FGI Guidelines Are Not Appropriate for All Sizes and Types of Assisted Living

The Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE) is set to adopt building standards that will eliminate new small assisted living residences and severely impact the creation of new Medicaid facilities of all sizes. 

PLPG issued a Briefing Paper to legislators, senior advocates, and the Colorado Assisted Living Association explaining how the building standards, issued by the Facilities Guidelines Institute (FGI Guidelines), are not appropriate for all sizes and types of assisted living. 

According to PLPG's President, Michelle Pinkowski, the FGI standards contain facilities requirements that are applied in a “one size fits all” fashion to all assisted living residences, regardless of whether the proposed facility is large or small. "We are very concerned that these building standards, if adopted, will eliminate the creation of new small service providers. This is directly contrary to three different Colorado statutes and the federal Fair Housing Act." 

The Briefing Paper can be found here and is designed to inform legislators, the Board of Health, assisted living service providers and, most of all, residents and their families who may be affected by the proposed regulation. 

The draft regulation proposed by CDPHE is set to be heard by the Board of Health on April 18, 2018. Written comments can be sent to dphe.bohrequests@state.co.us.