Georgia Administrative Code

(1) There shall be an organized professional staff, with one physician designated as chief of staff. The professional staff shall consist of at least one physician, one dentist and one registered nurse. Other professional personnel such as the dietitian, social worker, physical t…

(1) Each home shall employ the services of a qualified dietitian (American Dietetic Association or equivalent qualifications). The services of the dietitian shall not be less than eight (8) hours per month. (2) Meals, adequate as to quantity and quality, shall be served in suffic…

(1) Each home shall provide services to assist all patients in dealing with social and related problems through one or more case-workers on the staff of the facility or through arrangements with an appropriate outside agency. (2) Social service information concerning each patient…

Each home shall provide pharmaceutical services in full compliance with State and Federal laws and regulations.

(1) When a home has a physical therapy program, the services must be provided or directly supervised by a physical therapist. (2) A therapy record will be kept as a part of the medical record on each patient receiving physical therapy. Information in the medical record shall incl…

(1) Each patient shall have a physician's written statement of his or her condition at time of admission or within forty-eight (48) hours thereafter and it shall be kept on file with the patient's medical record. (2) Each patient shall have a physician's orders for treatment and/…

(1) Each home shall maintain a complete medical record on each patient containing sufficient information to validate the diagnosis and to establish the basis upon which treatment is given. All active medical records shall be maintained at the nurses' station. The completed record…

(1) Patient beds shall be single, at least thirty-six inches wide, with firm even springs covered by a mattress not less than four inches thick. (2) The home shall provide all linens and blankets essential to the treatment and comfort of patients. (3) Wheelchairs, walkers, and me…

(1) All buildings and equipment shall be maintained in such condition that no hazards to the life and safety of the patients exist. (2) Adequate parking shall be available nearby. Parking areas and service entrances shall be so designated that fire fighting equipment will have un…

(1) Equipment and supplies for proper sanitation will be maintained on the premises. (2) Laundry shall be handled, stored, and processed so that spread of infection will be minimized. A sufficient clean linen supply shall be insured at all times. Soiled linen shall not be permitt…

(1) Health Screenings. Each home shall have in place a health screening program designed to identify conditions that may place patients at risk for infection, injury, or improper care. The program shall include requirements and processes for initial, routine, and targeted health …

(1) An individual shall be designated as being in charge of patient activities. This individual shall have experience and/or training in group activities, or shall have consultation made available from a qualified recreational therapist or group activity leader. (2) Provisions sh…

(1) The number of beds provided shall be indicated on each permit and provisional permit. (2) The number of patients receiving care within the home shall not exceed the number of beds shown on the permit. In exceptional cases, temporary waivers, not to exceed thirty (30) days, ma…

(1) Requirements under this rule "Physical Plant Standards" will be enforced with the effective date of these regulations EXCEPT that homes holding a valid permit prior to the effective date of these regulations, shall comply with the regulations in effect at the time the home wa…

(1) The governing body shall submit to the Department an application for a permit. (2) The application for a permit shall be made on forms provided by the Department and shall be filed at least thirty (30) days prior to the anticipated date of opening and commencement of operatio…

(1) To be eligible for a permit the nursing home must be in satisfactory compliance with these rules and regulations and the provisions at law which apply to the locations, construction and maintenance of homes and the safety of the patients therein. (2) Prior to the issuance of …

(1) Provisional permits may be granted to the governing body of a newly established home to demonstrate operational procedures in satisfactory compliance. (2) A provisional permit may be granted to the governing body of an existing home to demonstrate operational procedures in sa…

(1) The home shall be available at reasonable hours for observation and examination by properly identified representatives of the Department. (2) The administrator or authorized representative shall notify the Department of the anticipated opening date of a newly constructed home…

(1) General Requirements: (a) A program narrative and all plans and specifications for construction, including additions, alterations and renovations, shall be approved by the Department prior to commencing work on the building; (b) The program narrative shall be submitted prior …

The administration and enforcement of these rules and regulations shall be as prescribed in O.C.G.A. §§ 31-2-8 and 50-13-13et seq.

(1) Dining assistants shall work under the direct supervision of a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse. Direct supervision means that the registered nurse or licensed practical nurse is present in the same room and available to respond to the need for assistance. (2) D…

(1) Criminal History Background Checks for Owners Required. Prior to the issuance of any new license, the owner of the business or agency applying for the license must comply with the requirements of the Rules and Regulations for Criminal Background Checks, Chapter 111-8-12. (2) …

(1) Unless contraindicated, all nursing homes shall annually offer an influenza virus vaccine, contingent on availability, to all Medicare and Medicaid eligible residents and private pay residents in their facilities and a pneumococcal bacteria vaccine, contingent on availability…

The legal authority for this Chapter is the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Chapters 2 and 7 of Title 31.

The purposes of these rules and regulations are to establish the minimum standards for the operation of personal care homes which provide residential and personal services to adults who require varying degrees of supervision and care and to assure safe, humane and comfortable, su…

In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires, the words, phrases and symbols shall mean the following: (a) "Abuse" means any intentional or grossly negligent act or series of acts or intentional or grossly negligent omission to act which causes injury to a resident, incl…

(1) These rules apply to all personal care homes unless the facility is specifically exempted as provided in paragraph (2) of this rule. (2) These regulations do not apply to the following facilities: (a) Boarding homes or rooming houses which provide no personal services other t…

(1) The governing body of each home must submit to the Department an application for a permit in the required format in order to be eligible to operate if the application is approved. (2) No application for licensure will be acted upon by the Department unless it has been determi…

(1) The governing body of each personal care home must obtain a valid permit from the Department prior to operating as a personal care home. (2) The permit must be displayed in a conspicuous place on the premises that is visible to residents and visitors. (3) A licensed personal …

(1) The governing body is responsible for providing the oversight necessary to ensure that the home operates in compliance with applicable requirements: Chapter 7 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, administrative rules and regulations of the Department of Comm…

(1) The home must have an administrator, who is at least 21 years of age and meets the following requirements, as applicable: (a) Administrators of homes licensed for fewer than twenty-five (25) beds must have either (i) an Associate's Degree or, (ii) a G.E.D. or a high school di…

(1) Age Requirements. The on-site manager and all other direct-care supervisory staff working in a personal care home must be at least 21 years of age. Non-supervisory staff providing hands-on care to the residents must be at least 18 years of age. (2) The administrator or on-sit…

(1) Homes licensed for less than 25 beds must maintain a minimum on-site staff to resident ratio of one awake direct care staff person per 15 residents during waking hours and one awake direct care staff person per 25 residents during non-waking hours where the residents have min…

(1) The home and its records must be available for review and examination by properly identified representatives of the Department. Inspections may be conducted both on an announced and unannounced basis. Unannounced inspections shall be conducted as needed. (2) Where the Departm…

(1) A home must be constructed, arranged, and maintained to provide adequately for all of the following: (a) Health, safety, and well-being of the residents. (b) Independence, privacy and dignity of the residents. (c) Safe access of all residents with varying degrees of functiona…

(1) Each home must be in compliance with fire and safety rules promulgated by the Office of the Safety Fire Commissioner for the personal care homes it regulates. (2) Each home must be in compliance with applicable local ordinances that specifically address fire safety in homes o…

(1) Furnishings of the home in the living room, bedrooms and dining room must be maintained in good condition, intact, and functional. (2) Furnishings and housekeeping standards must be such that a home presents a clean and orderly appearance. (3) Resident bedroom furnishings mus…

(1) Criteria for admission and retention of residents in a home are as follows: (a) Persons admitted to a personal care home must be at least 18 years of age. (b) Except for aging in place exceptions, the home is permitted to admit and retain only ambulatory residents who are cap…

(1) A written admission agreement must be entered into between the governing body and the resident. Such agreement must contain the following: (a) A current statement of all fees and daily, weekly or monthly charges; any other services which are available on an additional fee bas…

(1) Personal assistance must be given to those residents who are unable to keep themselves neat and clean. (2) Each home must provide sufficient activities to promote the physical, mental and social well-being of each resident. (3) Each home must provide books, newspapers, and ga…

(1) A home which serves residents with cognitive deficits which place the residents at risk of eloping, i.e. engaging in unsafe wandering activities outside the home must do the following: (a) Develop, train and enforce policies and procedures for staff to deal with residents who…

(1) A home must meet the additional requirements contained in rule where the home serves persons with probable diagnoses of Alzheimer's Disease or other dementia and does any of the following: (a) Holds itself out as providing additional or specialized care to such residents; or …

(1) Self-Administration of Medications. Residents who have the capacity to self-administer medications safely and independently without staff assistance or supervision must be allowed to store their own medications securely and self-administer medications if they so desire. (2) A…

(1) A minimum of three regularly scheduled, well-balanced, meals must be provided seven days a week. There must be no more than 14 hours elapsing between the scheduled evening and morning meals. Meals must meet the general requirements for nutrition currently found in the Recomme…

(1) The temperature throughout the home must be maintained by an adequate heating and cooling systems or its equivalent at ranges which are consistent with individual health needs of residents and provides a comfortable environment for the residents. (2) Temperatures in the home …

(1) The home must have a supply of first-aid materials available for use. This supply must include, at a minimum, gloves, band aids, thermometer, tape, gauze, and an antiseptic. (2) A home must provide hand-sanitizing agents or soap and water at the sinks, clean towels and toilet…

(1) An individual resident file must be maintained by the administrator or on-site manager for each resident in the home. Personal information must be treated as confidential and must not be disclosed except to the resident and his or her representative or legal surrogate, if any…