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            A. There is hereby established within the Louisiana Department of Health the Direct Service Worker Registry which is to be maintained by the department. Access to the registry shall be limited to an inquiry for a specific direct care worker.

            B.(1) The department shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the maintenance of the registry which shall include but not be limited to rules and regulations defining minimum mandatory qualifications and requirements for direct service workers. Such rules shall include the establishment of criteria regarding any parent, stepparent, grandparent, brother, sister, aunt, or uncle of a recipient serving as a paid direct service worker and shall provide for the grandfathering in of any relative serving as a direct support worker as of July 1, 2008.

            (2) It is the policy of the state that the parent, stepparent, grandparent, son, daughter, brother, sister, aunt, or uncle of a recipient may not serve that recipient as a paid direct service worker unless the relative meets the criteria established by rule and has received a waiver issued by the secretary of the department or his designee stating that the relative is the best available appropriate direct service worker for the recipient being served. This Section shall be effective upon approval by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the necessary waiver and state plan amendments.

            C. The provisions of this Part shall apply to direct service workers who are compensated, regardless of the setting, and specifically do not apply to those direct service workers listed on the Certified Nurse Aide Registry established under rules promulgated by the Louisiana Department of Health.

            D. The provisions of this Part shall not apply to religious nonmedical nursing personnel providing services through a religious nonmedical health care institution as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 1395x.

            Acts 2005, No. 306, §2, eff. June 29, 2005; Acts 2008, No. 333, §1; Acts 2011, No. 299, §2; Acts 2018, No. 206, §4.