PCA certification in Arkansas requires completing at least 40 hours of state-approved training, passing a hands-on competency evaluation given by your training program or employing agency, and clearing a criminal background check. Most people finish the process in a few weeks, often through a home care agency that trains new hires at no personal cost.
Who Can Apply
You must be at least 18 years old to work as a trained in-home caregiver in Arkansas.1Arkansas Department of Health. Rules for Home Caregiver Training in Arkansas A high school diploma isn’t a universal state requirement, though individual employers may ask for one.
Every applicant has to pass a criminal background check before working with vulnerable clients. At minimum, Arkansas requires a state criminal history check through the Arkansas State Police. If you haven’t lived continuously in Arkansas for the past five years, you’ll also need a national fingerprint-based check.2Arkansas Department of Human Services. Rules for Conducting Criminal Record Checks for Employees of Long Term Care Facilities Agencies may also ask for a physical exam, since the work includes lifting and transferring clients.
The 40 Hours of Training
Arkansas requires PCAs to complete a minimum of 40 hours in a state-approved program.3Arkansas Department of Health. Rules for Private Care Agencies in Arkansas The hours split into at least 24 hours of classroom instruction and at least 16 hours of supervised hands-on skills practice.4Legal Information Institute. 016.06.17 Ark. Code R. 019 – Personal Care Manual A registered nurse must supervise the training.
Classroom topics include body functions and body mechanics, infection control, emergency procedures, household safety and fire prevention, basic nutrition, and the ethics of unlicensed caregiving (including state law on nursing task delegation). At least four of the classroom hours are dedicated to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, covering communication, challenging behaviors, and help with daily living.1Arkansas Department of Health. Rules for Home Caregiver Training in Arkansas
During the 16 practical hours you’ll demonstrate skills like bathing, dressing, oral hygiene, toileting, transfers, ambulation, range of motion exercises, meal preparation, basic housekeeping, nail and skin care, and recordkeeping.1Arkansas Department of Health. Rules for Home Caregiver Training in Arkansas
If You’ve Already Done CNA Training
You may not need to repeat training if you’ve already completed a certified nurse aide curriculum. Arkansas rules allow someone who has finished an established nurse aide curriculum to work as a PCA even without an active CNA state certification.5Code of Arkansas Rules. 20 CAR 411-405 – Personal Care Aide This helps anyone who started CNA training but never sat for the state exam, or whose CNA credential has lapsed. You’ll need documentation showing completion of the curriculum.
Passing the Competency Evaluation
After the 40 hours, you have to pass a competency evaluation administered by the hiring agency. A registered nurse must observe you performing the hands-on client care skills, and the agency has to keep records of the evaluation.3Arkansas Department of Health. Rules for Private Care Agencies in Arkansas
This is where PCA certification differs from CNA certification. CNAs sit for a standardized state exam through a third-party testing service. PCAs are evaluated internally by the training facility or employer, which makes the process faster but means evaluation quality varies by program. When you pass, you receive a certificate confirming you’ve met the state’s requirements.
Criminal Offenses That Disqualify You
Before paying for a training program, it’s worth confirming your record is clear. Arkansas keeps a list of offenses that automatically bar someone from direct care work. The list isn’t up to employer discretion. Disqualifying categories include:
- Violent crimes such as murder, manslaughter, negligent homicide, kidnapping, robbery, battery, and assault
- Any offense under the state’s sexual offense statutes, plus voyeurism and crimes involving minors in sexually explicit material
- Crimes against vulnerable people, including endangering an incompetent person, endangering a minor, adult felony abuse of an endangered or impaired person, and soliciting money from incompetent persons
- Theft of property or services, forgery, financial identity fraud, and criminal impersonation
- Arson, burglary, terroristic threatening, domestic battery, and drug-related offenses
Attempting, conspiring to commit, or being complicit in any of these offenses also disqualifies you.
Where to Train and What It Costs
PCA training programs must be approved by either Health Facility Services within the Arkansas Department of Health or the Office of Long Term Care within the Department of Human Services, depending on the care setting. Approved programs are offered by community colleges, vocational schools, and private training organizations. NorthWest Arkansas Community College, for instance, runs a combined CNA/PCA program through its health professions division.
Many home care agencies train their own aides in-house, so you may be able to complete the 40 hours at no personal cost as part of being hired. If you pay out of pocket for a standalone program, expect costs in the range of a few hundred dollars. One program listed on the Arkansas JobLink portal charges $250 for tuition plus a $50 registration fee. To find currently approved programs, contact Health Facility Services at the Arkansas Department of Health or check listings through the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services.
Staying Certified After You Start
Certification isn’t a one-time step. Arkansas requires PCAs to complete at least 12 hours of in-service training every 12 months after initial certification, on topics tied to client care duties.3Arkansas Department of Health. Rules for Private Care Agencies in Arkansas Your employer usually arranges and provides this training, so you generally don’t have to find or pay for it yourself. Keep your own record anyway: falling behind on in-service hours can put your active status at risk.
Getting Listed to Find Clients
Arkansas also maintains the Direct Service Workers Registry, a free web-based directory run by the Division of Aging and Adult Services where consumers can search for in-home workers by name, availability, services, expected wages, and contact information.7ADvancing States. Arkansas Direct Service Workers Registry Your training program or employing agency typically handles the listing paperwork once you’ve finished training and cleared your background check. You don’t need to appear on the registry to work for an agency, but it helps if you want to take on private clients or Medicaid self-directed care work later on.