DSP training in Hawaii is regulated by the Department of Health's Developmental Disabilities Division (DDD) through the I/DD Waiver Provider Standards Manual, with a substantially updated edition effective July 1, 2026. Chapter 3 of the manual sets the staff training standards for agencies delivering Medicaid I/DD waiver services across the islands.

Initial training takes the form of a New Staff Orientation covering 18 named topics: the HCBS Settings Rule, person-centered planning, positive behavior support and restrictive interventions, adverse event reporting, civil rights, HIPAA, an overview of intellectual and developmental disabilities, the waiver program, the Individualized Service Plan, health and safety, abuse and neglect, documentation, communication, job responsibilities, ethics, emergency preparedness, drug-free workplace, and participant rights. The manual defines the mandate by topic coverage rather than an hour count, so providers must be able to show that every new hire's orientation addressed each required area.

Ongoing requirements run on an annual cycle: each year, staff must complete in-service training on six mandatory ("starred") topics plus two rotating topics, along with updates whenever DDD policies change. CPR and First Aid are required — online didactic components are acceptable — and staff must have TB clearance. Supervisors complete four additional training modules beyond the DSP set, and staff in specialized settings such as Community Monitoring/crisis services complete an intensive 24-hour orientation.

Medication support follows Hawaii's nurse delegation framework, with delegation decisions made per the individual's plan rather than through a statewide DSP medication class.

Delivery is provider-choice for the compliance floor: training is provider-conducted using provider-chosen curricula, and DDD monitors topic coverage rather than pre-approving vendors. On top of that floor, Hawaii runs one of the country's most interesting incentives — a DSP Certification Supplemental Payment for staff who earn the NADSP Level 1 credential through the E-Badge Academy (50 hours of accredited education plus 15 e-badges). Agencies can reach it two ways: the DDD-subsidized Workforce Development Training Program (a 24-week cohort using the state's Relias LMS plus NADSP), or "a provider-developed program." The subsidized Relias pathway is the default, not a lock.

Training and eTracking Solutions provides online DSP training built for Hawaii's requirements on both tiers. For the compliance floor, TeTS courses map to the manual's 18 orientation topics and the annual mandatory-plus-rotating in-service cycle, with automatic tracking and documentation that stands up in DDD monitoring. For the premium tier, TeTS is a NADSP-accredited education provider with an E-Badge pathway — a direct fit as the "provider-developed program" route to the NADSP Level 1 credential and the supplemental payment attached to it, for agencies that want an alternative to the state's 24-week cohort model.