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What should I ask a facility in Smithfield about its 'admission and retention' policy?

Adult care homes operate under 10A NCAC 13F rules governing which residents they may admit and continue to serve based on assessed level of care — fac

Quick answer

Adult care homes operate under 10A NCAC 13F rules governing which residents they may admit and continue to serve based on assessed level of care — facilities are generally required to use a state-approved assessment (commonly the FL-2 medical form completed by a physician) to determine whether a resident's needs fall within what the facility is licensed and staffed to provide, and to discharge or transfer residents whose needs exceed that scope. Ask the facility directly what level-of-care threshold would trigger a required move, since this varies by facility and by whether the resident is in a general unit or a licensed Special Care Unit.

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Answer

Adult care homes operate under 10A NCAC 13F rules governing which residents they may admit and continue to serve based on assessed level of care — facilities are generally required to use a state-approved assessment (commonly the FL-2 medical form completed by a physician) to determine whether a resident's needs fall within what the facility is licensed and staffed to provide, and to discharge or transfer residents whose needs exceed that scope. Ask the facility directly what level-of-care threshold would trigger a required move, since this varies by facility and by whether the resident is in a general unit or a licensed Special Care Unit.

What this means in practice

Smithfield, the Johnston County seat and home to UNC Health Johnston's main hospital campus, has a concentration of the county's adult care homes and nursing facilities, and families there often don't realize that an adult care home license comes with real limits on the level of care the facility can legally continue to provide. As a resident's needs increase — for example, if they develop needs requiring more intensive nursing care than an adult care home license permits — NC's rules require the facility to reassess whether it can still meet those needs safely, which can eventually mean a transfer to a nursing facility. Asking specifically about this admission/retention threshold before move-in, rather than assuming assisted living is a permanent placement, helps a Smithfield family plan for the possibility of a future transition to skilled nursing care.

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What should I ask a facility in Smithfield about its 'admission and retention' policy?

Adult care homes operate under 10A NCAC 13F rules governing which residents they may admit and continue to serve based on assessed level of care — facilities are generally required to use a state-approved assessment (commonly the FL-2 medical form completed by a physician) to determine whether a resident's needs fall within what the facility is licensed and staffed to provide, and to discharge or transfer residents whose needs exceed that scope. Ask the facility directly what level-of-care threshold would trigger a required move, since this varies by facility and by whether the resident is in a general unit or a licensed Special Care Unit.

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