Can nursing assistants get certified if they had prior convictions?

It depends on the type of convictions that CNA’s /HHA’s have. If CNA students have a conviction that may result in the denial of their certificates, they will be notified by mail.All CNA’s/HHA’s with convictions for misdemeanors and felonies are reported to the investigation section, by the department of justice, for review. The fingerprint investigation unit, of investigation section considers the type of conviction and other factors of good character and rehabilitation.

After review, a decision will be made to either deny or issue you a criminal record clearance. However, investigation section is required to deny applicants who have certain misdemeanor and felony convictions. For a list of these crimes, contact your training program.
If you have a conviction, how long will it take to review your case?
This depends of the type of criminal record that you have. For less serious offenses, the review may be completed in 4 weeks from receipt of your criminal record from Department of justice (DOJ).