Assisted Living in Connecticut

Agency: Department of Public Health, Facility Licensing & Investigations Sectio
Phone: (860) 509-7400
Website: www.dph.state.ct.us

Assisted living services agencies provide nursing services and assistance with ADLs to clients living within a managed residential community having supportive services that encourages clients primarily age 55 or older to maintain a maximum level of independence.

Facility Scope of Care:
Assisted living services agencies may provide nursing services and assistance with ADLs to residents with chronic and stable conditions as determined by a physician or health care practitioner. A managed residential community shall provide or arrange to make available core services including regularly scheduled meals, laundry service, transportation, housekeeping, social and recreational programs, and other services

Move-In/Move-Out Requirements:
There are no set discharge or admission requirements; however, each agency must develop written policies for the discharge of clients. The policies must include, but are not limited to, change in a resident's condition (when a resident is no longer chronic and stable), and what constitutes routine, emergency, financial, and premature discharge.

Resident Assessment:
There is no standard required resident assessment form. A client service program must be completed by an RN in consultation with the client, family, and others in the care of the client within seven days of admission and reviewed as the client's condition requires. The service program shall include the client's problems and needs; types and frequency of services and equipment required; medications, treatments, and other required nursing services; and other items.

Medication Management:
A licensed nurse may administer medications and/or pre-pour medications for clients who are able to self-administer medications. With the approval of the client or his or her representative, an assisted living aide may supervise a client's self-administration of medications

Physical Plant Requirements:
The managed residential community where services are offered must have private residential units that include a full bath, access to facilities, and equipment for the preparation and storage of food. A resident may choose to share a room. Common space in the facility must be sufficient to accommodate 50 percent of the residents at any given time.

Residents Allowed Per Room:
Managed residential communities may not require tenants to share units.

Life Safety:
Fire safety is not under the jurisdiction of the state Department of Public Health. Fire safety issues are the purview of local authorities. Managed residential communities must provide the department with evidence of compliance with local building codes and the Connecticut Fire Safety Code and Supplement.

Alzheimer's Unit Requirements:
Alzheimer's special care units or programs must provide a written disclosure, verified annually, including at a minimum information concerning: philosophy; preadmission, admission and discharge; assessment; care planning and implementation; staffing patterns and training ratios; physical environment; resident's activities; family role in care; and program costs.

Staff Training for Alzheimer's Care:
All licensed and registered direct care staff in Alzheimer's special care units or programs must receive Alzheimer's and dementiaspecific training annually that includes, but is not limited to: (1) not less than eight hours of dementia-specific training, which shall be completed not later than six months after the date of employment, and not less than eight hours of such training annually thereafter, and (2) annual training of not less than two hours in pain recognition and administration of pain management techniques. In such settings, at least one hour of Alzheimer's/dementia specific training must be provided to all non-direct care staff within six months of hire.

Staffing Requirements:
The supervisor of assisted living services is responsible for ensuring that there are sufficient numbers of assisted living aides to meet client needs. A managed residential community must employ an on-site service coordinator with specified duties that include ensuring that services are provided to all tenants and assisting tenants in making arrangements for their personal needs. In an assisted living services agency serving no more than 30 clients on a daily basis, one individual may serve as both the supervisor of assisted living services and the service coordinator under certain circumstances.

Staff Education Training:
Service coordinators hired after December 1, 1994 must have specified levels of education and/or experience. All staff must complete a 10-hour orientation program. Assisted living aides must pass a competency exam. Assisted living aides must have successfully completed a training and competency evaluation program as either a certified nurse's aide or home health aide

Medicaid Policy and Reimbursements:
A Medicaid home and community-based services waiver covers services for eligible low-income residents.