How to Comply with Colorado’s July 2025 Assisted Living Resident Rights Regulations
Colorado’s Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has once again updated the Assisted Living Residence (ALR) regulations (6 CCR 1011-1, Chapter 7)—with the July 2025 version expanding and clarifying several resident rights provisions that took effect just a year earlier.
These updates continue the state’s effort to make resident rights not just a legal formality, but an enforceable foundation for person-centered care. Below, we outline what changed, why it matters, and what assisted living providers must do to comply.
Clarified Resident Rights Language
The July 2025 update refines the structure and clarity of the resident rights section to make it more practical and enforceable. Simplified and direct phrasing replaces technical or redundant language from the 2024 version. Key definitions (e.g., 'resident with a disability' and 'compassionate care visit') are carried forward from 2024 and integrated into the rights section for easier reference.
Why this matters: CDPHE surveyors will now expect to see direct operational evidence that the rights listed in regulation are implemented in daily practice, not just printed in a handbook.
Stronger Right to Privacy and Autonomy
The 2025 rules expand on the 2024 baseline that residents must be permitted to lock their own rooms. The update explicitly confirms that residents may lock their rooms, provided the facility retains immediate emergency access. The right can only be limited if locking is inconsistent with the resident’s service plan or safety needs.
What to do: Review and update your resident agreement to include this specific limitation language, and ensure staff understand that this right belongs to the resident—not the facility.
Reinforced Grievance and Appeal Protections
While 2024 introduced the right to file a grievance regarding discharge or care concerns, the 2025 update refines the timelines and procedures. Residents (or their representatives) must still be able to file grievances without interference and receive a written response within five business days.
Facilities must now treat grievance management as a documented compliance process—not an informal communication.
Expanded Rights Related to Visitation
Building on Colorado’s legislative intent under §25-3-125(3)(a), the 2025 rules strengthen visitation and compassionate care rights. Each resident has a right to at least one visitor of their choosing at all times, subject only to health or safety restrictions.
Compliance tip: Review your facility’s infection control and emergency preparedness policies to ensure visitation restrictions are only as narrow as necessary and include documented justification.
Updated Notice Requirements for Service and Policy Changes
The 2025 update clarifies that residents have a right to thirty (30) calendar days’ written notice before any change in services, fees, or house rules that could affect their care or daily life. Facilities must demonstrate that residents and representatives were properly notified and acknowledged receipt of such changes.
Enhanced Protection from Retaliation and Exploitation
The 2025 update strengthens enforcement language prohibiting any punitive or retaliatory action against residents for exercising their rights, filing grievances, or contacting an ombudsman. It also strengthens prohibitions against financial exploitation or coercive practices involving advance directives, POAs, or personal funds.
Better Integration with Other Regulatory Parts
The 2025 version cross-references several related sections to make rights enforcement more holistic. Resident rights are now embedded across multiple operational areas—admissions, care planning, discharge, and emergency preparedness—meaning noncompliance in one area can trigger a broader deficiency.
Documentation and Policy Updates Required
CDPHE expects facilities to prove implementation, not just acknowledgment. Administrators must ensure resident rights are posted prominently, staff are trained on how to uphold rights, and the acknowledgment form is reviewed annually and signed by both the resident and administrator.
Bottom Line
Colorado’s July 2025 update continues a trend toward resident-centered accountability. The intent is not simply to expand rights on paper—it’s to require assisted living communities to demonstrate respect, transparency, and responsiveness at every stage of a resident’s experience.
Immediate steps for compliance:
• Review your Resident Rights policy and ensure it matches the new rule language.
• Update the Resident Agreement to incorporate the rights and limitations exactly as listed in Part 13.
• Retrain staff on privacy, grievance, and visitation protocols.
• Document all acknowledgments and retain them in the resident record.
The information provided above is intended for educational purposes and serves as a general guide. It is not tailored legal advice for specific circumstances. For detailed guidance on this topic, please consult with a qualified legal professional or reach out to our firm.
We welcome your feedback and topic suggestions! If there’s a particular issue related to healthcare facility that you’d like to see addressed, please email me at Brian@Pinkowskilaw.com.