131D-10. Adult care home rated certificates.

(a) Rules adopted by the North Carolina Medical Care Commission for issuance of certificates to adult care homes shall contain a rating based, at a minimum, on the following:

(1) Inspections and substantiated complaint investigations conducted by the Department to determine compliance with licensing statutes and rules. Specific areas to be reviewed include:

a. Admission and discharge procedures.

b. Medication management.

c. Physical plant.

d. Resident care and services, including food services, resident activities programs, and safety measures.

e. Residents' rights.

f. Sanitation grade.

g. Special Care Units.

h. Use of physical restraints and alternatives.

(b) The Division of Health Service Regulation shall issue ratings to a facility pursuant to the rules adopted under this section based on both of the following:

(1) Inspections and investigations of complaints conducted pursuant to G.S. 131D-2.11 and G.S. 131D-26 that revealed noncompliance with statutes and rules.

(2) The facility's participation in any quality improvement programs approved by the Department.

(c) Repealed by Session Laws 2017-184, s. 5, effective October 1, 2017.

(c1) The Division of Health Service Regulation shall issue a star rating to a facility within 45 days from the date the Division mails the survey or inspection report to the facility, except when a timely request has been made by the facility under G.S. 131D-2.11 for informal dispute resolution. If a facility makes a timely request for informal dispute resolution, the Division of Health Service Regulation shall issue a star rating to the facility within 15 days from the date the Division mails the informal dispute decision to the facility.

(d) Adult care homes shall display the rating certificate in a location visible to the public. Certificates shall include the Web site address for the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Service Regulation, which can be accessed for specific information regarding the basis of the facility rating. For access by the public on request, adult care homes shall also maintain on-site a copy of information provided by the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Service Regulation, regarding the basis of the facility rating.

(e) The Department shall make available free of charge to the general public on the Division of Health Service Regulation Web site each facility rating and specific information regarding the basis for calculating each facility rating.