CMS Pub. 100-11, ch. 9, § 10.3

The PACE organization must develop a competency evaluation program to ensure all

employees and contracted staff providing direct care to participants can demonstrate the

skills, knowledge and abilities necessary for performance of their position. The PACE

organization must designate a staff member to oversee these activities for employees and

work with the PACE contractor liaison to ensure compliance by contracted staff. The

competency evaluation program must be completed by each employee prior to providing

direct participant care. An employee demonstrating competence for their position is

essential to ensure the delivery of safe care.

All personnel, including personal care attendants, need to meet the credentialing criteria

and a standardized set of competencies for their specific position prior to their engaging

in direct participant care. The PACE organization’s competency evaluation program

must:

• Describe the minimum skills necessary to perform each specific job;

• Describe the process for initially testing competency;

• Identify the individual(s) responsible for competency testing for employees;

• Identify the individual designated to work with the PACE contractor liaison to

ensure compliance by contracted staff;

• Explain how the PACE organization will resolve competency deficiencies.

The PACE organization must conduct an annual competency review with their

employees, including personal care attendants. The PACE organization’s annual

competency review program will:

• Describe the periodic competency review program;

• Identify who is responsible for periodic competency review;

• Explain how the PACE organization will resolve competency deficiencies.

[460 CFR § 460.66(a) and (c); 460.71(a)]