Frequently Asked Questions Concerning Adult Care
- What exactly is an adult care facility?
Adult care facilities are residential care homes classified as either an adult family home (three to five resident capacity) or an adult group home (six to 16 resident capacity) licensed by the Ohio Department of Health for purpose of providing accommodations, supervision, and personal care services to unrelated adults.
- What is meant by "personal care services" and what can an ACF offer?
Personal care services that may be provided by an adult care facility staff include: assisting a resident with the activities of daily living, assisting with the self-administrations of medications, and preparing special diets that may be prescribed.
- Can the qualified staff of an ACF perform skilled nursing care for a resident?
No. Regardless of the professional qualifications individually held, adult care facilities operators or their staff may not provide skilled nursing care to their residents. This includes the administration of medications to a resident.
- What can be done if an ACF resident does require skilled nursing care?
The rules allow for that care to be given on a part-time, intermittent basis for not more than a total of 120 days in any 12-month period. This care can only be provided by certified home health agency personnel coming into the facility; by a licensed hospice care program; by a nursing home under certain conditions; and a qualified professional employed by a mental health board or agency where the resident involved is a mentally-ill person referred by that agency. Persons requiring continuous skilled nursing care and those physically or mentally incapable of administering their own medications should not be in an adult care facility.
- What exactly is a community alternative home (CAH), and is it also an adult care facility?
A CAH is a residence or facility that provides accommodations, personal assistance, and supervision for three to five unrelated individuals who have Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) or a condition related to AIDS. CAH operators are subject to the statutory requirements found in Chapter 3724 of the Revised Code and the rules set forth in Chapter 3701-16 of the Ohio Administrative Code. While oversight of the CAH program rests with the adult care inspection program; a CAH is not an ACF under the Ohio statutes.
Last Updated: 5/9/01 |
