Report: States actively changing assisted living regulations

The National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) yesterday released a report that found that 16 states made changes to assisted living regulations, statutes and policies during 2011.

Four states—Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina and South Dakota—made major changes, according to the 2012 edition of Assisted Living State Regulatory Review. In addition, Florida and several other states are considering major changes for 2012, according to Karl Polzer, NCAL’s senior policy director and the report’s author. “As in previous years, this year’s report found many states actively refining and developing assisted living regulations,” says Polzer.

The report summarizes state assisted living regulations across 21 categories including life safety, physical plant requirements, medication management and move-in/move-out criteria.

Several states reported changes to Medicaid that impact assisted living residents. Other focal points of state regulatory changes include disclosure of information to consumers, infection control, discharge/transfer between sites, move-in and move-out criteria, as well as medication management.

The report also found that six states added or revised education and training requirements. For instance, Washington began requiring most new direct care workers take 75 hours of training within 120 days of being hired and then become certified as home care aides within 150 days.

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