Discharge or Transfer of Residents

 

In the state of Georgia, Assisted Living Facilities have the right to discharge a resident based upon factors such as; violation of the resident agreement, no longer being able to meet the resident’s needs, and others. Be sure to be well versed in the regulation below before issuing a 30-day notice to residents: 

111-8-63-.29 Discharge or Transfer of Residents 

(1) Each admission agreement shall include a written procedure for handling the discharge and transfer of the resident. The administrator or on-site manager must contact the representative or legal surrogate if any when there is a need to discharge or transfer a resident. The community must provide 30 days’ written notice of its intent to discharge or transfer the resident unless an immediate transfer is required. The written notice must be issued to both the resident and the representative or legal surrogate if any. 

(2) In all cases except those requiring immediate transfer pursuant to Rule 111-8-63-.28, residents whose needs cannot be met by the assisted living community or who no longer choose to live in the assisted living community must be discharged or transferred to an appropriate facility or other appropriate settings in accordance with the resident’s, representative or legal surrogate’s wishes based on discharge and transfer procedures entered into at the time of admission. Where there is no representative or legal surrogate or the representative or legal surrogate is unwilling to act to consent to the discharge or transfer, the administrator or onsite manager must petition the probate court in the county where the assisted living community is located for an order authorizing the discharge or transfer. The transferring assisted living community must provide a copy of the resident file to the receiving facility prior to or at the time of transfer.

 (3) Where the Department has reason to believe that a resident is receiving or requires continuous medical or nursing care, other than as permitted by a certified medication aide, the Department may require the assisted living community to discharge the resident. However, the provision of medical, nursing or health services required by the resident on a periodic basis or for a short-term illness, where such services are not provided by the assisted living community is permissible. 

(4) Upon discharge or transfer of the resident, the assisted living community must refund to the resident or representative or legal surrogate, if any, any security deposit made to the assisted living community by or on behalf of the resident in compliance with O.C.G.A. § 44-7-30et seq