AFH Training Network
AFH Training Network
The Adult Family Home Training Network (AFHTN) strengthens Washington State’s Adult Family Home workforce by expanding access to caregiver training, supporting
workforce development, and connecting the partners who help caregivers succeed. Its purpose is not only to make training available, but to help create a more coordinated and responsive system that supports providers, prepares caregivers, and promotes high-quality care for residents in Adult Family Homes.
AFHTN brings together Adult Family Home providers, caregivers, training programs, and workforce partners to create clearer pathways into the caregiving profession. Through coordinated training opportunities, practical support, and collaboration across the field, the network helps caregivers build the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to meet training requirements and provide safe, effective care.
The Training Network helps strengthen the Adult Family Home workforce by:
- Expanding access to required caregiver training and education opportunities.
- Supporting workforce development efforts that respond to the needs of Adult Family Homes across the state.
- Building stronger connections between providers, caregivers, and training partners.
- Helping new caregivers enter the field with the preparation needed to succeed.
- Encouraging more flexible and innovative training approaches, including distance learning and other strategies that can improve access, especially in rural communities.
By supporting both entry into the profession and ongoing workforce development, AFHTN helps Adult Family Homes maintain access to a trained, prepared, and more sustainable caregiving workforce.
The Adult Family Home Training Network was established by the Washington State Legislature in 2019 through Second Substitute Senate Bill 5672, enacted as Chapter 466, Laws of 2019. State law defines AFHTN as a nonprofit organization established by the exclusive bargaining representative of adult family homes, with the capacity toprovide training, workforce development, and other services to Adult Family Homes.
The legislation created a more structured framework for making required caregiver training available through a designated training network. Effective July 1, 2020, training required under chapter 70.128 RCW for Adult Family Homes must be available through the Adult Family Home Training Network.
The law also established how the network is supported and administered. The exclusive bargaining representative designates the network, contributions to the training network are addressed through the adult family home collective bargaining agreement, and those contributions are provided through a vendor contract executed by the
Department.
This framework was designed to strengthen workforce capacity, improve coordination, and support a more reliable training system for Adult Family Homes.
The Adult Family Home Training Network supports the individuals and organizations that make up the Adult Family Home caregiving system. This includes providers, resident managers, caregivers, trainees, approved training entities, and workforce partners involved in preparing and supporting the caregiving workforce.
Participants may include:
Adult Family Home Providers
Providers who are seeking to train new caregivers or strengthen workforce development within their homes.
Caregivers and Caregiver Trainees
Individuals who are interested in completing the education and competency requirements needed to work in Adult Family Homes, as well as resident managers whose responsibilities are tied to required training and specialty training standards.
Approved Training Schools and Instructors
Training providers offering caregiver education programs that meet state requirements.
Workforce Development Partners
Organizations that help expand access to training, support recruitment, and coordinate caregiver preparation.
Eligibility requirements may vary depending on the specific program or training opportunity within the Training Network. Under RCW 70.128.230, orientation is required for providers, resident managers, employees, and volunteers who routinely interact with residents, while caregivers must complete orientation, basic training, and continuing education, and certain providers and resident managers must complete specialty training when serving residents with special needs.
The Adult Family Home Training Network (AFHTN) is guided by several decisionmakers, each with a specific role set out in state law.
The Legislature
The Legislature created the legal framework for AFHTN and required that adult family home caregiver training be available through a training network. Its role is to set the rules and expectations in statute, including that the network supports compliance with required training standards.
The Exclusive Bargaining Representative
State law gives the exclusive bargaining representative for adult family home providers, The Adult Family Home Council, the authority to designate which nonprofit organization serves as the Adult Family Home Training Network. In other words, the Council chooses the network entity on behalf of AFH providers.
Collective Bargaining Parties
The Adult Family Home Council and the State negotiate, through the collective bargaining agreement, how much funding is contributed to the training network to help support the adult family home workforce.
The Department
The Department (DSHS) carries out the vendor contract that sends those negotiated contributions to the training network. The Department may also require reports from the network to verify that providers and caregivers are meeting state training requirements.
Together, these roles create a shared decisionmaking structure:
- The Legislature sets the laws.
- The Adult Family Home Council selects an entity for the AFHTN.
- The bargaining parties decide how much is funded to the training network.
- The Department contracts with the network and oversees reporting.
No single entity controls every aspect of AFHTN, but each has a defined responsibility within this coordinated structure.
The success of the Adult Family Home Training Network depends on collaboration among partners who each play an important role in supporting caregiver training and workforce development. Together, these partners help create a more connected system that prepares caregivers, supports providers, and strengthens the Adult Family Home workforce across Washington State.
Adult Family Home Workforce Academy
Support coordination, outreach, and program development that expand access to training and strengthen pathways into the caregiving profession.
Training schools, approved training entities, and instructors
Provide the education and instruction that prepare caregivers, providers, and resident managers for their roles.
Adult Family Home providers
Sponsor caregivers for training and support workforce development within their homes. They play a key role in creating opportunities for caregivers to build skills and meet
required training standards.
Caregivers and caregiver trainees
Participate in training programs, build core caregiving skills, and work toward meeting required qualifications to provide care in Adult Family Homes.
Together, these partners help ensure Adult Family Homes have access to trained,
qualified caregivers and a stronger workforce pipeline for the future.
What is the AFH Training Network?
The AFH Training Network is a statewide initiative that supports caregiver training and workforce development for Adult Family Homes.
Why was the AFH Training Network created?
The network was established through Washington State legislation to strengthen the caregiving workforce and expand access to training opportunities.
Who participates in the Training Network?
Participants may include Adult Family Home providers, caregivers, training schools, and workforce development partners.
How does the Training Network support providers?
The network helps connect providers with training opportunities, workforce development resources, and programs that prepare caregivers for employment in Adult Family Homes.
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