Office of Health Care Assurance

Current Hawaii State Law (Hawaii Administrative Rules, Chapter 96) requires anyone operating a freestanding adult day health center in Hawaii to be licensed by the Hawaii State Department of Health.  A person operating a freestanding adult day health center without a valid license may be subject to civil money penalties and/or imprisonment, and should cease and desist providing those services pending licensure as a freestanding adult day health center.

Adult day health center means a facility which provides adult day health care.  Adult day health care means an organized day program of therapeutic, social, and health services provided to adults with physical or mental impairments, or both, which require nursing oversight or care, for the purpose of restoring or maintaining, to the fullest extent possible, their capacity for remaining in the community.

The procedure for licensure as a freestanding adult day health center includes first obtaining an approved Certificate of Need (CON) from the State Health Planning and Development Agency (SHPDA:  https://hawaii.gov/shpda).

The applicant would then submit a copy of SHPDA’s response (an approved CON, or letter indicating that a CON is not necessary) along with a written request to the Hawaii State Department of Health, Office of Health Care Assurance, 601 Kamokila Boulevard, Room 395, Kapolei, Hawaii 96707 for licensure as a freestanding adult day health center.  Upon receipt, the Office of Health Care Assurance would respond with a written acknowledgement of the application for licensure.  Applicants should assure that they are able to meet all applicable licensing requirements (have written policies and procedures, qualified staff, etc.) at the time of their request for licensure.  A copy of the regulations (Chapter 96) can be obtained from the Department of Health website (https://health.hawaii.gov/opppd/files/2015/06/11-96.pdf).  Due to existing contractual obligations, the Office of Health Care Assurance may not be able to accommodate requests for initial licensure for several months from the time of the request.  In addition, applicants are requested to submit copies of their required policies and procedures to the Office of Health Care Assurance for review prior to the actual initial on-site survey to facilitate the survey process.

Along with your license application letter and copy of SHPDA’s response, you will also need to submit the following:

1. Copy of the table of contents from your agency’s policy and procedure manual and your agency’s policy and procedure manual regarding:  Governing Body, Personnel, Patient Care, Emergency and Disaster Plan, Infection Control, In-service Training, Medical Records, and Overall Facility Program Evaluation Plan
2.  Contracts for services not provided through salaried employees
3. Licenses/credentials for facility and personnel
4. Legal name and tax identification number, and DBA
5. Physical location address, phone, and fax number of the agency
6. Copy of the agency’s days and hours of operation
7. Name, address, phone, fax number, and email address of the administrator

The information submitted for review (policies and procedures, contracts, etc.) will be returned at the time of the on-site survey.

The information will be reviewed upon receipt, and you will be contacted if there are any further questions. In the event the information is in order, an initial on-site survey will be arranged to determine your compliance to the licensure requirements.

 

Rev. 7/15