Programs
Three programs. One goal: a real career in care.
Every course follows the New York State Department of Health curriculum, is taught by registered nurses, and prepares you for certification on the NYS Home Care Worker Registry.
40
Entry level · No experience needed
Personal Care Aide
Your first step into paid home care. Learn to support clients with the everyday tasks that keep them safe, comfortable, and dignified at home.
Total hours
40 hours
Format
Classroom
Curriculum
NYS DOH Basic Training
To pass
80% competency
Result
PCA certification
What you'll learn
- Personal care: bathing, grooming, dressing, mobility
- Safe transfers, positioning, and fall prevention
- Infection control and a safe home environment
- Nutrition, meal prep, and feeding support
- Observing, reporting, and clear communication
- Client rights, dignity, and confidentiality
Who it’s for: Anyone starting out in home care. No prior experience or medical background required — just the willingness to care and learn.
83
Classroom + clinical internship
Home Health Aide
Broader clinical skills and the certification that opens the most home care roles — across agencies, MLTC plans, and private care.
Total hours
83 hours
Format
Classroom + internship
Clinical
Supervised internship
Curriculum
NYS DOH HHA (BPSS-approved)
To pass
80% competency
Result
HHA certification
What you'll learn
- Everything in the PCA scope, plus expanded clinical skills
- Taking and recording vital signs
- Assisting with prescribed exercises and range of motion
- Following the care plan and documenting accurately
- Recognizing and reporting changes in a client's condition
- Supervised clinical practice with an RN instructor
Who it’s for: New students who want the widest range of jobs, or PCAs ready for full HHA training. The supervised clinical internship gives you real, hands-on practice before you start work.
↑
43 hours · For certified PCAs
PCA → HHA Upgrade
Already a certified Personal Care Aide? Bridge to your Home Health Aide certification without repeating what you already know.
Total hours
43 hours
Builds on
Your PCA certification
Adds
HHA clinical skills
To pass
80% competency
Result
HHA certification
What you'll learn
- The clinical skills that separate HHA from PCA
- Vital signs and clinical observation
- Care-plan tasks within the HHA scope
- Documentation and reporting standards
- Supervised clinical practice to complete your certification
Who it’s for: Working or certified PCAs who want more roles, more hours, and a faster route to HHA certification. Bring your PCA credential and we’ll build on it.
Good to know
Every graduate meets the same standard.
All three programs follow the New York State Department of Health curriculum and require an 80% competency score to pass. Graduates are certified on the NYS Home Care Worker Registry — the credential agencies and MLTC plans look for. Classes are taught in English with patient ESL support.
How to apply
What you need to enroll
Home care training in New York has clear entry requirements. Some are set by New York State; a few are set by the school. Here’s both, side by side, so there are no surprises.
Required by New York State
Under NYS DOH & BPSS rules
- Able to read, write, and understand English well enough to complete the curriculum and pass the competency evaluation.
- Physically able to perform home care duties. A health assessment or physical exam is required, along with any clearances your clinical site requires (such as a TB test) before the supervised internship.
- A completed, signed enrollment agreement — including the required PCA/HHA addendum — reviewed with a BPSS-certified agent before instruction begins.
- You'll receive the New York State student rights disclosure at enrollment.
What to bring to enroll
Set by Career Development Center of Queens
- Valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID (driver license, passport, or military ID) showing your photo and signature.
- Your legal name must match New York's Home Care Worker Registry exactly — check your ID before you enroll.
- Minimum age: 18.
- Tuition and registration: ask admissions for current amounts and payment options.
Why two lists? New York requires schools to keep the state’s admission rules separate from any the school adds — so we do. Bring the items on the right; we’ll walk you through the state paperwork when you enroll.