Ask the Mayor: Nursing Home Health Regulations

State office building, Wailuku. File photo.

The mayor answers questions from the public in this series.

By Mayor Alan Arakawa

Q: Are nursing homes and assisted living facilities licensed in Hawaiʻi? Are they regularly inspected by local health authorities? Are there regulations governing unlicensed nursing and assisted living facilities? Mahalo.

A: Yes, yes and yes. According to Hawaiʻi Revised Statute §457B-3, no person shall operate a nursing home in the State without having a nursing home administrator’s license from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

Any person running an unlicensed nursing or assisted living facility is subject to penalties, including a fine of up to $500 for a first-time offense. For each subsequent offense, a person can be fined up to $1,000, imprisoned for up to a year, or both (§457B-12).

Licensing and required inspections are conducted by the State through the Department of Health’s Office of Health Care Assurance; inspections are conducted annually for nursing homes and biannually for assisted living facilities.

Complaints involving a licensed or unlicensed health care facility may be made via phone by calling (808) 984-2400, or filed online at the Regulated Industries Complaints Office (Under “RICO Spotlight,” click “Complaint, Application and Report Forms” and select the “Health Care Complaint Form.”).

Complaints should also be submitted to OHCA by calling (808) 692-7400, since OHCA provides the inspectors. To view updated lists of licensed adult residential care homes, assisted living facilities, foster family homes and adult day care centers statewide, visit the State Office of Health Care Assurance website.

Want to Ask the Mayor?

Submit your questions about County of Maui programs, services, operations or policies to Mayor Alan Arakawa via email: [email protected], phone: 270-7855 or mail: 200 South High Street, 9th Floor, Wailuku, Hawaii 96793. Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the Ask the Mayor column.