Assisted living in Pennsylvania: how it is licensed.
Who licenses assisted living in Pennsylvania, and what to check before you choose.
What Pennsylvania calls it
In Pennsylvania, assisted living is licensed under the term “Personal Care Home and Assisted Living Residence”. Other states use different names, so it helps to know the exact term when you search.
Who licenses and inspects
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Bureau of Human Services Licensing is the agency that licenses these communities. It is the official place to check a community’s license and inspection history.
Paying for care
Medicare generally does not cover long term custodial care.
Pennsylvania's Community HealthChoices program, run by the Department of Human Services, coordinates long-term supports for eligible adults 21 and older to help them stay in their homes and communities. Eligibility rules apply, including dual Medicare and Medicaid enrollment or receipt of certain waiver services.
Checking a community
A Human Services Provider Directory searchable by ZIP, county or region that shows the size and licensing status of each personal care home and assisted living residence.
Help and complaints
Pennsylvania Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program supports residents of long term care and their families.
Also worth knowing in Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services states that it inspects each personal care home and assisted living residence annually and investigates complaints and unusual incidents.
Questions
Who regulates assisted living in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Bureau of Human Services Licensing.