Submitting a Plan of Correction in Assisted Living

It has come to the attention of WHCA staff that DSHS/Residential Care Services has been posting facilities’ plans of correction (POC) with the Statements of Deficiencies (SOD) on the DSHS facility locator webpage. It is unclear at this time whether Residential Care Services field staff are requesting facilities send in their POCs, or if facility administrators are submitting them when returning their signed SOD to DSHS.

Upon receiving a SOD, the facility administrator is expected to sign and date the attestation after each citation, sign the SOD, and return it to the Residential Care Services field office within 10 calendar days of receiving the report. There is no expectation to send DSHS the facility’s POC for review or approval; the attestation of correction statement in the box beneath each citation in the SOD fulfills this obligation.

Assisted living facilities are required to write plans of correction for each citation in a SOD, and to keep those plans of correction; DSHS staff may request to see them. The SOD from the most recent full inspection, along with the cover letter and POC, must be posted in the assisted living facility for residents, visitors, and others to view.

If you have questions or concerns about SODs, POCs, or other issues related to assisted living facilities, please email Vicki McNealley or call 1-800-562-6170 extension 107.