Sec. 8. (a) The department shall cooperate with the state personnel department in establishing minimum qualification standards for employees of the department and in establishing a system of personnel recruitment, selection, employment, and distribution.

     (b) The department shall conduct training programs designed to equip employees for duty in its facilities and programs and raise their level of performance. Training programs conducted by the department need not be limited to inservice training. They may include preemployment training, internship programs, and scholarship programs in cooperation with appropriate agencies. When funds are appropriated, the department may provide educational stipends or tuition reimbursement in such amounts and under such conditions as may be determined by the department and the personnel department.

     (c) The department shall conduct a training program on cultural diversity awareness that must be a required course for each employee of the department who has contact with incarcerated persons.

     (d) The department shall provide six (6) hours of training to employees who interact with persons with mental illness, addictive disorders, intellectual disabilities, and developmental disabilities concerning the interaction, to be taught by persons approved by the secretary of family and social services, using teaching methods approved by the secretary of family and social services and the commissioner. The commissioner or the commissioner’s designee may credit hours of substantially similar training received by an employee toward the required six (6) hours of training.

     (e) The department shall establish a correctional officer training program with a curriculum, and administration by agencies, to be determined by the commissioner. A certificate of completion shall be issued to any person satisfactorily completing the training program. A certificate may also be issued to any person who has received training in another jurisdiction if the commissioner determines that the training was at least equivalent to the training program maintained under this subsection.

As added by Acts 1979, P.L.120, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.3-1989, SEC.94; P.L.25-2000, SEC.2; P.L.85-2004, SEC.41; P.L.246-2005, SEC.94; P.L.100-2012, SEC.29; P.L.117-2015, SEC.5.