Nursing Homes/Facilities
Definition
A nursing home/facility is licensed by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) to serve individuals who, by reason of illness or physical or mental impairment, require personal care services and/or skilled nursing care.
Licensure/Certification
The Bureau of Regulatory Operations is responsible for processing initial, renewal, and change-of-operator license applications. See link below for applications, forms, and instructions.
The bureau also certifies nursing facilities for participation in the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Application For Licensure and Certification
You may obtain all forms and instructions to apply for a nursing home license, renew an existing license, request a registered nurse (RN) waiver, and apply for certification for participation in the federal Medicare/Medicaid programs on our Nursing Homes/Facilities Forms page.
Inspections/Surveys
The Bureau of Survey and Certification is responsible for conducting on-site inspections/surveys of nursing homes/facilities for compliance with state and federal rules and regulations and to ensure the quality of care and quality of life of the residents. Under federal regulations, each nursing home/facility in Ohio receives at least one unannounced inspection/survey during a nine to 15-month inspection/survey cycle.
During these surveys, all aspects of care and services are evaluated based on state and federal laws and rules. Additional inspections/surveys are conducted in response to complaints received about a nursing home/facility (see Complaints section below). Information regarding the quality of care for a particular nursing home/facility is available on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Nursing Home Compare website and the Department of Aging’s Long Term Care Consumer Guide.
Publications
ODH publishes various documents relating to the operation of nursing homes in Ohio, including guidance, rule interpretations, reports (annual and quarterly), and a listing of resident rights advocates. To view these resources, please visit our Nursing Homes Publications page.
Enforcement
The Bureau of Regulatory Operations enforces state licensing laws and rules and federal certification requirements for nursing home/facility participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs to protect the quality of care and quality of life of nursing home residents and to ensure prompt corrective action when facilities are not in compliance with regulatory requirements. Non-compliant nursing homes/facilities face imposition of remedies, such as civil monetary penalties, denial of payment, state monitoring, directed in-service training, termination of provider Medicare/Medicaid agreements, and/or licensure revocation.
Ohio Governor’s Nursing Home Quality and Accountability Task Force
The Ohio Governor’s Nursing Home Quality and Accountability Task Force is a group of leading experts in aging, long-term care, and other disciplines, as well as long-term care consumers and advocates themselves. Members of the Task Force were appointed by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine to achieve a goal of making excellence the expectation for all of Ohio’s 960+ nursing homes.
Complaints
Investigation of a complaint regarding a nursing home/facility is completed by Bureau of Survey and Certification surveyors after receiving written documentation from the ODH Complaint Unit. The toll-free number for registering complaints is 1-800-342-0553. To file a complaint online, please visit the ODH Complaints - Healthcare Facilities and Nursing Homes webpage. The complainant may choose to be anonymous. To obtain real-time information and generate, print, and download reports regarding health care providers who are licensed and/or Medicare/Medicaid certified by ODH, please visit our Health Care Provider and Services webpage.
Contact Information
Mailing Address
Ohio Department of Health
Bureau of Survey & Certification
Nursing Homes/Facilities
246 North High Street, 1st Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
Columbus Office
Phone: (614) 752-9524
Fax: (614) 564-2450
E-mail: LICCERT@odh.ohio.gov