2026 Minnesota Statutes

142H.09 STAFF ORIENTATION AND TRAINING.

Subdivision 1.Orientation training.

(a) Program staff persons must complete orientation training before providing direct contact services to a child.

(b) The orientation training must include the following topics:

(1) abusive head trauma for staff working with a child under school age pursuant to subdivision 7;

(2) the center's policy on administration of medication pursuant to section 142H.29, subdivision 5;

(3) the center's policy on allergy prevention and response pursuant to section 142H.15, subdivision 5;

(4) the center's policy on behavior guidance pursuant to section 142H.13;

(5) child passenger restraint systems pursuant to subdivision 8;

(6) the center's child care program plan pursuant to section 142H.11;

(7) the center's policy on cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting pursuant to section 142H.31;

(8) the center's emergency preparedness plan and procedures pursuant to section 142H.23, subdivision 1;

(9) procedures for the handling and disposal of bodily fluids pursuant to section 142H.29, subdivision 10;

(10) the center's emergency and accident policies pursuant to section 142H.23, subdivision 2;

(11) the center's health policies pursuant to section 142H.29;

(12) individual child care program plan or plans pursuant to section 142H.15, if applicable;

(13) job responsibilities specific to the individual's position at the center;

(14) prevention and control of infectious diseases pursuant to section 142H.18;

(15) the center's policy on research, cameras, and social media participation procedures pursuant to section 142H.22;

(16) the center's policy on the use of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco products pursuant to section 142B.10, subdivision 1, paragraph (c);

(17) recognition and reporting of maltreatment, abuse, and neglect pursuant to chapter 260E;

(18) the center's risk reduction plan pursuant to section 142H.24;

(19) reduction of risk of sudden unexpected infant death pursuant to the requirements of subdivision 6 and section 142B.46; and

(20) transportation and field trip safety procedures pursuant to section 142H.33.

(c) Training for orientation may be used to meet in-service training requirements.

Subd. 2.Child care basics training.

(a) Any program staff person hired after July 1, 2027, must complete child care licensing basics training no more than 90 days after the first date of direct contact with a child, unless the person has completed the training within the previous two years.

(b) Child care basics training covers information on effectively working in a child care center setting in Minnesota. Child care basics training must be developed and updated by the commissioner. Child care basics training may be used to meet in-service training requirements.

Subd. 3.Child development and learning training.

(a) Program staff persons must complete at least two hours of child development and learning training within 90 days after the first date of direct contact with a child and every two calendar years thereafter. For the purposes of this subdivision, "child development and learning training" means any training in understanding how children develop physically, cognitively, emotionally, and socially and learn as part of the children's family, culture, and community.

(b) An individual is exempt from this subdivision if the individual:

(1) has taken a three-credit college course on early childhood development within the past five years;

(2) has received a bachelor's or master's degree in early childhood education or school-age child care within the past five years;

(3) is licensed in Minnesota as a prekindergarten teacher, an early childhood educator, a kindergarten to sixth grade teacher with a prekindergarten specialty, an early childhood special education teacher, or an elementary teacher with a kindergarten endorsement; or

(4) has received a Montessori certificate or diploma issued by American Montessori Society, Association Montessori International, or an institution accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education within the past five years.

Subd. 4.Pediatric first aid.

(a) Before direct contact with a child, a program staff person must satisfactorily complete pediatric first aid. Pediatric first aid training completed within the previous two calendar years meets this requirement.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a program staff person who has yet to complete initial pediatric first aid training may provide direct contact services within 90 days after the first date of direct contact with a child while under the continuous direct supervision of an individual who has met the pediatric first aid training requirements of this subdivision. For purposes of this paragraph, "continuous direct supervision" means the program staff person is within sight or hearing of the program's supervising individual and the program's supervising individual is capable at all times of intervening to protect the health and safety of the children served by the program.

(c) The first aid training must have been provided by an individual approved to provide pediatric first aid instruction.

(d) A program staff person must complete training in pediatric first aid every two calendar years. Documentation of the training must be maintained at the center.

(e) Online training reviewed and approved by the commissioner satisfies the training requirement of this subdivision.

(f) Pediatric first aid training in this subdivision must not be used to meet in-service training requirements under subdivision 9.

Subd. 5.Pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

(a) Before direct contact with a child, a program staff person must satisfactorily complete pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training, including CPR techniques for infants and children and the treatment of obstructed airways. Pediatric CPR training completed within the previous two calendar years meets this requirement.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a program staff person who has yet to complete initial pediatric CPR training may provide direct contact services within 90 days after the first date of direct contact with a child, if they are under the continuous direct supervision of an individual who has met pediatric CPR training requirements under this subdivision. For the purposes of this paragraph, "continuous direct supervision" means the individual is within sight or hearing of the program's supervising individual to the extent that the program's supervising individual is capable at all times of intervening to protect the health and safety of the children served by the program.

(c) A program staff person must complete training in pediatric CPR every two calendar years. A center must maintain documentation of the trainings on site.

(d) A pediatric CPR training under this subdivision must incorporate a hands-on skill session to support the instruction and have been developed:

(1) by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross; or

(2) using nationally recognized, evidence-based guidelines for pediatric CPR training.

(e) Pediatric CPR training must not be used to meet in-service training requirements under subdivision 10.

Subd. 6.Sudden unexpected infant death training.

(a) Before direct contact with infants, program staff persons and volunteers must receive training on the standards under section 142B.46 and on reducing the risk of sudden unexpected infant death during orientation and each calendar year thereafter.

(b) Sudden unexpected infant death reduction training required under this subdivision must be at least one-half hour in length and include at minimum the infant sleep standards under section 142B.46, the risk factors related to sudden unexpected infant death, methods of reducing the risk of sudden unexpected infant death in child care, and license holder communication with parents regarding reducing the risk of sudden unexpected infant death. The training must be interactive and not only consist of reading or viewing information.

(c) Training taken under this subdivision may be used to meet the in-service training requirements under subdivision 9.

Subd. 7.Abusive head trauma training.

(a) Before direct contact with children under school age, a program staff person must receive training on the risk of abusive head trauma during orientation and each calendar year thereafter.

(b) Abusive head trauma training under this subdivision must be at least one-half hour in length and include at minimum the risk factors related to shaking infants and young children, methods of reducing the risk of abusive head trauma in child care, and license holder communication with parents regarding reducing the risk of abusive head trauma. The training must be interactive and not only consist of reading or viewing information.

(c) Training taken under this subdivision may be used to meet the in-service training requirements under subdivision 9.

Subd. 8.Child passenger restraint systems; training requirement.

(a) Before a license holder transports a child or children under age nine in a motor vehicle, the person placing the child or children in a passenger restraint must satisfactorily complete training on the proper use and installation of child restraint systems in motor vehicles.

(b) Training required under this subdivision must be repeated at least once every five years and include at minimum the proper use of child restraint systems based on the size, weight, and age of the child and the proper installation of a car seat or booster seat in the motor vehicle used by the license holder to transport the child or children.

(c) Training required under this subdivision must be provided by individuals who are certified and approved by the Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety.

(d) Training completed under this subdivision may be used to meet in-service training requirements under subdivision 9. Staff training completed within the previous five years is transferable upon change in employment to another child care center.

Subd. 9.In-service training requirements.

(a) A license holder must ensure that program staff persons complete in-service training.

(b) In-service training completed within the past 12 months by a program staff person that is not specific to a child care center is transferable upon the program staff person's change in employment to another child care program. The program staff person must provide documentation of the completed training to the new child care program.

(c) All program staff persons, except substitutes and unsupervised volunteers, who work more than 20 hours per week must complete at least 20 hours of in-service training each calendar year.

(d) All program staff persons, except substitutes and unsupervised volunteers, who work 20 hours or less per week must complete at least ten hours of in-service training each calendar year.

(e) Substitutes and unsupervised volunteers must complete a minimum of two hours of training each calendar year and the training must include the topics identified under subdivision 10.

(f) The number of in-service training hours may be prorated for center directors and program staff persons not employed for an entire year or on a documented leave of absence.

(g) Pediatric first aid and pediatric CPR training must not be used to meet in-service training requirements.

Subd. 10.In-service content.

(a) Each calendar year, in-service training must include the following:

(1) abusive head trauma training of at least one-half hour duration for individuals working with a child under school age pursuant to subdivision 7;

(2) the center policies and procedures for maintaining health and safety, including:

(i) allergy prevention and response training pursuant to section 142H.15, subdivision 5;

(ii) emergency preparedness and procedures pursuant to section 142H.23, subdivision 1;

(iii) handling emergencies, accidents, incidents, and injuries pursuant to section 142H.23, subdivision 2; and

(iv) handling and disposal of bodily fluids pursuant to section 142H.29, subdivision 10;

(3) maltreatment, abuse, and neglect reporting pursuant to chapter 260E;

(4) reduction of risk of sudden unexpected infant death training of at least one-half hour duration for individuals working with infants pursuant to the requirements of subdivision 6 and section 142B.46;

(5) a risk reduction plan pursuant to section 142H.24;

(6) the center policies and procedures on behavior guidance pursuant to section 142H.13; and

(7) the center policies and procedures on supervision pursuant to section 142H.24.

(b) At least once every two calendar years, in-service training must include the following:

(1) child development and learning pursuant to subdivision 3;

(2) at least one hour on cultural awareness and inclusion;

(3) pediatric first aid that meets the requirements of subdivision 4;

(4) pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation training that meets the requirements of subdivision 5; and

(5) at least one hour on identifying and supporting children with special needs.

(c) At least once every five calendar years, training must include child passenger restraint systems pursuant to subdivision 8, if applicable.

(d) The remaining hours of the in-service training requirement must be met by completing training in the Minnesota knowledge and competency framework areas.

Subd. 11.Documentation required.

(a) The license holder must document completed training for program staff persons in a manner prescribed by the commissioner.

(b) For pediatric first aid and CPR trainings, the license holder must maintain copies of training cards or certificates issued by the training organization.

History:

2007 c 112 s 21; 2009 c 26 s 3; 2011 c 23 s 2; 2013 c 108 art 3 s 20; 2015 c 78 art 4 s 29-31; 1Sp2017 c 6 art 16 s 7-12; 1Sp2019 c 9 art 2 s 51; 1Sp2020 c 2 art 1 s 10; art 8 s 49; 2024 c 80 art 2 s 74; 2024 c 115 art 16 s 41; 1Sp2025 c 3 art 14 s 10,11; 2026 c 127 art 9 s 5,6; art 12 s 9

NOTE: This chapter, as added by Laws 2026, chapter 127, article 12, sections 1 to 37, is effective July 1, 2027. Laws 2026, chapter 127, article 12, section 41.