Start a Board & Care Home
As the population ages, the need for facilities that offer care for the elderly and disabled increases. The needs vary from intensive full-time nursing care to minor assistance for people who are, for the most part, independent. Board and care homes operate for a wide range of populations, including the mentally and physically challenged, and elderly people in various stages of mental and physical health. Starting a board and care home requires attention to details and laws and regulations, provides a needed service and opens career avenues for a dedicated staff.
Instructions
1. Consider the number of clients you want to accommodate at your board and care home. Some serve four to six residents while others serve many more.
2. Decide which segment of the population your board and care home can serve. Elderly, mentally challenged and physically disabled individuals need assisted care. Your board and care facility should direct its services toward one type of need. Speak to social workers (contact the social services department of the local municipality of your county) and describe your plan, asking for advice and suggestions. Decide whether your facility will offer long-term or short-term care.
3. Consider how your board and care home will operate on a day-to-day basis. Will it offer any assistance with daily living activities? What level of assistance will the staff give? Will the facility employ medical personnel for medical care? What kind of support systems in the community can you draw on, such as medical clinics, community centers or classes and continuing education courses? Is there public transportation available for residents who may wish to use it?
4. Hire the staff. Applicants for medical roles must maintain state certification for their professions. Each state's health department (licensing division) administers licenses for medical practitioners. Verify licenses of candidates applying to work in any medical capacity. Depending on which state your board and care home operates, non-medical staff may need certification too. Determine the licensing requirements of non-medical staff through the licensing division of the state's department of social services (DSS), sometimes known as human services or human resources.
5. Learn the state licensing requirements for starting a board and care home. Regulations vary from state to state. Contact the relevant state's DSS to ascertain the state's requirements. Download the forms from the licensing division of the DSS site to apply for a license for the board and care home. DSS license applications will inquire about the home's intended location, its anticipated size, planned staffing and funding sources. Attach all relevant zoning approvals and building code approvals to the application. Prove that the board and care home meets all requirements for handicapped access and maintains all necessary safety features.
6. Buy or build a facility for the the board and care home. Apply for a business license from the local county or municipal government for the operation of a residential care facility. Apply for zoning approval from the local county or municipal government.
7. Register the board and care home with the Social Security Administration and Medicaid to become eligible to accept residents through Supplemental Social Security benefits and Medicaid. SSI and Medicaid refer clients to state-licensed board and care homes. List the board and care home with insurance companies. Insurance companies rely on Medicaid approval of board and care homes when referring clients to a facility.
8. Set up financial and administrative accounting procedures for the board and care home. Prepare procedures to bill clients and their insurance companies as well as any governmental agencies which pay for residents' care. Register the board and care home with the IRS for tax purposes as well as the State Treasury Department for state taxes. Obtain an Employee Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS for each employee of the board and care home.
9. Begin advertising for clients. Alert the local Medicaid and state DSS offices about the operation of the board and care home in the area. Notify insurance companies about the board and care home. Place advertisements in local newspapers. Hang up flyers in community centers, churches, hospitals doctor's offices and other locations where potential clients and their families may gather.
10. Investigate state requirements for staff training. Some states require yearly retraining sessions for board and care home staff. Locate accredited courses for the retraining sessions through the DSS.
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