Personal Care Home Continuing Education
Northampton Community College is conducting free statewide training for Personal Care Home staff and administrators and staff licensed agencies serving individuals with intellectual disabilities. The training is funded by the Department of Human Services Bureau of Human Services Licensing and each continuing education class is equal to three (3) annual training hours, unless otherwise noted. Participation is limited to staff persons working in Pennsylvania’s licensed personal care homes, assisted living residences, community homes for individuals with intellectual disabilities, family living homes, adult training facilities and vocational facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Please do not register for multiple sections of a class.
If you have any questions call 610-332-6585 or email us at healthcare@northampton.edu.
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Online Training
To register for our Fall 2026 classes, click on a course beneath the appropriate course title below or complete and download our mail-in registration form.
Students will learn the fundamentals of how to care for a resident’s skin to maintain healthy skin and prevent skin breakdown. Principles of care are integrated with day to day tasks of the supervisor and direct care staff persons in a personal care home setting. Course Code: DHS171
This course will cover wandering and exit-seeking behaviors in personal care homes. Students will learn how dementia affects these behaviors, and how to support safe wandering while managing unsafe behaviors in a way that is respectful of and responsive to the preferences and needs of residents. Basic skills will include strategies for assessing risk, managing care, and improving relevant policies and procedures in personal care homes. Course Code: DHS220
Students will learn the fundamentals of infection control, with a focus on the personal care facility resident. Content includes transmission of infections and blood borne pathogens, role of immunizations, and practices to keep residents and staff safe. Course Code: DHS130
This course will enable supervisors or designated staff members the ability to provide awareness level information and techniques that will allow the employees to identify and assess fire hazards and threats. It will further provide information that will guide appropriate action to control, diminish and or eliminate fire hazards and threats. Emphasis is placed on safety for all actions taken. Course Code: DHS178
This course will provide fundamental awareness information related to environmental health and safety concerns related to the personal care home industry. It is intended to provide information to reduce the likelihood of injuries or fatality related to potentially hazardous concerns. Hazards awareness discussion will cover aspects of walking working surfaces, fall prevention and protection, electrical safety basics, fire prevention and emergency response, hazardous materials awareness, poisons and pesticides along with other environmental health concerns that can be found in personal care homes. Through discussion, an overview of hazards identification along with mitigation methodologies will be explored for implementation and corrective action. Further discussion will ensure that appropriate actions will provide a safe and healthy workplace and residence for all employees and residents. Course Code: DHS219
Narcotics’ tampering known as Drug Diversion has emerged as the leading cause of provider-to-patient transmission of several types of infectious diseases and harm to patients. This course will focus on best practices pertaining to medication accountability and security requirements. A review of security requirements will allow participants to identify areas at risk and the ability to follow best practice guidelines for drug diversion prevention compliance in their facility. Course Code: DHS151
This course will expand the knowledge of personal care home staff in understanding events that are considered violations and, using root causes analysis, prepare action plans that prevent such violations. Course Code: DHS203
Provides Personal Care Home Administrators with practical strategies to strengthen regulatory compliance and build a culture of continuous quality improvement. Participants will explore proactive approaches to identifying and correcting potential deficiencies before they become licensing violations through routine observations, environmental walk-throughs, and effective compliance auditing. The course also emphasizes engaging and educating staff to create shared ownership of regulatory responsibilities while implementing best practices that reduce organizational risk, safeguard resident health and safety, protect employees, and support successful licensing outcomes. Course Code: DHS221
This course will provide fundamental awareness information related to environmental health and safety concerns related to the personal care home industry. It is intended to provide information to reduce the likelihood of injuries or fatality related to potentially hazardous concerns. Hazards awareness discussion will cover aspects of walking working surfaces, fall prevention and protection, electrical safety basics, fire prevention and emergency response, hazardous materials awareness, poisons and pesticides along with other environmental health concerns that can be found in personal care homes. Through discussion, an overview of hazards identification along with mitigation methodologies will be explored for implementation and corrective action. Further discussion will ensure that appropriate actions will provide a safe and healthy workplace and residence for all employees and residents. Course Code: DHS219
This course focuses on the key elements and process to be considered in setting up a small business to optimize resources and ensure successful implementation and operation of small business. Course Code: DHS216
This session focuses on creating internal processes and practices essential to on-going organizational success and sustainability of a small business. Course Code: DHS217
