Training model
Competency-based; before contact + at least annual
Individual rights
Required (DBHDD Community Standards)
Abuse reporting
To APS (O.C.G.A. Title 30 Ch. 5)
Incident management
IMAGE, strict timelines (DBHDD Policy 04-106)
Medication administration
RN oversight; distinct from DCH CMA (§ 43-26-12)
CPR & First Aid
Hands-on, external (AHA / Red Cross / HSI)
Unlike some states, DBHDD does not publish a single statewide DSP training-hour total. Instead, staff must be trained and validated as competent before direct, unsupervised contact and refreshed at least annually, with your organization defining — by job classification — which trainings recur and how competency is proven. DBHDD's certification review examines that training documentation, so accurate records matter.
Every DSP protects individual rights — dignity, privacy, choice, and freedom from mistreatment. Suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a disabled adult is reported to Adult Protective Services (1-866-552-4464) under O.C.G.A. Title 30, Chapter 5 — and separately to DBHDD through the IMAGE incident-management system when it is a reportable or critical incident (Policy 04-106). Staff must know both channels; one does not replace the other.
Unlicensed DD staff may administer medications under organizational oversight and RN training/supervision — the nurse-delegation exception (O.C.G.A. § 43-26-12) — with a signed competency check. This is different from the DCH Certified Medication Aide program used in nursing homes. Georgia's proxy caregiver rule separately lets a trained, unlicensed person perform specific health maintenance activities after an RN trains and verifies competency for that individual, with at-least-annual re-evaluation (O.C.G.A. § 43-26-12; GA Rule Chapter 111-8-100).
CPR and First Aid must be earned hands-on from an accepted provider (AHA, American Red Cross, or HSI). For behavioral supports, Georgia emphasizes Positive Behavior Support Plans and strict restraint limits: personal restraint only as an emergency last resort, and mechanical restraint and seclusion only in residential crisis-stabilization programs — with any restraint use reported through IMAGE.
New to Georgia's system? See our guide to becoming a NOW/COMP provider in Georgia.
DSPlife™ TrainingHub is built for DBHDD, DMH/DD/SUS, APD, DODD, ODP, HHSC, and DBHDS providers. Its Georgia library ships with courses your DSPs can complete on their own schedule — from individual rights and IMAGE incident reporting to person-centered ISP implementation — logs completion and competency, tracks renewals with automatic alerts, and generates audit-ready reports for certification review. See the full compliance overview.
Georgia’s DBHDD model is competency-based rather than a fixed statewide hour grid. Staff must be trained and validated as competent before direct, unsupervised contact and refreshed at least annually, and the organization defines in policy — by job classification — which trainings recur and how competency is proven. Where DBHDD does not publish an hour count, none should be assumed.
Suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a disabled adult in the community is reported to Adult Protective Services at 1-866-552-4464 under O.C.G.A. Title 30, Chapter 5. That statutory APS report is separate from DBHDD’s IMAGE critical-incident report (Policy 04-106) — you may owe both.
Yes — unlicensed DD staff administer medications under organizational oversight and RN training and supervision (the nurse-delegation exception under O.C.G.A. § 43-26-12), with a signed competency check. This is distinct from the DCH Certified Medication Aide (CMA) program used in nursing homes and assisted living.
No. DBHDD requires hands-on certification from an accepted provider — the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, or the Health & Safety Institute. This LMS delivers knowledge review and tracks the external credential; it does not replace the in-person skills check. Renewal follows the certifying body’s cycle.
General information, not legal advice. DSPlife™ TrainingHub is not affiliated with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. Confirm current requirements at dbhdd.georgia.gov and the O.C.G.A.
Assign the Georgia DBHDD courses, log completion and competency automatically, and get alerts before anything lapses. Free to start — no credit card required.
Start Free Trial