Nurse Aide Training Program

LARA will no longer be taking paper applications to become a nurse aide training program effective June 1, 2023. Any program wishing to obtain a permit will need to wait until July 26, 2023, to apply in the MI-NATES electronic system. This black-out period is necessary to allow us to transition data to the new system.

A Nurse Aide Training Program (NATP) must be approved and issued a permit by LARA. To become a NATP, an applicant must:

• Review and follow the Nurse Aide Training Program Overview and Requirements (PDF). 
• Comply with State of Michigan Nurse Aide Training Curriculum Model (PDF).
• Apply to become a NATP in the MI-NATES system beginning on July 26, 2023.
• Pay an initial permit fee $300 or $100 if the NATP is a secondary education institution (a program that provides education only to students enrolled in 7th through 12th grade) or a nursing home.

LARA is not allowed to issue refunds once an application is submitted.

NATP is regulated under the Michigan Public Health Code, Part 219, and the Code of Federal Regulations 483.151 and 483.152.  An applicant that has been deemed “locked out” under 42 CFR 483.151 (b) (3) is not eligible (see Facility Nurse Aide Training Program Lock-Out Waiver Requests). 

NATP permits:

• Are valid for two years.
• Renewals processed on even years.
• Permits expire on July 31st of even years.  

Proprietary School Requirement

A NATP may require licensure as a proprietary school from the Workforce Development, Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO). A propriety school is an educational institution that offers training in a particular trade or vocation, such as a certified nurse aide.  Students attending a proprietary school receive a certificate instead of earning a degree. 

If the applicant for an NATP permit is not a nursing home, a high school or intermediate school district (ISD), or community college, a proprietary school license is required. A NATP permit cannot be issued by LARA until a propriety school license is issued by LEO. An applicant should apply for both a LARA permit and LEO license at the same time to help expedite the process. 

LARA will notify LEO that a NATP application has been submitted and when the applicant has passed its LARA pre-permit inspection. LARA cannot issue the NATP permit until a proprietary school license is issued by LEO.

Below are some LEO links and contact information to assist you. 

• LEO Proprietary Schools Licensure
• LEO New Application Questionnaire
  
  LEO Contact: Phone: 517-335-4000; Fax: 517-241-9846; PPS@michigan.gov

Renewals

• Permits are valid for two years
• Renewals are processed on even years
• Permits expire on July 31st of even years.
• Unannounced on-site inspections will be conducted between renewals for confirmation of compliance with Federal and State law as well as administrative rule.

Closures

• Please email BCHS-CNA-Training-Program@michigan.gov for closure of a training program no longer offering services. Please include in the email the name of the training program, permit #, address and specific date the program will close.

For all changes to a nurse aide training program permit complete the Nurse Aide Training Program Application and submit it to BCHS-CNA-Training-Program@michigan.gov. These changes include change of program name, curriculum changes, clinical skills contract changes, staffing changes or program coordinator changes. Any change of location or ownership requires a new program application.

WAIVER

Under federal law, a waiver may be granted by the state to those facilities that have a nurse aide training program and become locked-out due to being found out of substantial compliance. Please refer to 42 USC 1395i-3 (f) (2) (C) when considering requesting a waiver of the 2-year "lock-out" prohibition.

• The waiver is for a nurse aide training program offered in, not by the facility.
• The facility may choose a non-facility affiliated contractor to train the facilities nurse aide candidates.
• If the facility is affiliated with a contracted training program at the time of the lock out, a waiver must be requested for the contracted program to continue training.

A nursing home may request a waiver of the 2-year Nurse Aide Training Prohibition by submitting the following information to BCHS-Nurse-Aide-Training-Program@michigan.gov:

• Nursing home name
• Address
• Federal CCN (23-XXXX)
• Reason for the waiver request
• The time period for the request
• Indicate if the facility is currently in substantial compliance with federal certification requirements or if there is an approved Plan of Correction for outstanding deficiencies.
• Please state in the e-mail "Substantial compliance has occurred in the most recent federal survey, xx/xx/xxxx" if applicable.
• Provide a letter from the Bureau of Community and Health Systems showing substantial compliance or an approved plan of correction.

Within 90 days of receiving the above information the department may approve the permit if the following conditions exist:

• No other nurse aide training program is located within a reasonable distance (less than 5 miles) of the existing facility. Identify nearby active programs here:  MAP
• The department establishes that an adequate environment exists for operating the program in the facility, by being in substantial compliance or having an approved Plan of Correction for any outstanding deficiencies.

The department will notify the facility of approval, denial or request for additional information.

Once a waiver is approved the facility must notify the State long-term care ombudsman.

Note:  Any training program that is not offered by or in a facility, and only uses a facility to do their clinicals, does not need a waiver if the facility is locked-out.

The bureau is approving an alternative option to in person, face to face classroom requirements for all state approved nurse aide training programs. Virtual classroom sessions may be offered as an alternative to in person classroom education.

• Online classes must provide the opportunity for students to interact and engage with the instructor teaching the lesson. The nurse aide trainer must be present and available during this time. 
• Online classes must be documented and classroom hours audited to ensure the minimum requirements of 43 classroom hours are met.
• Audits must be available for review by the department.
• All laboratory and clinical requirements must continue to be completed in person.
• Please submit a Nurse Aide Training Program Application, indicating a change, and detail the change to your classroom hours for approval by the bureau.

To obtain a Nurse Aide Trainer permit to teach in a nurse aide training program in the State of Michigan, an individual must:

• Complete the Nurse Aide Trainer Application and submit it to BCHS-CNA-Training-Program@michigan.gov
• submit the required $40 fee
• Approved permits are valid for two years.

Please refer to 42 CFR 483. 152 (a) (5) (i) for Nurse Aide Trainer Requirements.

Nurse Aide Trainer Requirements

 A nurse aide trainer applicant must have:

• An active unrestricted Michigan registered nurse (R.N.) license.
• A minimum of 2 years of nursing experience as a registered nurse within the last 5 years immediately preceding the application, including teaching in a health care related field or a job that requires the use of the nursing competencies.
• At least 1 year (1600 hours) of which must be in the provision of long-term care facility services, i.e., a participating CMS facility.
• Must have completed a course in teaching adults or have experience in teaching adults or supervising nurse aides.

Note: Effective May 7, 2018, the Bureau has expanded the experience to include: “A nurse aide trainer candidate must have at least 1 year of experience in providing skilled nursing care services to individuals that require non-hospital residential medical, nursing or rehabilitative services. Long term care facilities may include nursing homes, hospital long term care units, county medical care facilities, homes for the aged, assisted living facilities, hospice and other like provider types."

To renew a permit the individual must:

• Hold a valid registered nurse license issued by the Bureau of Professional Licensing
• Submit a Nurse Aide Trainer Application requesting renewal
• Submit the $40 renewal fee via check made out to the State of Michigan 

Launch Map

In collaboration with the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget's (DTMB) Center for Shared Solutions, this MAP of state permitted Nurse Aide Training Programs. We hope you find this resource valuable.

Effective April 1, 2022, the Department of Licensing & Regulatory Affairs has contracted with Headmaster, L.L.P. to provide competency evaluation testing and nurse aide registry services. The Michigan nurse aide registry and testing services are available on Headmaster's website located at: D&S - Michigan Nurse Aide (hdmaster.com)

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Bureau of Community & Health Systems
611 W. Ottawa Street
PO Box 30664
Lansing, MI 48909

Phone: 517-896-0511

E-mail: BCHS-CNA-Training-Program@michigan.gov