(a)(1) The Commissioner of Public Health may adopt regulations, as provided in subsection (d) of this section, to require each residential care home that admits residents requiring assistance with medication administration, to (A) designate unlicensed personnel to obtain certification for the administration of medication from the Department of Public Health, Department of Children and Families or Department of Developmental Services, and (B) ensure that such unlicensed personnel receive such certification and recertification every two years thereafter from the Department of Public Health, Department of Children and Families or Department of Developmental Services.

(2) Any regulations adopted pursuant to this subsection shall establish criteria to be used by such homes in determining (A) the appropriate number of unlicensed personnel who shall obtain such certification and recertification, and (B) training requirements, including ongoing training requirements for such certification and recertification.

(3) Training requirements for initial certification and recertification shall include, but shall not be limited to: Initial orientation, resident rights, identification of the types of medication that may be administered by unlicensed personnel, behavioral management, personal care, nutrition and food safety, and health and safety in general.

(b) Each residential care home shall ensure that an appropriate number of unlicensed personnel, as determined by the residential care home, obtain certification and recertification for the administration of medication from the Department of Public Health, Department of Children and Families or Department of Developmental Services. Certification and recertification of such personnel shall be in accordance with any regulations adopted pursuant to this section. Unlicensed personnel obtaining such certification and recertification may administer medications that are not administered by injection to residents of such homes, unless a resident’s physician specifies that a medication only be administered by licensed personnel.

(c) On and after October 1, 2007, unlicensed assistive personnel employed in residential care homes, as defined in § 19a-490, may (1) obtain and document residents’ blood pressures and temperatures with digital medical instruments that (A) contain internal decision-making electronics, microcomputers or special software that allow the instruments to interpret physiologic signals, and (B) do not require the user to employ any discretion or judgment in their use; (2) obtain and document residents’ weight; and (3) assist residents in the use of glucose monitors to obtain and document their blood glucose levels.

(d) The Commissioner of Public Health shall implement policies and procedures necessary to administer the provisions of this section while in the process of adopting such policies and procedures as regulation, provided the commissioner prints notice of intent to adopt regulations in the Connecticut Law Journal not later than twenty days after the date of implementation. Policies and procedures implemented pursuant to this section shall be valid until the time final regulations are adopted.