Pennsylvania senior care regulation is split across the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Nursing Care Facilities for skilled nursing and the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Long-Term Living (Assisted Living Residences and Personal Care Homes) for assisted living. Memory care carries a separate designation on top of the assisted living license. The full guide below covers nursing home licensing, assisted living and memory care, hospice licensure where applicable, common survey citation patterns, and how the state Long-Term Care Ombudsman fits in. Always verify specifics with each agency before acting.
Pennsylvania splits senior-care regulation across three agencies. Nursing facilities sit under the PA Department of Health. Assisted Living Residences (ALR) and Personal Care Homes (PCH) sit under the PA Department of Human Services, Office of Long-Term Living. Hospice sits under the PA Department of Health Division of Home Health. Memory care is delivered through a Dementia Care Unit designation under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 2800, Subchapter K on top of an ALR or PCH license.
Regulatory reality in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is the cleanest example of why senior-care regulatory work is split across multiple state agencies. Nursing homes report to the Department of Health, ALRs and PCHs report to the Department of Human Services Office of Long-Term Living, and hospice reports back to the Department of Health Division of Home Health. The PCH-versus-ALR distinction is also genuinely operational: a PCH cannot retain residents whose care needs cross into ongoing skilled nursing, and the Subchapter K Dementia Care Unit designation applies on top of either base license.
Skilled nursing licensure in Pennsylvania
Skilled nursing facilities in Pennsylvania are licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Nursing Care Facilities, which also acts as the State Survey Agency on behalf of CMS. Pennsylvania SNFs hold CMS Certification Numbers issued through the PA Department of Health acting as the State Survey Agency.
Federal survey results are published on Medicare.gov Care Compare, tied to the community's CMS Certification Number (CCN). The state survey agency also publishes state-level enforcement information.
Common nursing home survey deficiency tags in Pennsylvania
The following F-tag patterns are commonly cited on standard and complaint surveys in Pennsylvania. The list is descriptive, not a prediction, and does not substitute for reading a community's actual recent survey results.
- F-tag 689 Free of Accident Hazards
- F-tag 880 Infection Prevention
- F-tag 600 Free from Abuse and Neglect
- F-tag 684 Quality of Care
- F-tag 656 Comprehensive Care Plans
Assisted living licensure in Pennsylvania
Assisted living in Pennsylvania is regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Long-Term Living (Assisted Living Residences and Personal Care Homes). Admissions teams should know which agency takes complaints about a tour or move-in conversation, since it is often a different agency than the one taking complaints about clinical care.
Memory care in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania requires a Dementia Care Unit (or Special Care Unit) designation for any portion of an Assisted Living Residence or Personal Care Home holding itself out as memory care under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 2800, Subchapter K. The designation carries staff training and environmental requirements.
Source: official memory care rule reference.
Hospice licensure in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania requires a state hospice license issued by the Department of Health Division of Home Health under 28 Pa. Code Chapter 51 in addition to Medicare certification.
Source: state hospice licensure reference.
The Long-Term Care Ombudsman in Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (Pennsylvania Department of Aging) is the right first call for many family concerns about resident rights. The ombudsman office is independent of the survey agency and supports residents and their families through complaint processes when the issue is dignity, autonomy, or quality of life rather than a clinical or regulatory matter.
Phone coverage and admissions in Pennsylvania senior care
Senior care admissions live on the phone, and Pennsylvania's regulatory framework adds specific reasons that phone responsiveness matters to the community itself. State surveyors, ombudsman investigators, hospital discharge planners, and adult protective services workers all reach communities through their general intake line. A missed call from any of those callers, especially during a complaint investigation window, is a meaningful operational risk. See the senior living hub for how Jonson is built around senior admissions workflows.
Frequently asked questions about Pennsylvania senior care regulations
What is the difference between an Assisted Living Residence and a Personal Care Home in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has two separate licenses for what other states call assisted living. Personal Care Homes (PCH) provide help with activities of daily living but cannot retain residents who develop a need for ongoing skilled nursing. Assisted Living Residences (ALR) can retain residents through more advanced needs under supplemental services.
Does Pennsylvania require a separate memory care license?
Pennsylvania requires a Dementia Care Unit designation under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 2800, Subchapter K for ALRs or PCHs holding themselves out as memory care. The designation is per-unit, not facility-wide.
Which agency regulates which type of senior community in Pennsylvania?
Nursing facilities are regulated by the PA Department of Health. Assisted Living Residences and Personal Care Homes are regulated by the PA Department of Human Services, Office of Long-Term Living. Hospice is regulated by the PA Department of Health Division of Home Health.
How do I file a complaint about a PA nursing home or PCH?
Nursing home complaints go to the Pennsylvania Department of Health complaint hotline. PCH and ALR complaints go to the regional Office of Long-Term Living office. The Pennsylvania Long-Term Care Ombudsman can assist families through either process when the issue involves resident rights.
Sources and official references
- PA DOH Nursing Care Facilities
- PA DHS Assisted Living Residences
- PA Long-Term Care Ombudsman
- PA DOH Home Health and Hospice
- CMS Medicare.gov Care Compare
This page summarizes commonly-referenced Pennsylvania senior care regulatory requirements as of 2026. It is not legal or clinical advice. Verify every detail directly with the relevant state agency and consult counsel for legal questions specific to a community. The ombudsman office is the right first call when the concern is resident rights rather than clinical care.