(a) Employees.
(1) Manager. Each facility must designate, in writing, a manager to have authority over the
operation.
(A) Qualifications. In small facilities, the manager must have proof of graduation from an
accredited high school or certification of equivalency of graduation. In large facilities, a manager
must have:
(i) an associate’s degree in nursing, health care management, or a related field;
(ii) a bachelor’s degree; or
(iii) proof of graduation from an accredited high school or certification of equivalency of
graduation and at least one year of experience working in management or in health care industry
management.
(B) Training in management of assisted living facilities. After August 1, 2000, a manager must
have completed at least one educational course on the management of assisted living facilities,
which must include information on the assisted living standards; resident characteristics
(including dementia), resident assessment and skills working with residents; basic principles of
management; food and nutrition services; federal laws, with an emphasis on the Americans with
Disabilities Act’s accessibility requirements; community resources; ethics, and financial
management.
(i) The course must be at least 24 hours in length.
(I) Eight hours of training on the assisted living standards must be completed within the first
three months of employment.
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(II) The 24-hour training requirement may not be met through in-services at the facility, but may
be met through structured, formalized classes, correspondence courses, training videos, distance
learning programs, or off-site training courses. All training must be provided or produced by
academic institutions, assisted living corporations, or recognized state or national organizations
or associations. Subject matter that deals with the internal affairs of an organization will not
qualify for credit.
(III) Evidence of training must be on file at the facility and must contain documentation of
content, hours, dates, and provider.
(ii) Managers hired after August 1, 2000, who can show documentation of a previously
completed comparable course of study are exempt from the training requirements.
(iii) Managers hired after August 1, 2000, must complete the course by the first anniversary of
employment as manager.
(iv) An assisted living manager who was employed by a licensed assisted living facility on
August 1, 2000, is exempt from the training requirement. An assisted living manager who was
employed by a licensed assisted living facility as the manager before August 1, 2000, and
changes employment to another licensed assisted living facility as the manager, with a break in
employment of no longer than 30 days, is also exempt from the training requirement.
(C) Continuing education. All managers must show evidence of 12 hours of annual continuing
education. This requirement will be met during the first year of employment by the 24-hour
assisted living management course. The annual continuing education requirement must include at
least two of the following areas:
(i) resident and provider rights and responsibilities, abuse/neglect, and confidentiality;
(ii) basic principles of management;
(iii) skills for working with residents, families, and other professional service providers;
(iv) resident characteristics and needs;
(v) community resources;
(vi) accounting and budgeting;
(vii) basic emergency first aid; or
(viii) federal laws, such as Americans with Disabilities Act, Civil Rights Act of 1991, the
Rehabilitation Act of 1993, Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, and the Fair Housing Act.
(D) Manager’s responsibilities. The manager must be on duty 40 hours per week and may
manage only one facility, except for managers of small Type A facilities, who may have
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responsibility for no more than 16 residents in no more than four facilities. The managers of
small Type A facilities must be available by telephone or pager when conducting facility
business off-site.
(E) Manager’s absence. An employee competent and authorized to act in the absence of the
manager must be designated in writing.
(2) Attendants. Full-time facility attendants must be at least 18 years old or a high-school
graduate.
(A) An attendant must be in the facility at all times when residents are in the facility.
(B) Attendants are not precluded from performing other functions as required by the assisted
living facility.
(3) Staffing.
(A) A facility must develop and implement staffing policies, which require staffing ratios based
upon the needs of the residents, as identified in their service plans.
(B) Prior to admission, a facility must disclose, to prospective residents and their families, the
facility’s normal 24-hour staffing pattern and post it monthly in accordance with §92.127 of this
title (relating to Required Postings).
(C) A facility must have sufficient staff to:
(i) maintain order, safety, and cleanliness;
(ii) assist with medication regimens;
(iii) prepare and service meals that meet the daily nutritional and special dietary needs of each
resident, in accordance with each resident’s service plan;
(iv) assist with laundry;
(v) assure that each resident receives the kind and amount of supervision and care required to
meet his basic needs; and
(vi) ensure safe evacuation of the facility in the event of an emergency.
(D) A facility must meet the staffing requirements described in this subparagraph.
(i) Type A facility: Night shift staff in a small facility must be immediately available. In a large
facility, the staff must be immediately available and awake.
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(ii) Type B facility: Night shift staff must be immediately available and awake, regardless of the
number of licensed beds.
(4) Staff training. The facility must document that staff members are competent to provide
personal care before assuming responsibilities and have received the following training.
(A) All staff members must complete four hours of orientation before assuming any job
responsibilities. Training must cover, at a minimum, the following topics:
(i) reporting of abuse and neglect;
(ii) confidentiality of resident information;
(iii) universal precautions;
(iv) conditions about which they should notify the facility manager;
(v) residents’ rights; and
(vi) emergency and evacuation procedures.
(B) Attendants must complete 16 hours of on-the-job supervision and training within the first 16
hours of employment following orientation. Training must include:
(i) in Type A and B facilities, providing assistance with the activities of daily living;
(ii) resident’s health conditions and how they may affect provision of tasks;
(iii) safety measures to prevent accidents and injuries;
(iv) emergency first aid procedures, such as the Heimlich maneuver and actions to take when a
resident falls, suffers a laceration, or experiences a sudden change in physical and/or mental
status;
(v) managing disruptive behavior;
(vi) behavior management, for example, prevention of aggressive behavior and de-escalation
techniques, practices to decrease the frequency of the use of restraint, and alternatives to
restraints; and
(vii) fall prevention.
(C) Direct care staff must complete six documented hours of education annually, based on each
employee’s hire date. Staff must complete one hour of annual training in fall prevention and one
hour of training in behavior management, for example, prevention of aggressive behavior and
de-escalation techniques, practices to decrease the frequency of the use of restraint, and
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alternatives to restraints. Training for these subjects must be competency-based. Subject matter
must address the unique needs of the facility. Suggested topics include:
(i) promoting resident dignity, independence, individuality, privacy, and choice;
(ii) resident rights and principles of self-determination;
(iii) communication techniques for working with residents with hearing, visual, or cognitive
impairment;
(iv) communicating with families and other persons interested in the resident;
(v) common physical, psychological, social, and emotional conditions and how these conditions
affect residents’ care;
(vi) essential facts about common physical and mental disorders, for example, arthritis, cancer,
dementia, depression, heart and lung diseases, sensory problems, or stroke;
(vii) cardiopulmonary resuscitation;
(viii) common medications and side effects, including psychotropic medications, when
appropriate;
(ix) understanding mental illness;
(x) conflict resolution and de-escalation techniques; and
(xi) information regarding community resources.
(D) Facilities that employ licensed nurses, certified nurse aides, or certified medication aides
must provide annual in-service training, appropriate to their job responsibilities, from one or
more of the following areas:
(i) communication techniques and skills useful when providing geriatric care (skills for
communicating with the hearing impaired, visually impaired and cognitively impaired;
therapeutic touch; recognizing communication that indicates psychological abuse);
(ii) assessment and interventions related to the common physical and psychological changes of
aging for each body system;
(iii) geriatric pharmacology, including treatment for pain management, food and drug
interactions, and sleep disorders;
(iv) common emergencies of geriatric residents and how to prevent them, for example falls,
choking on food or medicines, injuries from restraint use; recognizing sudden changes in
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physical condition, such as stroke, heart attack, acute abdomen, acute glaucoma; and obtaining
emergency treatment;
(v) common mental disorders with related nursing implications; and
(vi) ethical and legal issues regarding advance directives, abuse and neglect, guardianship, and
confidentiality.
(b) Social services. The facility must provide an activity and/or social program at least weekly
for the residents.
(c) Resident assessment. Within 14 days of admission, a resident comprehensive assessment and
an individual service plan for providing care, which is based on the comprehensive assessment,
must be completed. The comprehensive assessment must be completed by the appropriate staff
and documented on a form developed by the facility. When a facility is unable to obtain
information required for the comprehensive assessment, the facility should document its attempts
to obtain the information.
(1) The comprehensive assessment must include the following items:
(A) the location from which the resident was admitted;
(B) primary language;
(C) sleep-cycle issues;
(D) behavioral symptoms;
(E) psychosocial issues (i.e., a psychosocial functioning assessment that includes an assessment
of mental or psychosocial adjustment difficulty; a screening for signs of depression, such as
withdrawal, anger or sad mood; assessment of the resident’s level of anxiety; and determining if
the resident has a history of psychiatric diagnosis that required in-patient treatment);
(F) Alzheimer’s/dementia history;
(G) activities of daily living patterns (i.e., wakened to toilet all or most nights, bathed in
morning/night, shower or bath);
(H) involvement patterns and preferred activity pursuits (i.e., daily contact with relatives, friends,
usually attended religious services, involved in group activities, preferred activity settings,
general activity preferences);
(I) cognitive skills for daily decision-making (independent, modified independence, moderately
impaired, severely impaired);
(J) communication (ability to communicate with others, communication devices);
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(K) physical functioning (transfer status; ambulation status; toilet use; personal hygiene; ability
to dress, feed and groom self);
(L) continence status;
(M) nutritional status (weight changes, nutritional problems or approaches);
(N) oral/dental status;
(O) diagnoses;
(P) medications (administered, supervised, self-administers);
(Q) health conditions and possible medication side effects;
(R) special treatments and procedures;
(S) hospital admissions within the past six months or since last assessment; and
(T) preventive health needs (i.e., blood pressure monitoring, hearing-vision assessment).
(2) The service plan must be approved and signed by the resident or a person responsible for the
resident’s health care decisions. The facility must provide care according to the service plan. The
service plan must be updated annually and upon a significant change in condition, based upon an
assessment of the resident.
(3) For respite clients, the facility may keep a service plan for six months from the date on which
it is developed. During that period, the facility may admit the individual as frequently as needed.
(4) Emergency admissions must be assessed and a service plan developed for them.
(d) Resident policies.
(1) Before admitting a resident, facility staff must explain and provide a copy of the disclosure
statement to the resident, family, or responsible party. An assisted living facility that provides
brain injury rehabilitation services must attach to its disclosure statement a specific statement
that licensure as an assisted living facility does not indicate state review, approval, or
endorsement of the facility’s rehabilitative services. The facility must document receipt of the
disclosure statement.
(2) The facility must provide residents with a copy of the Resident Bill of Rights.
(3) When a resident is admitted, the facility must provide to the resident’s immediate family, and
document the family’s receipt of, the DADS telephone hotline number to report suspected abuse,
neglect, or exploitation, as referenced in §92.102 of this chapter (relating to Abuse, Neglect, or
Exploitation Reportable to DADS).
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(4) The facility must have written policies regarding residents accepted, services provided,
charges, refunds, responsibilities of facility and residents, privileges of residents, and other rules
and regulations.
(5) Each facility must make available copies of the resident policies to staff and to residents or
residents’ responsible parties at time of admission. Documented notification of any changes to
the policies must occur before the effective date of the changes.
(6) Before or upon admission of a resident, a facility must notify the resident and, if applicable,
the resident’s legally authorized representative, of DADS rules and the facility’s policies related
to restraint and seclusion.
(e) Admission policies.
(1) A facility must not admit or retain a resident whose needs cannot be met by the facility or
who cannot secure the necessary services from an outside resource. As part of the facility’s
general supervision and oversight of the physical and mental well-being of its residents, the
facility remains responsible for all care provided at the facility. If the individual is appropriate
for placement in a facility, then the decision that additional services are necessary and can be
secured is the responsibility of facility management with written concurrence of the resident,
resident’s attending physician, or legal representative. Regardless of the possibility of “aging in
place” or securing additional services, the facility must meet all Life Safety Code requirements
based on each resident’s evacuation capabilities, except as provided in subsection (f) of this
section.
(2) There must be a written admission agreement between the facility and the resident. The
agreement must specify such details as services to be provided and the charges for the services.
If the facility provides services and supplies that could be a Medicare benefit, the facility must
provide the resident a statement that such services and supplies could be a Medicare benefit.
(3) A facility must share a copy of the facility disclosure statement, rate schedule, and individual
resident service plan with outside resources that provide any additional services to a resident.
Outside resources must provide facilities with a copy of their resident care plans and must
document, at the facility, any services provided, on the day provided.
(4) Each resident must have a health examination by a physician performed within 30 days
before admission or 14 days after admission, unless a transferring hospital or facility has a
physical examination in the medical record.
(5) The assisted living facility must secure at the time of admission of a resident the following
identifying information:
(A) full name of resident;
(B) social security number;
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(C) usual residence (where resident lived before admission);
(D) sex;
(E) marital status;
(F) date of birth;
(G) place of birth;
(H) usual occupation (during most of working life);
(I) family, other persons named by the resident, and physician for emergency notification;
(J) pharmacy preference; and
(K) Medicaid/Medicare number, if available.
(f) Inappropriate placement in Type A or Type B facilities.
(1) DADS or a facility may determine that a resident is inappropriately placed in the facility if a
resident experiences a change of condition but continues to meet the facility evacuation criteria.
(A) If DADS determines the resident is inappropriately placed and the facility is willing to retain
the resident, the facility is not required to discharge the resident if, within 10 working days after
receiving the Statement of Licensing Violations and Plan of Correction, Form 3724, and the
Report of Contact, Form 3614-A, from DADS, the facility submits the following to the DADS
regional office:
(i) Physician’s Assessment, Form 1126, indicating that the resident is appropriately placed and
describing the resident’s medical conditions and related nursing needs, ambulatory and transfer
abilities, and mental status;
(ii) Resident’s Request to Remain in Facility, Form 1125, indicating that:
(I) the resident wants to remain at the facility; or
(II) if the resident lacks capacity to provide a written statement, the resident’s family member or
legally authorized representative wants the resident to remain at the facility; and
(iii) Facility Request, Form 1124, indicating that the facility agrees that the resident may remain
at the facility.
(B) If the facility initiates the request for an inappropriately placed resident to remain in the
facility, the facility must complete and date the forms described in subparagraph (A) of this
paragraph and submit them to the DADS regional office within 10 working days after the date
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the facility determines the resident is inappropriately placed, as indicated on the DADS
prescribed forms.
(2) DADS or a facility may determine that a resident is inappropriately placed in the facility if
the facility does not meet all requirements referenced in §92.3 of this chapter (relating to Types
of Assisted Living Facilities) for the evacuation of a designated resident.
(A) If, during a site visit, DADS determines that a resident is inappropriately placed at the
facility and the facility is willing to retain the resident, the facility must request an evacuation
waiver as described in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph to the DADS regional office within 10
working days after the date the facility receives the Statement of Licensing Violations and Plan
of Correction, Form 372, and the Report of Contact, Form 3614-A. If the facility is not willing to
retain the resident, the facility must discharge the resident within 30 days after receiving the
Statement of Licensing Violations and Plan of Correction and the Report of Contact.
(B) If the facility initiates the request for a resident to remain in the facility, the facility must
request an evacuation waiver as described in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph from the DADS
regional office within 10 working days after the date the facility determines the resident is
inappropriately placed, as indicated on the DADS prescribed forms.
(C) To request an evacuation waiver for an inappropriately placed resident, a facility must
submit to the DADS regional office:
(i) Physician’s Assessment, Form 1126, indicating that the resident is appropriately placed and
describing the resident’s medical conditions and related nursing needs, ambulatory and transfer
abilities, and mental status;
(ii) Resident’s Request to Remain in Facility, Form 1125, indicating that:
(I) the resident wants to remain at the facility; or
(II) if the resident lacks capacity to provide a written statement, the resident’s family member or
legally authorized representative wants the resident to remain at the facility;
(iii) Facility Request, Form 1124, indicating that the facility agrees that the resident may remain
at the facility;
(iv) a detailed emergency plan that explains how the facility will meet the evacuation needs of
the resident, including:
(I) he specific staff positions that will be on duty to assist with evacuation and their shift times;
(II) specific staff positions that will be on duty and awake at night; and
(III) specific staff training that relates to resident evacuation;
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(v) a copy of an accurate facility floor plan, to scale, that labels all rooms by use and indicates
the specific resident’s room;
(vi) a copy of the facility’s emergency evacuation plan;
(vii) a copy of the facility fire drill records for the last 12 months;
(viii) a copy of a completed Fire Marshal/State Fire Marshal Notification, Form 1127, signed by
the fire authority having jurisdiction (either the local Fire Marshal or State Fire Marshal) as an
acknowledgement that the fire authority has been notified that the resident’s evacuation
capability has changed;
(ix) a copy of a completed Fire Suppression Authority Notification, Form 1129, signed by the
local fire suppression authority as an acknowledgement that the fire suppression authority has
been notified that the resident’s evacuation capability has changed;
(x) a copy of the resident’s most recent comprehensive assessment that addresses the areas
required by subsection (c) of this section and that was completed within 60 days, based on the
date stated on the evacuation waiver form submitted to DADS;
(xi) the resident’s service plan that addresses all aspects of the resident’s care, particularly those
areas identified by DADS, including:
(I) the resident’s medical condition and related nursing needs;
(II) hospitalizations within 60 days, based on the date stated on the evacuation waiver form
submitted to DADS;
(III) any significant change in condition in the last 60 days, based on the date stated on the
evacuation waiver form submitted to DADS;
(IV) specific staffing needs; and
(V) services that are provided by an outside provider;
(xii) any other information that relates to the required fire safety features of the facility that will
ensure the evacuation capability of any resident; and
(xiii) service plans of other residents, if requested by DADS.
(D) A facility must meet the following criteria to receive a waiver from DADS:
(i) The emergency plan submitted in accordance with subparagraph (C)(iv) of this paragraph
must ensure that:
(I) staff is adequately trained;
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(II) a sufficient number of staff is on all shifts to move all residents to a place of safety;
(III) residents will be moved to appropriate locations, given health and safety issues;
(IV) all possible locations of fire origin areas and the necessity for full evacuation of the building
are addressed;
(V) the fire alarm signal is adequate;
(VI) there is an effective method for warning residents and staff during a malfunction of the
building fire alarm system;
(VII) there is a method to effectively communicate the actual location of the fire; and
(VIII) the plan satisfies any other safety concerns that could have an effect on the residents’
safety in the event of a fire; and
(ii) the emergency plan will not have an adverse effect on other residents of the facility who have
waivers of evacuation or who have special needs that require staff assistance.
(E) DADS reviews the documentation submitted under this subsection and notifies the facility in
writing of its determination to grant or deny the waiver within 10 working days after the date the
request is received in the DADS regional office.
(F) Upon notification that DADS has granted the evacuation waiver, the facility must
immediately initiate all provisions of the proposed emergency plan. If the facility does not follow
the emergency plan, and there are health and safety concerns that are not addressed, DADS may
determine that there is an immediate threat to the health or safety of a resident.
(G) DADS reviews a waiver of evacuation during the facility’s annual renewal licensing
inspection.
(3) If a DADS surveyor determines that a resident is inappropriately placed at a facility and the
facility either agrees with the determination or fails to obtain the written statements or waiver
required in this subsection, the facility must discharge the resident.
(A) The resident is allowed 30 days after the date of notice of discharge to move from the
facility.
(B) A discharge required under this subsection must be made notwithstanding:
(i) any other law, including any law relating to the rights of residents and any obligations
imposed under the Property Code; and
(ii) the terms of any contract.
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(4) If a facility is required to discharge the resident because the facility has not submitted the
written statements required by paragraph (1) of this subsection to the DADS regional office, or
DADS denies the waiver as described in paragraph (2) of this subsection, DADS may:
(A) assess an administrative penalty if DADS determines the facility has intentionally or
repeatedly disregarded the waiver process because the resident is still residing in the facility
when DADS conducts a future onsite visit; or
(B) seek other sanctions, including an emergency suspension or closing order, against the facility
under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 247, Subchapter C (relating to General
Enforcement), if DADS determines there is a significant risk and immediate threat to the health
and safety of a resident of the facility.
(5) The facility’s disclosure statement must notify the resident and resident’s legally authorized
representative of the waiver process described in this section and the facility’s policies and
procedures for aging in place.
(6) After the first year of employment and no later than the anniversary date of the facility
manager’s hire date, the manager must show evidence of annual completion of DADS training on
aging in place and retaliation.
(g) Advance directives.
(1) The facility must maintain written policies regarding the implementation of advance
directives. The policies must include a clear and precise statement of any procedure the facility is
unwilling or unable to provide or withhold in accordance with an advance directive.
(2) The facility must provide written notice of these policies to residents at the time they are
admitted to receive services from the facility.
(A) If, at the time notice is to be provided, the resident is incompetent or otherwise incapacitated
and unable to receive the notice, the facility must provide the written notice, in the following
order of preference, to:
(i) the resident’s legal guardian;
(ii) a person responsible for the resident’s health care decisions;
(iii) the resident’s spouse;
(iv) the resident’s adult child;
(v) the resident’s parents; or
(vi) the person admitting the resident.
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(B) If the facility is unable, after diligent search, to locate an individual listed under
subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the facility is not required to give notice.
(3) If a resident who was incompetent or otherwise incapacitated and unable to receive notice
regarding the facility’s advance directives policies later becomes able to receive the notice, the
facility must provide the written notice at the time the resident becomes able to receive the
notice.
(4) Failure to inform the resident of facility policies regarding the implementation of advance
directives will result in an administrative penalty of $500.
(A) Facilities will receive written notice of the recommendation for an administrative penalty.
(B) Within 20 days after the date on which written notice is sent to a facility, the facility must
give written consent to the penalty or make written request for a hearing to the Texas Health and
Human Services Commission.
(C) Hearings will be held in accordance with the formal hearing procedures at 1 TAC Chapter
357, Subchapter I (relating to Hearings Under the Administrative Procedures Act).
(h) Resident records.
(1) Records that pertain to residents must be treated as confidential and properly safeguarded
from unauthorized use, loss, or destruction.
(2) Resident records must contain:
(A) information contained in the facility’s standard and customary admission form;
(B) a record of the resident’s assessments;
(C) the resident’s service plan;
(D) physician’s orders, if any;
(E) any advance directives;
(F) documentation of a health examination by a physician performed within 30 days before
admission or 14 days after admission, unless a transferring hospital or facility has a physical
examination in the medical record. Christian Scientists are excluded from this requirement;
(G) documentation by health care professionals of any services delivered in accordance with the
licensing, certification, or other regulatory standards applicable to the health care professional
under law; and
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(H) a copy of the most recent court order appointing a guardian of a resident or a resident’s estate
and letters of guardianship that the facility received in response to the request made in
accordance with §92.42 of this subchapter (relating to Guardianship Record Requirements).
(3) Records must be available to residents, their legal representatives, and DADS staff.
(i) Personnel records. An assisted living facility must keep current and complete personnel
records on a facility employee for review by DADS staff including:
(1) documentation that the facility performed a criminal history check;
(2) an annual employee misconduct registry check;
(3) an annual nurse aide registry check;
(4) documentation of initial tuberculosis screenings referenced in subsection (n) of this section;
(5) documentation of the employee’s compliance with or exemption from the facility vaccination
policy referenced in subsection (r) of this section; and
(6) the signed statement from the employee referenced in §92.102 of this chapter acknowledging
that the employee may be criminally liable for the failure to report abuse, neglect and
exploitation.
(j) Medications.
(1) Administration. Medications must be administered according to physician’s orders.
(A) Residents who choose not to or cannot self-administer their medications must have their
medications administered by a person who:
(i) holds a current license under state law that authorizes the licensee to administer medication;
or
(ii) holds a current medication aide permit and acts under the authority of a person who holds a
current nursing license under state law that authorizes the licensee to administer medication. A
medication aide must function under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse on duty or on call
by the facility.
(iii) is an employee of the facility to whom the administration of medication has been delegated
by a registered nurse, who has trained them to administer medications or verified their training.
The delegation of the administration of medication is governed by 22 TAC Chapter 225
(concerning RN Delegation to Unlicensed Personnel and Tasks Not Requiring Delegation in
Independent Living Environments for Clients with Stable and Predictable Conditions), which
implements the Nursing Practice Act.
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(B) All resident’s prescribed medication must be dispensed through a pharmacy or by the
resident’s treating physician or dentist.
(C) Physician sample medications may be given to a resident by the facility provided the
medication has specific dosage instructions for the individual resident.
(D) Each resident’s medications must be listed on an individual resident’s medication profile
record. The recorded information obtained from the prescription label must include, but is not
limited to, the medication:
(i) name;
(ii) strength;
(iii) dosage;
(iv) amount received;
(v) directions for use;
(vi) route of administration;
(vii) prescription number;
(viii) pharmacy name; and
(ix) the date each medication was issued by the pharmacy.
(2) Supervision. Supervision of a resident’s medication regimen by facility staff may be provided
to residents who are incapable of self-administering without assistance to include and limited to:
(A) reminders to take their medications at the prescribed time;
(B) opening containers or packages and replacing lids;
(C) pouring prescribed dosage according to medication profile record;
(D) returning medications to the proper locked areas;
(E) obtaining medications from a pharmacy; and
(F) listing on an individual resident’s medication profile record the medication:
(i) name;
(ii) strength;
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(iii) dosage;
(iv) amount received;
(v) directions for use;
(vi) route of administration;
(vii) prescription number;
(viii) pharmacy name; and
(ix) the date each medication was issued by the pharmacy.
(3) Self-administration.
(A) Residents who self-administer their own medications and keep them locked in their room
must be counseled at least once a month by facility staff to ascertain if the residents continue to
be capable of self-administering their medications/treatments and if security of medications can
continue to be maintained. The facility must keep a written record of counseling.
(B) Residents who choose to keep their medications locked in the central medication storage area
may be permitted entrance or access to the area for the purpose of self-administering their own
medication/treatment regimen. A facility staff member must remain in or at the storage area the
entire time any resident is present.
(4) General.
(A) Facility staff will immediately report to the resident’s physician and responsible party any
unusual reactions to medications or treatments.
(B) When the facility supervises or administers the medications, a written record must be kept
when the resident does not receive or take his/her medications/treatments as prescribed. The
documentation must include the date and time the dose should have been taken, and the name
and strength of medication missed; however, the recording of missed doses of medication does
not apply when the resident is away from the assisted living facility.
(5) Storage.
(A) The facility must provide a locked area for all medications. Examples of areas include, but
are not limited to:
(i) central storage area;
(ii) medication cart; and
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(iii) resident room.
(B) Each resident’s medication must be stored separately from other resident’s medications
within the storage area.
(C) A refrigerator must have a designated and locked storage area for medications that require
refrigeration, unless it is inside a locked medication room.
(D) Poisonous substances and medications labeled for “external use only” must be stored
separately within the locked medication area.
(E) If facilities store controlled drugs, facility policies and procedures must address the
prevention of the diversion of the controlled drugs.
(6) Disposal.
(A) Medications no longer being used by the resident for the following reasons are to be kept
separate from current medications and are to be disposed of by a registered pharmacist licensed
in the State of Texas:
(i) medications discontinued by order of the physician;
(ii) medications that remain after a resident is deceased; or
(iii) medications that have passed the expiration date.
(B) Needles and hypodermic syringes with needles attached must be disposed as required by 25
TAC §§1.131-1.137 (relating to Definition, Treatment, and Disposition of Special Waste from
Health Care-Related Facilities).
(C) Medications kept in a central storage area are released to discharged residents when a receipt
has been signed by the resident or responsible party.
(k) Accident, injury, or acute illness.
(1) In the event of accident or injury that requires emergency medical, dental or nursing care, or
in the event of apparent death, the assisted living facility will:
(A) make arrangements for emergency care and/or transfer to an appropriate place for treatment,
such as a physician’s office, clinic, or hospital;
(B) immediately notify the resident’s physician and next of kin, responsible party, or agency who
placed the resident in the facility; and
(C) describe and document the injury, accident, or illness on a separate report. The report must
contain a statement of final disposition and be maintained on file.
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(2) The facility must stock and maintain in a single location first aid supplies to treat burns, cuts,
and poisoning.
(3) Residents who need the services of professional nursing or medical personnel due to a
temporary illness or injury may have those services delivered by persons qualified to deliver the
necessary service.
(l) Resident finances. The assisted living facility must keep a simple financial record on all
charges billed to the resident for care and these records must be available to DADS. If the
resident entrusts the handling of any personal finances to the assisted living facility, a simple
financial record must be maintained to document accountability for receipts and expenditures,
and these records must be available to DADS. Receipts for payments from residents or family
members must be issued upon request.
(m) Food and nutrition services.
(1) A person designated by the facility is responsible for the total food service of the facility.
(2) At least three meals or their equivalent must be served daily, at regular times, with no more
than a 16-hour span between a substantial evening meal and breakfast the following morning. All
exceptions must be specifically approved by DADS.
(3) Menus must be planned one week in advance and must be followed. Variations from the
posted menus must be documented. Menus must be prepared to provide a balanced and nutritious
diet, such as that recommended by the National Food and Nutrition Board. Food must be
palatable and varied. Records of menus as served must be filed and maintained for 30 days after
the date of serving.
(4) Therapeutic diets as ordered by the resident’s physician must be provided according to the
service plan. Therapeutic diets that cannot customarily be prepared by a layperson must be
calculated by a qualified dietician. Therapeutic diets that can customarily be prepared by a
person in a family setting may be served by the assisted living facility.
(5) Supplies of staple foods for a minimum of a four-day period and perishable foods for a
minimum of a one-day period must be maintained on the premises.
(6) Food must be obtained from sources that comply with all laws relating to food and food
labeling. If food, subject to spoilage, is removed from its original container, it must be kept
sealed, and labeled. Food subject to spoilage must also be dated.
(7) Plastic containers with tight fitting lids are acceptable for storage of staple foods in the
pantry.
(8) Potentially hazardous food, such as meat and milk products, must be stored at 45 degrees
Fahrenheit or below. Hot food must be kept at 140 degrees Fahrenheit or above during
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preparation and serving. Food that is reheated must be heated to a minimum of 165 degrees
Fahrenheit.
(9) Freezers must be kept at a temperature of 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below and refrigerators
must be 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Thermometers must be placed in the warmest area of
the refrigerator and freezer to assure proper temperature.
(10) Food must be prepared and served with the least possible manual contact, with suitable
utensils, and on surfaces that have been cleaned, rinsed, and sanitized before use to prevent
cross-contamination.
(11) Facilities must prepare food in accordance with established food preparation practices and
safety techniques.
(12) A food service employee, while infected with a communicable disease that can be
transmitted by foods, or who is a carrier of organisms that cause such a disease or while afflicted
with a boil, an infected wound, or an acute respiratory infection, must not work in the food
service area in any capacity in which there is a likelihood of such person contaminating food or
food-contact surfaces with pathogenic organisms or transmitting disease to other persons.
(13) Effective hair restraints must be worn to prevent the contamination of food.
(14) Tobacco products must not be used in the food preparation and service areas.
(15) Kitchen employees must wash their hands before returning to work after using the lavatory.
(16) Dishwashing chemicals used in the kitchen may be stored in plastic containers if they are
the original containers in which the manufacturer packaged the chemicals.
(17) Sanitary dishwashing procedures and techniques must be followed.
(18) Facilities that house 17 or more residents must comply with 25 TAC Chapter 228,
Subchapters A-J (relating to Texas Food Establishment rules) and local health ordinances or
requirements must be observed in the storage, preparation, and distribution of food; in the
cleaning of dishes, equipment, and work area; and in the storage and disposal of waste.
(n) Infection control.
(1) Each facility must establish and maintain an infection control policy and procedure
designated to provide a safe, sanitary, and comfortable environment and to help prevent the
development and transmission of disease and infection.
(2) The facility must comply with departmental rules regarding special waste in 25 TAC
§§1.131-1.137.
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(3) The name of any resident of a facility with a reportable disease as specified in 25 TAC
§§97.1-97.13 (relating to Control of Communicable Diseases) must be reported immediately to
the city health officer, county health officer, or health unit director having jurisdiction, and
appropriate infection control procedures must be implemented as directed by the local health
authority.
(4) The facility must have written policies for the control of communicable disease in employees
and residents, which includes tuberculosis (TB) screening and provision of a safe and sanitary
environment for residents and employees.
(A) If employees contract a communicable disease that is transmissible to residents through food
handling or direct resident care, the employee must be excluded from providing these services as
long as a period of communicability is present.
(B) The facility must maintain evidence of compliance with local and/or state health codes or
ordinances regarding employee and resident health status.
(C) The facility must screen all employees for TB within two weeks of employment and
annually, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) screening guidelines.
All persons who provide services under an outside resource contract must, upon request of the
facility, provide evidence of compliance with this requirement.
(D) All residents should be screened upon admission and after exposure to TB, in accordance
with the attending physician’s recommendations and CDC guidelines.
(5) Personnel must handle, store, process, and transport linens so as to prevent the spread of
infection.
(6) Universal precautions must be used in the care of all residents.
(o) Access to residents. The facility must allow an employee of DADS or an employee of a local
authority into the facility as necessary to provide services to a resident.
(p) Restraints. All restraints for purposes of behavioral management, staff convenience, or
resident discipline are prohibited. Seclusion is prohibited.
(1) As provided in §92.125(a)(3) of this chapter (relating to Resident’s Bill of Rights and
Provider Bill of Rights), a facility may use physical or chemical restraints only:
(A) if the use is authorized in writing by a physician and specifies:
(i) the circumstances under which a restraint may be used; and
(ii) the duration for which the restraint may be used; or
(B) if the use is necessary in an emergency to protect the resident or others from injury.
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(2) A behavioral emergency is a situation in which severely aggressive, destructive, violent, or
self-injurious behavior exhibited by a resident:
(A) poses a substantial risk of imminent probable death of, or substantial bodily harm to, the
resident or others;
(B) has not abated in response to attempted preventive de-escalatory or redirection techniques;
(C) could not reasonably have been anticipated; and
(D) is not addressed in the resident’s service plan.
(3) Except in a behavioral emergency, a restraint must be administered only by qualified medical
personnel.
(4) A restraint must not be administered under any circumstance if it:
(A) obstructs the resident’s airway, including a procedure that places anything in, on, or over the
resident’s mouth or nose;
(B) impairs the resident’s breathing by putting pressure on the resident’s torso;
(C) interferes with the resident’s ability to communicate; or
(D) places the resident in a prone or supine position.
(5) If a facility uses a restraint hold in a circumstance described in paragraph (2) of this
subsection, the facility must use an acceptable restraint hold.
(A) An acceptable restraint hold is a hold in which the individual’s limbs are held close to the
body to limit or prevent movement and that does not violate the provisions of paragraph (4) of
this subsection.
(B) After the use of restraint, the facility must:
(i) with the resident’s consent, make an appointment with the resident’s physician no later than
the end of the first working day after the use of restraint and document in the resident’s record
that the appointment was made; or
(ii) if the resident refuses to see the physician, document the refusal in the resident’s record.
(C) As soon as possible but no later than 24 hours after the use of restraint, the facility must
notify one of the following persons, if there is such a person, that the resident has been
restrained:
(i) the resident’s legally authorized representative; or
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(ii) an individual actively involved in the resident’s care, unless the release of this information
would violate other law.
(D) If, under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, the facility is a “covered
entity,” as defined in 45 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §160.103, any notification provided
under subparagraph (C)(ii) of this paragraph must be to a person to whom the facility is allowed
to release information under 45 CFR §164.510.
(6) In order to decrease the frequency of the use of restraint, facility staff must be aware of and
adhere to the findings of the resident assessment required in subsection (c) of this section for
each resident.
(7) A facility may adopt policies that allow less use of restraint than allowed by the rules of this
chapter.
(8) A facility must not discharge or otherwise retaliate against:
(A) an employee, resident, or other person because the employee, resident, or other person files a
complaint, presents a grievance, or otherwise provides in good faith information relating to the
misuse of restraint or seclusion at the facility; or
(B) a resident because someone on behalf of the resident files a complaint, presents a grievance,
or otherwise provides in good faith information relating to the misuse of restraint or seclusion at
the facility.
(q) Accreditation status. If a license holder uses an on-site accreditation survey by an
accreditation commission instead of a licensing survey by DADS, as provided in §92.11(c)(2)
and §92.15(j) of this chapter (relating to Criteria for Licensing; and Renewal Procedures and
Qualifications), the license holder must provide written notification to DADS within five
working days after the license holder receives a notice of change in accreditation status from the
accreditation commission. The license holder must include a copy of the notice of change with
its written notification to DADS.
(r) Vaccine Preventable Diseases.
(1) Effective September 1, 2012, a facility must develop and implement a policy to protect a
resident from vaccine preventable diseases in accordance with Texas Health and Safety Code,
Chapter 224.
(2) The policy must:
(A) require an employee or a contractor providing direct care to a resident to receive vaccines for
the vaccine preventable diseases specified by the facility based on the level of risk the employee
or contractor presents to residents by the employee’s or contractor’s routine and direct exposure
to residents;
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(B) specify the vaccines an employee or contractor is required to receive in accordance with
paragraph (1) of this subsection;
(C) include procedures for the facility to verify that an employee or contractor has complied with
the policy;
(D) include procedures for the facility to exempt an employee or contractor from the required
vaccines for the medical conditions identified as contraindications or precautions by the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention;
(E) for an employee or contractor who is exempt from the required vaccines, include procedures
the employee or contractor must follow to protect residents from exposure to disease, such as the
use of protective equipment, such as gloves and masks, based on the level of risk the employee
or contractor presents to residents by the employee’s or contractor’s routine and direct exposure
to residents;
(F) prohibit discrimination or retaliatory action against an employee or contractor who is exempt
from the required vaccines for the medical conditions identified as contraindications or
precautions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, except that required use of
protective medical equipment, such as gloves and masks, may not be considered retaliatory
action;
(G) require the facility to maintain a written or electronic record of each employee’s or
contractor’s compliance with or exemption from the policy;
(H) include disciplinary actions the facility may take against an employee or contractor who fails
to comply with the policy.
(3) The policy may:
(A) include procedures for an employee or contractor to be exempt from the required vaccines
based on reasons of conscience, including religious beliefs; and
(B) prohibit an employee or contractor who is exempt from the required vaccines from having
contact with residents during a public health disaster, as defined in Texas Health and Safety
Code, §81.003 (relating to Communicable Diseases).
(s) A DADS employee must not retaliate against an assisted living facility, an employee of an
assisted living facility, or a person in control of an assisted living facility for:
(1) complaining about the conduct of a DADS employee;
(2) disagreeing with a DADS employee about the existence of a violation of this chapter or a rule
adopted under this chapter; or
(3) asserting a right under state or federal law