The Requirements for Starting Up an Assisted Living Home

The requirements for starting up an assisted living home are state specific. Most assisted living homes accommodate clients between the ages of 18 and 59 who may require help with day-to-day tasks. The requirements may vary depending on how many clients you plan to service and the size of your assisted living home. After completing a few steps, you can begin meeting the requirements for your assisted living facility.

Set Up Your Business Structure

• Retain a skilled CPA or tax attorney to advise you about your new business.

  Obtain a state issued license, and register to operate. You must decide how you will structure your business to operate as an assisted living facility. A qualified accountant or legal representative can assist you in determining if you will benefit most by incorporating, functioning as a nonprofit or operating as a sole proprietorship.

Attend State Training and Information Sessions

• Your state requires that you attend training and informational sessions through its licensing division. At these sessions, you can ask questions and receive packets of information about getting started in the licensing process. A small fee is generally associated with attending, but your local department of family and child services can give you the required fees for your state.

Decide Where to House Your Clients

• The qualifications process is simple but can be time consuming.

  You will need to know how many clients you will assist and where you will house them before beginning the qualifications process. Determine if you will purchase a commercial building or convert a private home. Whichever you choose, it must undergo a series of inspections before receiving a license to operate.

Have Money in the Bank for Expenses

• Most states require you have three to six months verifiable operational expenses set aside to keep your assisted living home afloat. Your business adviser can better assist you with completing your financial projections and determining exactly how much to keep in your business account to operate your assisted living home.

Start Searching for Skilled Personnel

• State licensing agencies also maintain a list of qualified personnel you can contact.

  Seek qualified personnel who are reliable and pass background checks. Your state requires you employ a specific number of qualified employees based on the size of your home and the number of clients you care for. Because of the nature of this type of business, states require a thorough background check on each employee you hire.