Alabama

What is it called?

Assisted Living is divided into three categories:

Family Assisted Living Facilities serve 2-3 adults

Group Assisted Living Facilities serve 4-16 adults

Congregate Assisted Living Facilities serve 17 or more adults

Each type of facility can be licensed as an Assisted Living Facility or a Specialty Care Assisted Living Facility

What Services are provided?

Assisted Living Facilities

Offer personal care and assistance with activities of daily living for not less than 24 hours per week

Room, meals, and laundry services

Care during periods of temporary illness

General health supervision of all residents

Specialty Care Assisted Living Facilities

Offer the above care to residents who are mildly cognitively impaired (early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease, mild dementia, etc), and would therefore be ineligible for Assisted Living Facilities

Who can be admitted?

Assisted Living Facilities          

Adults who need help with daily activities

Adults who need further care, but can perform this care or direct others in performing this care (assuming the facility can provide this directed care)

Adults who do not require restraints or confinement

Adults who understand medication dosages used by facility

Adults without chronic conditions requiring daily, extensive care or observation

Adults who do not require the professional judgment from facility staff.

Specialty Care Assisted Living Facilities

Adults who are cognitively impaired needing help with daily living

Adults with diabetes

Adults with terminal illnesses

Who is inappropriate?

Assisted Living Facilities

Adults who can’t perform care for themselves or can’t direct other people to perform that care.

Adults who need medical or skilled nursing care

Adults who are severely cognitively impaired

Adults who require restraints or seclusion

Specialty Care Assisted Living Facilities

Combative, violent, suicidal, or homicidal adults

Adults who need medical or skilled nursing care

Adults who need restraints or seclusion

Adults who need care beyond that of help with activities of daily living

An Assisted Living Facility Can Agree To Provide Care Even When The Resident Would Have To Be Discharged If

The resident needs medical care, skilled nursing care, or administration of oral medications for fewer than 90 days

The resident is cared for by a certified and licensed hospice service, as long as that care is not for dementia.

What training is required for direct care staff?

Assisted Living Facilities

Staff who have contact with residents have initial and refresher training as necessary (a 16 hour course)

Direct care staff members must complete 6 hours of continuing education per year

Administrators are required to be licensed by an Assisted Living Administrator Licensure Board.

Specialty Care Assisted Living Facilities

Have the same staffing rules as Assisted Living Facilities with a few extra regulations

There must be at least two staff members on duty at all times.   

All direct care staff must undergo initial training prior to contact with residents and complete refresher training as necessary

Is nurse staffing required?

Assisted Living Facilities

Each facility must have a Registered Nurse consultant

Specialty Care Assisted Living Facilities

Facilities must have a medical director who is a physician

There must be at least 1 Registered Nurse at each facility

Is public payment available?

There is a Medicaid waiver program for specialty care assisted living facilities but according to the department’s Web site, the waiver has not been implemented.

According to the 2007 Assisted Living State Regulatory Review, there is no Medicaid waiver at this time.

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