59A-36.010. Staffing Standards

(1) ADMINISTRATORS. Every facility must be under the supervision of an administrator who is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the facility including the management of all staff and the provision of appropriate care to all residents as required by chapters 408, part II, 429, part I, F.S., and rule chapter 59A-35, F.A.C., and this rule chapter.

(a) An administrator must:

1. Be at least 21 years of age;

2. If employed on or after October 30, 1995, have, at a minimum, a high school diploma or G.E.D.;

3. Be in compliance with Level 2 background screening requirements pursuant to sections 408.809 and 429.174, F.S.;

4. Complete the core training and core competency test requirements pursuant to rule 59A-36.011, F.A.C., no later than 90 days after becoming employed as a facility administrator. Administrators who attended core training prior to July 1, 1997, are not required to take the competency test unless specified elsewhere in this rule; and,

5. Satisfy the continuing education requirements pursuant to rule 59A-36.011, F.A.C. Administrators who are not in compliance with these requirements must retake the core training and core competency test requirements in effect on the date the non-compliance is discovered by the agency or the department.

(b) In the event of extenuating circumstances, such as the death of a facility administrator, the agency may permit an individual who otherwise has not satisfied the training requirements of subparagraph (1)(a)4. of this rule, to temporarily serve as the facility administrator for a period not to exceed 90 days. During the 90 day period, the individual temporarily serving as facility administrator must:

1. Complete the core training and core competency test requirements pursuant to rule 59A-36.011, F.A.C.; and,

2. Complete all additional training requirements if the facility maintains licensure as an extended congregate care or limited mental health facility.

(c) Administrators may supervise a maximum of either three assisted living facilities or a group of facilities on a single campus providing housing and health care Administrators who supervise more than one facility must appoint in writing a separate manager for each facility. However, an administrator supervising a maximum of three assisted living facilities, each licensed for 16 or fewer beds and all within a 15 mile radius of each other, is only required to appoint two managers to assist in the operation and maintenance of those facilities.

(d) An individual serving as a manager must satisfy the same qualifications, background screening, core training and competency test requirements, and continuing education requirements as an administrator pursuant to paragraph (1)(a) of this rule. Managers who attended the core training program prior to April 20, 1998, are not required to take the competency test unless specified elsewhere in this rule. In addition, a manager may not serve as a manager of more than a single facility, except as provided in paragraph (1)(c) of this rule, and may not simultaneously serve as an administrator of any other facility.

(e) Pursuant to section 429.176, F.S., facility owners must notify the Agency Central Office within 10 days of a change in facility administrator on the Notification of Change of Administrator form, AHCA Form 3180-1006, June 2016, which is incorporated by reference and available online at: http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-09393.

(2) STAFF.

(a) Within 30 days after beginning employment, newly hired staff must submit a written statement from a health care provider documenting that the individual does not have any signs or symptoms of communicable disease. The examination performed by the health care provider must have been conducted no earlier than 6 months before submission of the statement. Newly hired staff does not include an employee transferring without a break in service from one facility to another when the facility is under the same management or ownership.

1. Evidence of a negative tuberculosis examination must be documented on an annual basis. Documentation provided by the Florida Department of Health or a licensed health care provider certifying that there is a shortage of tuberculosis testing materials satisfies the annual tuberculosis examination requirement. An individual with a positive tuberculosis test must submit a health care provider’s statement that the individual does not constitute a risk of communicating tuberculosis.

2. If any staff member has, or is suspected of having, a communicable disease, such individual must be immediately removed from duties until a written statement is submitted from a health care provider indicating that the individual does not constitute a risk of transmitting a communicable disease.

(b) Staff must be qualified to perform their assigned duties consistent with their level of education, training, preparation, and experience. Staff providing services requiring licensing or certification must be appropriately licensed or certified. All staff must exercise their responsibilities, consistent with their qualifications, to observe residents, to document observations on the appropriate resident’s record, and to report the observations to the resident’s health care provider in accordance with this rule chapter.

(c) All staff must comply with the training requirements of rule 59A-36.011, F.A.C.

(d) An assisted living facility contracting to provide services to residents must ensure that individuals providing services are qualified to perform their assigned duties in accordance with this rule chapter. The contract between the facility and the staffing agency or contractor must specifically describe the services the staffing agency or contractor will provide to residents.

(e) For facilities with a licensed capacity of 17 or more residents, the facility must:

1. Develop a written job description for each staff position and provide a copy of the job description to each staff member; and,

2. Maintain time sheets for all staff.

(f) Level 2 background screening must be conducted for staff, including staff contracted by the facility to provide services to residents, pursuant to sections 408.809 and 429.174, F.S.

(3) STAFFING STANDARDS.

(a) Minimum staffing:

1. Facilities must maintain the following minimum staff hours per week:

Number of Residents, Day Care Participants, and Respite Care Residents	Staff Hours/Week
0-5	168
6-15	212
16- 25	253
26-35	294
36-45	335
46-55	375
56- 65	416
66-75	457
76-85	498
86-95	539

For every 20 total combined residents, day care participants, and respite care residents over 95 add 42 staff hours per week.

2. Independent living residents, as referenced in subsection 59A-36.015(3), F.A.C., who occupy beds included within the licensed capacity of an assisted living facility but do not receive personal, limited nursing, or extended congregate care services, are not counted as residents for purposes of computing minimum staff hours.

3. At least one staff member who has access to facility and resident records in case of an emergency must be in the facility at all times when residents are in the facility. Residents serving as paid or volunteer staff may not be left solely in charge of other residents while the facility administrator, manager or other staff are absent from the facility.

4. In facilities with 17 or more residents, there must be at least one staff member awake at all hours of the day and night.

5. A staff member who has completed courses in First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and holds a currently valid card documenting completion of such courses must be in the facility at all times.

a. Documentation of attendance at First Aid or CPR courses pursuant to subsection 59A-36.011(5), F.A.C., satisfies this requirement.

b. A nurse is considered as having met the course requirements for First Aid. An emergency medical technician or paramedic currently certified under chapter 401, part III, F.S., is considered as having met the course requirements for both First Aid and CPR.

6. During periods of temporary absence of the administrator or manager of more than 48 hours when residents are on the premises, a staff member who is at least 21 years of age must be physically present and designated in writing to be in charge of the facility. No staff member shall be in charge of a facility for a consecutive period of 21 days or more, or for a total of 60 days within a calendar year, without being an administrator or manager.

7. Staff whose duties are exclusively building or grounds maintenance, clerical, or food preparation do not count towards meeting the minimum staffing hours requirement.

8. The administrator or manager’s time may be counted for the purpose of meeting the required staffing hours, provided the administrator or manager is actively involved in the day-to-day operation of the facility, including making decisions and providing supervision for all aspects of resident care, and is listed on the facility’s staffing schedule.

9. Only on-the-job staff may be counted in meeting the minimum staffing hours. Vacant positions or absent staff may not be counted.

(b) Notwithstanding the minimum staffing requirements specified in paragraph (a), all facilities, including those composed of apartments, must have enough qualified staff to provide resident supervision, and to provide or arrange for resident services in accordance with the residents’ scheduled and unscheduled service needs, resident contracts, and resident care standards as described in rule 59A-36.007, F.A.C.

(c) The facility must maintain a written work schedule that reflects its 24-hour staffing pattern for a given time period. Upon request, the facility must make the daily work schedules of direct care staff available to residents or their representatives.

(d) The facility must provide staff immediately when the agency determines that the requirements of paragraph (a) are not met. The facility must immediately increase staff above the minimum levels established in paragraph (a), if the agency determines that adequate supervision and care are not being provided to residents, resident care standards described in rule 59A-36.007, F.A.C., are not being met, or that the facility is failing to meet the terms of residents’ contracts. The agency will consult with the facility administrator and residents regarding any determination that additional staff is required. Based on the recommendations of the local fire safety authority, the agency may require additional staff when the facility fails to meet the fire safety standards described in rule chapter 69A-40, F.A.C., until such time as the local fire safety authority informs the agency that fire safety requirements are being met.

1. When additional staff is required above the minimum, the agency will require the submission of a corrective action plan within the time specified in the notification indicating how the increased staffing is to be achieved to meet resident service needs. The plan will be reviewed by the agency to determine if it sufficiently increases the staffing levels to meet resident needs.

2. When the facility can demonstrate to the agency that resident needs are being met, or that resident needs can be met without increased staffing, the agency may modify staffing requirements for the facility and the facility will no longer be required to maintain a plan with the agency.

(e) Facilities that are co-located with a nursing home may use shared staffing provided that staff hours are only counted once for the purpose of meeting either assisted living facility or nursing home minimum staffing ratios.

(f) Facilities holding a limited mental health, extended congregate care, or limited nursing services license must also comply with the staffing requirements of rules 59A-36.020, 59A-36.021 or 59A-36.022, F.A.C., respectively.

Rulemaking Authority 429.41, 429.52, 429.929 FS. Law Implemented 429.174, 429.176, 429.41, 429.52, 429.905 FS. History–New 5-14-81, Amended 1-6-82, 9-17-84, Formerly 10A-5.19, Amended 10-20-86, 6-21-88, 8-15-90, 9-30-92, Formerly 10A-5.019, Amended 10-30-95, 4-20-98, 11-2-98, 10-17-99, 7-30-06, 4-15-10, 4-17-14, 5-10-18, Formerly 58A-5.019, 7-1-19.