Starting today, CPR training is required for all teachers and assistant teachers in licensed child care centers.
Hannah's Law -- named after a girl who died after choking on a grape in a Mankato area child care facility -- was passed overwhelmingly by the state legislature earlier this year. It's a stricter approach than existed under the old law -- which only required that one caregiver with CPR training be present in a child care facility.
New hires at licensed centers need to either complete CPR training within 90 days of being hired, or have evidence that they completed the training in the previous three years. Technically, all existing child care workers need to have CPR training as of today. However, a spokeswoman for the Minnesota Department of Human Services said that the state "recognizes that child care centers may need time to ensure all assistant teachers and teachers are trained in CPR in accordance with the new requirements." So it appears there will be a bit of a grace period.
Many large facilities already require CPR training for their caregivers, so the law will have the most impact on smaller facilities. The law also requires the presence of a caregiver trained in CPR during off-site field trips.
The new law does not govern licensed family day cares, where caregivers already are required to be CPR-trained. Unlicensed home day-cares are not governed by this law and aren't legally required to have staff trained in CPR.
