Assisted living in Texas is licensed and surveyed by Texas Health and Human Services, with Type A and Type B classifications that carry different requirements based on resident mobility and care needs.
Documentation load is heavier than home care because you are responsible for the building as well as the care. Confirm the current requirements for your licence type directly with HHSC before relying on any summary, including this one.
Resident records
- Admission agreement, disclosure statement, and resident rights acknowledgement, all signed and dated.
- An assessment completed before or at admission that supports the placement, and evidence the resident meets the criteria for your licence type.
- A service plan that reflects the assessment, reviewed and updated at the interval your policy and the regulations require.
- Documentation of services delivered, in a consistent format that matches the service plan.
- Physician orders and any advance directives on file where applicable.
Medication records
- Medication administration or assistance records with no gaps. Unexplained blanks are among the most reliably cited items in any facility survey.
- Documented staff qualification for whoever handles medication, matched to what your licence type permits.
- Medication error documentation routed through your incident process rather than handled informally.
- Storage, disposal, and controlled substance records maintained per your policy.
Staffing records
- Schedules retained showing actual coverage, not only the planned roster.
- Personnel files complete with background checks, health screening, and training documented before the first shift.
- Evidence that required staffing levels and awake-staff requirements for your licence type were met.
Facility and safety records
- Fire drill records at the required frequency, per shift, with dates and participants.
- Emergency preparedness plan, current and reviewed, with evidence of staff familiarity.
- Maintenance, inspection, and food service records as applicable to your operation.
- Incident and complaint logs kept the same way a home care agency keeps them, with supervisor review and corrective action.
Common questions
What is the difference between Type A and Type B in Texas?
The classifications differ mainly on resident mobility and the level of assistance residents need during evacuation, which drives staffing and physical plant requirements. Confirm the current criteria with Texas Health and Human Services.
Are assisted living documentation requirements the same as home care?
They overlap on personnel, incidents, complaints, and policy management, and then assisted living adds resident records, medication administration, staffing coverage, and building safety records.
Related guides
Group Home Compliance Documentation
What group homes need to document, why the requirements vary so much by population served, and the records that apply to almost every setting.
Incident Reporting Procedure for Home Care Agencies
How to build an incident reporting procedure that survives a survey: what counts as an incident, what to record, notification timelines, and supervisor review.
Policy and SOP Management for Care Providers
Version control, effective dates, annual review, and staff acknowledgement. How to keep a policy manual that matches what your agency actually does.
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ApexCare Governance™ provides operational documentation and educational guidance. It is not a law firm and not a licensed regulatory consultant. It does not provide legal advice, interpret regulations, certify compliance, or guarantee any licensing or inspection outcome. Verify all current requirements directly with Texas Health and Human Services.