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Part of Operators and providers

Become a continuing care provider or operator

Types of providers, how to apply for or renew a licence and standards, forms and resources.

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Operators and providers

Overview

Alberta Health:

  • issues licences for continuing care homes and supportive living accommodations, depending on the nature of services offered
  • establishes appropriate expectations for each licence type that account for different client demographics, risks and settings

Home and community care providers

Home and community care includes health and personal care services and supports for clients of all ages living in their home or other private residential settings, such as those in a seniors lodge or other supportive living accommodation.

The Government of Alberta provides funding to Alberta Health Services (AHS) for the management, delivery and oversight of home and community care.

  • Types of providers

    There are 3 types of home and community care providers in Alberta:

    • Type 1 – home and community care provided to a client directly by the regional health authority.
    • Type 2 – home and community care provided to a client by a provider who has an agreement with the regional health authority to deliver home and community care services.
    • Type 3 – home and community care provided through any service model where a client hires a home and community care provider of their choice.

    A client may receive services from more than one type of provider.

  • Inspection and monitoring

    Home and community care providers are not required to be licensed. However, Alberta Health will inspect and monitor all 3 types of providers to ensure they are following requirements under the Continuing Care Act, regulations and the Continuing Care Health Service Standards (CCHSS) for type 1 and type 2 home and community care providers. Given the nature of type 3 home and community care (client-directed), these providers are not required to follow the CCHSS.

    Following inspection or monitoring, the home and community care provider will be notified in writing of any contraventions to the act, regulations or standards (where applicable). If there are concerns regarding inspection results, the provider is encouraged to discuss them directly with the inspector. If a resolution cannot be reached, the provider may submit a concerns resolution request to Alberta Health. A home and community care provider may also, appeal a stop order or administrative penalty.

Learn more about home and community care in Alberta.

Operators

Supportive living accommodation licence

Supportive living accommodations are sites that:

  • house 4 or more adult residents not related to the operator
  • are intended for permanent or long-term residency
  • provide safety, security or personal welfare
  • provide any meal or nourishment services, housekeeping or accommodation services deemed required by the residents to remain as independent as possible

Operators may have more than one licence, depending on the care and services provided (for example, they might provide facility-based care for a continuing care home licence and supportive living services for a supportive living accommodation licence).

To get a licence, see Apply for a licence below.

Continuing care home licence

Continuing care homes are licensed settings that receive public funding to provide residents with nursing care, personal care, life enrichment activities and other support services.

Three licence types (types A, B and C) provide different levels of care at continuing care homes. Some facilities will offer a combination of continuing care home spaces and/or other spaces. In these cases, an operator may hold multiple licences to account for the different types of facility-based care or supportive living services provided.

Each type of continuing care home licence authorizes the licensee to:

  • operate a continuing care home of that type
  • provide the authorized care designed with respect to that type of continuing care home licence

  • Type A

    Type A continuing care homes are for people with complex medical needs who are unable to remain safely at home, in a supportive living accommodation or a type B or C continuing care home. In type A continuing care homes, residents receive:

    • accommodation
    • meals
    • access to 24-hour on-site professional nursing and personal care
    • case management, professional nursing, rehabilitation therapy and other consultative services provided on-site by facility staff

  • Type B

    Type B continuing care homes are for people with various levels of medical needs who are unable to remain safely in supportive living accommodations or in their homes. Residents of type B continuing care homes receive:

    • accommodation
    • meals
    • access to 24-hour on site scheduled and unscheduled personal care
    • support services from health care aides and/or licensed practical nurses

  • Type C

    Type C continuing care homes are settings where operators are contracted to provide publicly funded hospice care to people who require specialized end-of-life care. Residents of type C continuing care homes receive:

    • accommodation
    • meals
    • access to 24-hour on-site scheduled and unscheduled health and personal care supports and services

Apply for a licence

Step 1. Fill out the form

Operators must complete the Continuing Care Act Licensing Application Form to apply for a new licence or renew an existing licence.

If there is a change in ownership or location, a new licence application is required.

Step 2. Gather your supporting documents

Include the following supporting documents:

  • commercial business general liability insurance of no less than $2,000,000:
    • if Alberta Health determines additional applicable insurance is required, Alberta Health will send a request in writing to the operator
  • contract insurance or an insurance policy in an amount covering the operator’s potential liability resulting from theft, fraud, or other similar offences
  • active and accurate corporate status and corporate documents
  • a recent environmental health inspection (within 1 year)
  • a recent fire inspection (completed within 1 year) by an authority that has jurisdiction confirming compliance:
    • if the applicant is not able to provide a recent inspection, a safety inspection may be conducted by a safety codes officer designated as Fire Group B1 or Fire Group B2 (Scope of Practice and Entrance Qualifications – Safety Codes Council)
  • proof of zoning approval
  • proof of safety code approval:
    • building approval or an occupancy permit for a new or renovated accommodation
  • copies of third-party service agreement(s), if applicable
  • a completed Statutory Declaration
  • a copy of the applicant’s government-issued identification

Step 3. Submit your application

Submit the completed application and supporting documents to Alberta Health by email, fax or mail:

Email: [email protected]

Mail:

Continuing Care Licensing Office
PO Box 1360, Stn. Main
Edmonton, Alberta  T5J 2N3

Fax: 780-644-8729

After you apply

Alberta Health may grant a licence after the application process is complete and the accommodation has completed a pre-licensing inspection for compliance with the Accommodation Standards – Supportive Living Accommodation or the Accommodation Standards – Continuing Care Home.

For type C continuing care homes, Alberta Health does not require a pre-licencing inspection.

Renew your licence

The Continuing Care Licensing Office will send you a licence renewal form at least 90 days before the current licence expires.

To renew your licence:

  • Submit the licence renewal form at least 30 days prior to the current licence expiry date.
  • Include any changes in the content of supporting documents identified on the form.
  • Include a recent environmental health inspection (within 5 years).
  • Include a recent fire inspection (completed within 5 years) by an authority that has jurisdiction confirming compliance.

The Continuing Care Licensing Office may request additional information or documents deemed necessary to make a decision.

  • Exemptions

    If you have been approved for an exemption to certain legislative requirements, existing exemptions will be reviewed to determine if they are still appropriate.

  • If your licence is not renewed

    Your compliance with the act, regulations and standards is monitored. You will be notified in writing if the Continuing Care Licensing Office chooses to impose conditions, amend or not issue a renewed licence. The letter will include the reason for the notification and advise the operator of the ability to appeal the decision.

  • Inactive applications

    If you have received written notice of outstanding requirements and have not submitted the completed application package within 90 days from the date of notification, your licence will be closed. This also applies to applications that are inactive for 6 months.

    If you wish to proceed, you must re-submit a new application package.

Appeal a licence decision

You may appeal an action or decision made by Alberta Health by formally requesting a review.

The appeals process differs depending on the issue being appealed. There are 2 legislated authorities that will accept a notice of appeal regarding licensing:

  • a license cancellation or a stop order can be appealed to the Court of King’s Bench
  • administrative penalties or a refusal to issue, amend or renew a licence can be appealed to the Appeals Secretariat

Read more about the appeals process.

Mandatory reporting

Continuing care operators, supportive living accommodation operators and home and community care providers in Alberta must report specific events, incidents and changes to Alberta Health.

There are 2 main reporting mechanisms:

  • Duty to Notify
  • Notice to Director

The requirements for both are established in the Continuing Care Act and regulations. Additional guidance is included in the:

For more information, see Mandatory reporting.

Exemption request

There may be situations where a home and community care provider or continuing care home operator cannot meet certain requirements established in the continuing care legislation. Should this occur, providers and operators can submit a request for exemptions to specific requirements as outlined under Part 1 of the Continuing Care Regulation.

To submit a request, fill out and submit the Continuing Care Act Exemption Request Form.

Doing business with Alberta Health Services

AHS is currently responsible for managing all contracts for publicly funded continuing care services and, when needed, selects new providers/operators though a public tendering process.

Request for proposals are posted on the Alberta Purchasing Connection website.

If you have questions about receiving public funding to deliver continuing care services – home and community care or continuing care homes – contact AHS’ Vendor Relations Office at [email protected].

There are resource materials on the AHS website, including the Vendor Guide to Doing Business with Alberta Health Services.

Learn more about doing business with AHS.

Standards, guides and forms

Standards

For more information, see Continuing care accommodation and health service standards.

Guides

Continuing care health service standards information guide

  • This guide is meant to be used to support a consistent understanding of the continuing care health service standards and their application.

Accommodation standards: Supportive living accommodation information guide

  • This guide is meant to be used to support a consistent understanding of the accommodation standards in supportive living accommodations and their application.

Accommodation standards: Continuing care home information guide

  • This guide is meant to be used to support a consistent understanding of the accommodation standards in continuing care homes and their application.

Getting Started: Continuing Care Licensing Handbook

  • This guide is to assist operators of continuing care homes and supportive living accommodations to meet the licensing requirements of Alberta’s Continuing Care Act. Getting Started answers the questions prospective operators may have when applying for a licence to provide continuing care services. It describes how to apply for a licence and what is expected of licensed operators. It also describes what is involved in the inspection and monitoring of accommodations and what to expect when a provider is in contravention of the act, regulations or standards and enforcement is required.

Guidance for Home and Community Care Providers: Monitoring and Enforcement

  • This guide assists providers of home and community care in understanding the legislative framework and the provider’s expectations and requirements in the Continuing Care Act. It includes information on eligibility of home care services and how to become a home and community care provider. It also describes what is involved in the inspection, monitoring and enforcement of home and community care providers in Alberta.

Duty to Notify – Decision Guide

  • A tool to help operators determine if an incident is reportable.

Forms

Continuing Care Application Form

  • This form is used to initiate the formal licensing process and renew an existing licence.

Duty to Notify form

  • To be used by continuing care home and supportive living accommodation operators and home and community care providers to notify Alberta Health and report on any serious event or incident that has occurred, or that has the potential to occur.

Notice to Director form

  • This form is used by continuing care home and supportive living accommodation operators to notify Alberta Health when an operator intends to change any of the information related to the licence or the provision of facility-based care or supportive living services.

Continuing Care Act Exemption form

  • This form is used by continuing care home operators, supportive living accommodations operators and home and community care providers when an operator or provider wishes to submit an application for an exemption as directed within the Continuing Care Act and regulations.

Appeal form

  • This form is used to appeal a decision to the Appeals Secretariat.

Posters

Continuing Care Home and Supportive Living Accommodations Complaints

  • Provides contact information for Albertans if they have concerns in continuing care.

Complaints Poster for Home and Community Care

  • Provides contact information for Albertans if they have concerns in home and community care.

Contact

Connect with Continuing Care

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