Assisted living in New York

New York's Department of Health licenses adult homes, enriched housing programs and residences for adults, together called adult care facilities. They give non-medical residential care to adults who are substantially unable to live independently.profiles.health.ny.gov

Adult care facilities are not licensed to provide nursing or medical care, so residents must not need the continual medical or nursing services of a hospital or nursing home.health.ny.gov

An adult home provides long-term residential care, room, board, housekeeping, personal care and supervision to five or more adults.profiles.health.ny.gov

An enriched housing program provides long-term residential care to five or more adults, mostly people 65 or older, in settings that resemble independent apartments, and provides or arranges room, board, housekeeping, personal care and supervision.profiles.health.ny.gov

An assisted living residence provides or arranges housing, on-site monitoring and personal care or home care services for five or more adults, with daily meals, 24-hour on-site monitoring, case management and an individualized service plan for each resident. It must be located within a licensed adult home or enriched housing program.profiles.health.ny.gov

An assisted living program serves people who are medically eligible for nursing home placement, in a less medically intensive, lower cost setting. Its services include personal care, nursing, therapy, home health aides and case management by a registered nurse.profiles.health.ny.gov

Every New York adult care facility must get a full recertification survey every 12 or 18 months; facilities with the Department's highest rating qualify for the 18-month interval.health.ny.gov

Complaints are triaged: an immediate jeopardy complaint gets an on-site visit within 3 working days, and a non-immediate jeopardy high complaint within 15 days.health.ny.gov

The Department received 12,880 complaints about adult care facilities in 2025.health.ny.gov

No penalty is imposed if a facility shows it corrected a violation within 30 days of receiving its inspection report, or was taking Department-approved steps to fix it.health.ny.gov

Assisted living residents in New York have the right to written notice of any fee increase at least 45 days before it takes effect, unless they agree in writing to a specific increase for added care, services or supplies.health.ny.gov

Under Public Health Law section 4656(7), signed February 14, 2025, an assisted living residence must post its monthly service rate and starting rent range in the facility and online.health.ny.gov

Each ALR must publish its Department-approved residency agreement, addenda and consumer summary on its public website.health.ny.gov

The Department of Health's Assisted Living Residence Quality page lists each ALR's website, address, cost of rent and summary of services, with its approved residency agreement and three quality measures.health.ny.gov

The three ALR quality measures are confirmed complaint allegations, direct caregiver staffing levels and food and dining violations.health.ny.gov

A special needs assisted living residence (SNALR) serves people with special needs, including people with dementia or cognitive impairments, under an individualized service plan.health.ny.gov

An enhanced assisted living residence (EALR) lets residents age in place: it may admit or keep residents who need another person's physical help to walk or use stairs, depend on medical equipment and need frequent help from medical staff, or have chronic unmanaged incontinence.health.ny.gov

An adult care facility may seek licensure as an assisted living residence and then apply for extra certification as an EALR or SNALR.health.ny.gov

New York's SNALR voucher program can issue up to 200 vouchers that pay up to 75% of the regional average private pay rate for a SNALR, for approved applicants with Alzheimer's disease or dementia.health.ny.gov

New York's ombudsman program advocates for older adults and people with disabilities who live in nursing homes, assisted living and other licensed adult care homes.aging.ny.gov

To reach a New York long-term care ombudsman, call 1-855-582-6769.aging.ny.gov