The Florida Senate

400.562  Rules establishing standards.--

(1)  The Department of Elderly Affairs, in conjunction with the agency, shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this part. The rules must include reasonable and fair standards. Any conflict between these standards and those that may be set forth in local, county, or municipal ordinances shall be resolved in favor of those having statewide effect. Such standards must relate to:

(a)  The maintenance of adult day care centers with respect to plumbing, heating, lighting, ventilation, and other building conditions, including adequate meeting space, to ensure the health, safety, and comfort of participants and protection from fire hazard. Such standards may not conflict with chapter 553 and must be based upon the size of the structure and the number of participants.

(b)  The number and qualifications of all personnel employed by adult day care centers who have responsibilities for the care of participants.

(c)  All sanitary conditions within adult day care centers and their surroundings, including water supply, sewage disposal, food handling, and general hygiene, and maintenance of sanitary conditions, to ensure the health and comfort of participants.

(d)  Basic services provided by adult day care centers.

(e)  Supportive and optional services provided by adult day care centers.

(f)  Data and information relative to participants and programs of adult day care centers, including, but not limited to, the physical and mental capabilities and needs of the participants, the availability, frequency, and intensity of basic services and of supportive and optional services provided, the frequency of participation, the distances traveled by participants, the hours of operation, the number of referrals to other centers or elsewhere, and the incidence of illness.

(2)  Pursuant to s. 119.07, the agency may charge a fee for furnishing a copy of this part, or of the rules adopted under this part, to any person upon request for the copy.

(3)  Pursuant to rules adopted by the department, the agency may conduct an abbreviated biennial inspection of key quality-of-care standards, in lieu of a full inspection, of a center that has a record of good performance. However, the agency must conduct a full inspection of a center that has had one or more confirmed complaints within the licensure period immediately preceding the inspection or which has a serious problem identified during the abbreviated inspection. The agency shall develop the key quality-of-care standards, taking into consideration the comments and recommendations of the Department of Elderly Affairs and of provider groups. These standards shall be included in rules adopted by the Department of Elderly Affairs.

History.--ss. 13, 18, ch. 78-336; s. 2, ch. 81-318; ss. 79, 83, ch. 83-181; ss. 14, 17, ch. 93-215; s. 56, ch. 95-418.