New Regulatory Authority for Nursing Assistants
Beginning July 1, 2026, regulatory authority for nursing assistants in Washington will shift from the Secretary of Health to the Washington State Board of Nursing (WABON), as required by Senate Bill 5051. This means credentialing and discipline for nursing assistants, including those working in adult family homes, will be overseen by the same board that currently regulates RNs and LPNs.
For your adult family home, the day‑to‑day mechanics of working with the state will look very familiar:
Nursing assistant applications and renewals will continue through the Department of Health’s HELMS Online System.
Complaints about nursing assistants will also still be submitted through HELMS.
The Provider Credential Search you rely on to verify NAR/NAC status is not changing.
Existing nursing assistant credentials remain valid; there is no new application, test, or fee required because of this transition.
What is changing is who sits behind those systems making decisions:
WABON will now make nursing assistant credentialing and disciplinary decisions, instead of the Secretary of Health.
Nursing assistants will be regulated under the same clinical framework as RNs and LPNs.
The Board’s membership is expanding to:
Add two nursing assistant‑certified members.
Broaden an existing seat to include an RN or LPN with experience as a nursing assistant educator.
These changes are intended to ensure nursing assistants have a direct voice in the standards and policies that shape their work and, by extension, the care delivered in settings like adult family homes.
In practical terms, AFH providers should:
Expect more of a “nursing‑practice” lens on nursing assistant conduct and complaints, especially around:
Resident safety
Abuse or neglect allegations
Medication assistance
Adherence to care plans
Review internal policies, training materials, and handbooks to:
Update references that name the Secretary of Health as the NA regulator so they point to WABON.
Keep HELMS listed as the point of entry for applications, renewals, and verification.
Strengthen supervision and documentation for NARs and NACs so you can clearly show:
Orientation and ongoing training
Coaching and performance feedback
Corrective action when issues arise
Not a Member Yet?
Membership fees enable the Council to cover legal expenses and fund staff to advocate with the state and regulatory agencies. The participation of every adult family home is vital to ensuring fair regulations and rates that accurately reflect the costs of caring for our vulnerable adults. Consider becoming a member of the Council to help us continue improving conditions for all adult family homes in Washington State.