North Carolina's Adult Care Home
Star Rated Certificate Program

 

The Division of Health Service Regulation (DHSR) handles oversight and regulation of all Assisted Living Facilities in North Carolina. This includes Adult Care Homes and Family Care Homes.

courtesy Division of Health Service Regulation

In response to requests of North Carolina citizens for increased availability of public information regarding the care provided in adult care facilities, they have developed a state Star Rated Certificate Program for Assisted Living facilities (specifically Adult Care Homes and Family Care Homes) to assist families in their search for quality care in long-term care facilities.

The rules for the program were created by the NC Medical Care Commission with input from residents and families in Adult Care Homes, advocacy groups, providers, and others. This rating system is based on an evaluation of a home's compliance with minimum standards defined in state rules and is based on a 100 point scale.  All facilities start with 100 points.  Facilities are not compared with each other. They are evaluated based on their compliance with state rules and regulations. The highest rating that an Adult Care Home can receive is 4 stars, after scoring 100 or greater points on two consecutive annual surveys.  

Facilities are required to post their Star Rating certificate in a visible location. The facility is also required to make available information provided by DHSR regarding the basis of the rating. It is important to note that although the Star Rating program began on January 1, 2009, facilities will not receive a Star Rating until after their first annual inspection in 2009. Since no facility can receive 4 stars until they have scored 100 or greater points on two consecutive annual surveys, it will be 2010 before a facility could receive 4 stars. Also, please note that if a facility is surveyed late in 2009, the survey results may not be posted until 2010. Contact the DHSR if you have questions about the Star Rating of a facility you are researching. As the program continues, the DHSR will post the ratings on their website.

Below, you will find a link to the location of the ratings. Check back as time goes on. The portion of the site that will show the ratings will not go online until the first ratings are ready to post. However, you will be able to find out the most current information on the Star Rating Program.

 

The ratings are based on the results of annual and follow-up survey inspections by state surveyors, and findings by the local county Department of Social Services which have been reviewed and concurred with by the Division of Health Service Regulation (DHSR).  Demerit points are subtracted from a facility’s rating score for citations and violations of non-compliance cited during an inspection.  Demerit points may also be issued if action is taken by DHSR against a facility’s license.

Specific areas to be reviewed include:

• Admission and discharge procedures
• Medication management
• Physical plant
• Resident care and services, including food services, resident activities programs, and safety measures
• Residents' rights
• Sanitation grade
• Special Care Units
• Use of physical restraints and alternatives

 

Facilities can receive merit points, which will positively affect their ratings, for correcting deficiencies and violations and for installing or contracting for a power backup generator or participating in a quality improvement program. A facility may request a follow-up inspection not less than 60 days after the date of the annual inspection if a facility receives citations on its annual inspection with no Type A or Type B violations and the rating from the annual inspection is one or zero stars. Follow-up inspections will be completed depending upon Division of Health Service Regulation staff availability.

 

	100 or more points on 2 consecutive annual surveys
	90.0-99.9 points & the facility must have a score of 100 points or greater on one annual inspection
	80.0-89.9 points
	70.0-79.9 points

* courtesy NC DHSR

 

How to Use This Star Rating System

It would be easy, as a caregiver, to use the star rating system as the sole way to determine quality care. You may be stressed. You may be dealing with more than you feel comfortable handling. It would be easy. However, the best way to use the system is to combine it with other methods of evaluation. Visit the facility. Talk to residents. Use a checklist to help you remember all the various things to look for and to evaluate. Consult with your Ombudsman and/or consult with the county Adult Homes Specialist who monitors the facility on a regular basis (contact your local Department of Social Services to find out the name of the specialist). Using all the tools available to you when making your choice will help to ensure the best possible experience for your family member as he or she transitions to a new living arrangement.

 

 

For questions about this process or how to interpret or use the rating , contact the Division of Health Service Regulation's Star Program Administrator, your county Department of Social Services, or your Ombudsman.

 

 

Copyright © 2001-2010, Triangle J Area Agency on Aging