For Ohio DODD-certified agency providers
Ohio, meet the training pathway built around DODD's DSP rule
Ohio's rule splits DSP training three ways: what your agency teaches, what must use DODD's curriculum, and what your agency picks from a topic menu. Add a pre-service list, a 30-day list, eight annual hours, CPR and First Aid, and medication certification for some staff. It's a lot to keep straight with every hire.
TES turns OAC 5123-2-08 into one checklist for each DSP. DODD-curriculum modules and certifications are tracked as evidence, and the agency hours come from online courses you can assign today. When a reviewer asks for your training plan and records, they're already organized.
Mapped to OAC 5123-2-08 Appendix C (DSP training) and OAC 5123-6-06. Last reviewed October 2026.
- 400+ courses and programs
- 200,000+ professionals trained
What Ohio requires, and how TES tracks it
OAC 5123-2-08 applies to DODD-certified agency providers. Each agency needs a written training plan, updated at least every 12 months, and training records [OAC 5123-2-08(F)]. The required DSP training is set out in Appendix C.
Before providing services
| Requirement | Official source | How TES handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Agency-provided: your mission, vision, values and structure; policies, procedures and work rules; an overview of services; service documentation that supports billing | OAC 5123-2-08, Appendix C (A)(1) | Tracked in TES as agency-delivered orientation |
| DODD curriculum (from DODD or an entity using DODD's curriculum): empathy-based care; the DSP role, including the NADSP Code of Ethics; rights under ORC 5123.62; implementing ISPs; recognizing and reporting MUIs and unusual incidents; universal precautions | OAC 5123-2-08, Appendix C (A)(2) | Tracked as external evidence. Supporting courses: NADSP Code of Ethics; Fundamental Rights for Direct Support Professionals; Universal Precautions and Safety Basics |
| ISP-specific training for each individual the DSP will support | OAC 5123-2-08, Appendix C (A)(3) | Tracked per DSP, per individual |
Within 30 days
| Requirement | Official source | How TES handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Person-centered planning and service delivery; community participation and integration; the parts of OAC 5123-17-02 that apply to the job, including health and welfare alerts; empathy-based care | OAC 5123-2-08, Appendix C (B) | Mapped course in the Ohio pathway: Person Centered Planning for Direct Support Professionals. Supporting courses: Promoting Community Integration and Inclusion for Direct Support Professionals; Incident Management |
Every year: 8 hours
| Requirement | Official source | How TES handles it |
|---|---|---|
| 2 hours of DODD-curriculum training on the NADSP Code of Ethics, rights under ORC 5123.62 and empathy-based care | OAC 5123-2-08, Appendix C (C)(1) | Tracked as external evidence, renewing annually |
| 6 hours provided or arranged by the agency, covering: recognizing and reporting MUIs and unusual incidents, the agency's MUI trends and prevention strategies, a review of health and welfare alerts, and topics such as quality care, health and safety, and positive behavioral support | OAC 5123-2-08, Appendix C (C)(2) | Hours tracked per DSP. TES courses for these topics are below |
Certifications and gated roles
| Requirement | Official source | How TES handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Valid First Aid and CPR certification (American Red Cross or equivalent) that includes an in-person skills assessment. Some staff are exempt (see Appendix B). | OAC 5123-2-08(J)(2); Appendix B (exemptions) | Certification card and expiration tracked as external evidence. TES's Basic First Aid course is knowledge-only and does not provide certification |
| Medication administration: only staff certified under OAC 5123-6-06 (minimum 14-hour course taught by an RN trainer). To keep certification, at least 2 hours of continuing education and a return demonstration every year. | OAC 5123-6-06 | Certification and annual continuing education tracked as external evidence. Medication Administration (Five Rights) can support the CE topic, but confirm it meets 5123-6-06 before counting it |
| Supervisors: training on supervisory duties within 90 days of becoming a supervisor | OAC 5123-2-08(K) | Tracked per supervisor. Supporting course: Introduction to Supervision |
Where TES courses fit in Ohio
Appendix C leaves your agency in charge of a large part of the training. That includes orientation, ISP-specific training and six of the eight annual hours. That's where TES's online courses help most. The DODD-curriculum portions and certifications stay with their required sources, and TES tracks them as evidence so nothing falls off the plan.
The records are what get reviewed
Ohio expects a written training plan and records showing who was trained, on what and when [OAC 5123-2-08(F)]. TES keeps every DSP's pre-service, 30-day and annual items, certifications and renewal dates in one checklist, so you aren't rebuilding a training history from sign-in sheets before a review.
Courses mapped to Ohio topics
Public TES catalog courses for the topics your agency provides or arranges. The Ohio pathway lists its mapped courses on the pathway page.
Built for managers who are stretched thin
- One checklist per staff member. Every state requirement, its due date and its status in one record, so you can see who is on track and who is about to slip.
- Due dates and renewals tracked for you. Each requirement shows when it is first due and how often it renews, from "before first shift" to annual and multi-year cycles.
- Outside training lives in the same record. CPR/First Aid cards, medication-administration certifications and state-platform completions are tracked as external evidence next to your online courses, so one record shows what a reviewer asks for.
- Mapped online courses ready to assign. Self-paced courses from the TES catalog cover the topics your agency is allowed to deliver itself.
- NADSP Accredited Education provider. Completed TES hours can also count toward NADSP DSP-I and DSP-II accredited education through the NADSP E-Badge Certification Program.
Pricing
The Ohio DSP pathway includes the requirement checklist, due-date and renewal tracking, and the trainings mapped to the pathway [pathway].
Buying for a team? Contact us or use "Request a team purchase" on the pathway page.
Frequently asked questions
How many annual training hours do Ohio DSPs need?
Eight: two hours using DODD's curriculum and six provided or arranged by the agency, covering the topics in Appendix C. OAC 5123-2-08, Appendix C (C)
Can TES courses count toward Ohio's annual hours?
They're built for the agency-arranged six hours and the topics listed for them. The two DODD-curriculum hours must come from DODD or an entity using DODD's curriculum, and TES tracks them as evidence.
Does Ohio require in-person CPR?
The certification must include an in-person skills assessment. Exemptions are listed in Appendix B. OAC 5123-2-08(J)(2)
Keep Ohio's training plan current without the spreadsheet
See each DSP's pre-service, 30-day and annual items on one screen, with certifications and renewals tracked. We'll walk you through the Ohio pathway with your team in mind.