannot be done via webcam or with a digital mannequin. The in-person skills test must be administered by a person certified as a Red Cross instructor or one of the approved organizations. 

Many of the approved organizations offer several different types of CPR and first aid training (for the general community, the workplace, health care/emergency response professionals). It is recommended that child care staff take workplace CPR and first aid training, if offered. It is not necessary to take the course designed for health care/emergency response professionals.

Note: The Child Care Organizations Act (1973 PA 116) requires CPR and First Aid to be current. Renewal courses will need to be taken before the expiration date on the cards.

Approved CPR/First Aid Training Organizations

Under the authority granted to the department by 1973 PA 116, the following organizations have been approved by Michigan Lifelong Education Advancement and Potential, Child Care Licensing Bureau to provide pediatric, child and adult CPR and/or pediatric first aid training to child care providers.

Cards from the following organizations may be accepted if the training meets the age requirements.

Last Updated: 07/2025