Hi Trish
This is an old issue about 40 hours. In my experience, there was not any definitive study that looked at what hours are needed for proficiently implementing tasks or addressing performance problems for a job class. The folklore is that ACA set 40 hours during the standards development process in the 1970's using the best thinking at the time, but in fact, based it on caselaw. My memory is that it might have come from a significant piece of litigation in Kansas City MO in 1973 {Goldsby v. Carnes 365 F. Supp 395 (Western District Missouri 1973 - or another cite for it is: 429 F. Supp 370 (Western District MO 1977 who knows which is the correct cite.)} - that mandated - court ordered - 40 hours in-service training. I remember "back in the day" when you used to be able to see any caselaw that was supporting a particular ACA standard - and I no longer know where to locate that. So that was for institutions and jails but ACA applied it to community services as well.
So to try to answer your question, it came from some specific institutional litigation, and was made the standard for all in-service training in the ACA manuals, but to my knowledge, not based upon a formal study.... Next, you might ask, where did Goldsby v. Carnes come up with 40 hours? I don't mean to make it trivial, but lots of times these things are negotiated in the process of litigation and settlement.
And Ed Yahnig, as always, makes good sense....
Tom Reid
NIC Information Center