| (a) Resident bedrooms.
(1) A new small Type A assisted living facility must
ensure a resident bedroom or living unit is not located on a floor
that is below finished ground level.
(2) A new small Type A assisted living facility must
ensure bedroom usable floor space is not less than 80 square feet
for a bedroom housing one resident and not less than 60 square feet
per resident for a bedroom housing multiple residents, unless otherwise
permitted by paragraphs (3) and (4) of this subsection. Portions of
a bedroom that are less than eight feet in the smallest dimension
cannot be included in the measurement of bedroom usable floor space,
unless approved by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
(3) A new small Type A assisted living facility containing
individual living units that include living space for the residents
in addition to their bedrooms may reduce the bedroom usable floor
space for a bedroom housing multiple residents within a living unit
by up to 10 percent of the required bedroom usable floor space, as
long as the minimum dimensional criteria are maintained. A new small
Type A assisted living facility may not use this provision in conjunction
with the provision permitting the reduction of common social-diversional
areas or common dining areas found in subsection (g)(5) of this section.
(4) A new small Type A assisted living facility must
house no more than 50 percent of its licensed resident capacity in
bedrooms housing three or more residents. A bedroom must not house
more than four residents.
(b) Bedroom windows. A new small Type A assisted living
facility must ensure each bedroom has at least one operable window
with outside exposure and meeting the following requirements.
(1) The window sill must be no higher than 44 inches
above the floor.
(2) The window must be operable by all residents occupying
the bedroom, from the inside, without the use of tools or special
devices.
(3) The total area of all windows in a bedroom must
not be less than eight percent of the minimum bedroom usable floor
space in subsection (a)(3) of this section.
(c) Bedroom furnishings. When a resident does not provide
their own furnishings, a new small Type A assisted living facility
must provide the following furnishings for each resident, which must
be maintained in good repair:
(1) a bed, including a mattress;
(2) a chair;
(3) a table or dresser; and
(4) private clothes storage space, which must include
closable doors, and drawer space for clothing and personal belongings.
(d) Arrangement of resident living units or rooms.
(1) A new small Type A assisted living facility must
ensure all resident rooms open on an exit, corridor, living area,
or public area.
(2) A new small Type A assisted living facility must
ensure all resident rooms are arranged for convenient resident access
to dining and recreation areas.
(e) Staff area. A new small Type A assisted living
facility must provide a staff area on each floor of a new small Type
A assisted living facility and in each separate building containing
resident sleeping rooms, except as permitted under paragraph (1) of
this subsection.
(1) A new small Type A assisted living facility that
is not more than two stories in height and is composed of separate
buildings grouped together and connected by covered walks, is not
required to provide a staff area on each floor or in each building,
provided that a staff area is located not more than 200 feet walking
distance from the farthest resident living unit.
(2) A new small Type A assisted living facility must
provide the following at each staff area:
(A) a desk or writing surface;
(B) a telephone; and
(C) a fire alarm control unit or a fire alarm annunciator
panel meeting the requirements of §553.215 of this division (relating
to Fire Protection Systems Requirements for a New Small Type A Assisted
Living Facility).
(f) Resident toilet and bathing facilities. A new small
Type A assisted living facility must ensure each resident bedroom
is served by a separate private toilet room, a connecting toilet room,
or a general toilet room.
(1) A new small Type A assisted living facility that
houses individuals of more than one gender must provide toilet rooms
for each gender, or individual single-occupant toilet rooms for use
by any gender.
(2) A new small Type A assisted living facility must
ensure a general toilet room or bathing room is accessible from a
corridor or public space.
(3) A new small Type A assisted living facility must
ensure resident toilet and bathing facilities comply with the requirements
for resident-use plumbing fixtures according to §553.217 of this
division (relating to Mechanical Requirements for a New Small Type
A Assisted Living Facility).
(g) Resident living areas.
(1) A new small Type A assisted living facility must
provide, in a common area of the facility, social-diversional spaces
with appropriate furniture. Examples of social-diversional spaces
include living rooms, day rooms, lounges, dens, game rooms, and sunrooms.
(A) A new small Type A assisted living facility must
provide a social-diversional space with a minimum area of 120 square
feet in at least one space within a common area of the facility, regardless
of the number of residents or other provisions of this section permitting
a reduction in the total minimum social-diversional space.
(B) A new small Type A assisted living facility must
ensure a social-diversional space has one or more exterior windows
providing a view of the outside.
(C) A new small Type A assisted living facility must
ensure the total space for social-diversional area provides an area
of at least 15 square feet for each resident in the licensed capacity
of the facility. No space smaller than 120 square feet in area can
be counted toward meeting this requirement.
(2) A new small Type A assisted living facility must
provide a dining area with appropriate furniture.
(A) A new small Type A assisted living facility must
provide a dining space with a minimum area of 120 square feet in at
least one space within a common area of the facility, regardless of
the number of residents or other provisions of this section permitting
a reduction in the total minimum dining space.
(B) A new small Type A assisted living facility must
ensure a dining space has one or more exterior windows providing a
view of the outside.
(C) A new small Type A assisted living facility must
ensure a dining area is accessible from resident living units or bedrooms
via a covered path.
(D) A new small Type A assisted living facility must
ensure the total space for dining areas provides an area of at least
15 square feet for each resident in the licensed capacity of the facility.
No space smaller than 120 square feet in area can be counted toward
meeting this requirement.
(3) A new small Type A assisted living facility may
provide a total living and dining area combined in a single or interconnecting
space where the minimum area of the combined space is at least 240
square feet.
(4) A new small Type A assisted living facility must
ensure an escape route through a resident living or dining area is
kept clear of obstructions.
(5) Subject to the limitations of paragraphs (1)(A)
and (2)(A) of this subsection and subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this
paragraph, a new small Type A assisted living facility containing
individual living units may reduce the minimum square footage required
by paragraphs (1)(C) and (2)(D) of this subsection for total common
social diversional or common dining areas, respectively, by including
up to 10 percent of the individual living unit area in the calculation
of the total social-diversional area or total dining area.
(A) The individual living unit area contributed toward
total social-diversional space or total dining space must not be counted
more than once per living unit but may be split between social-diversional
and dining space calculations.
(B) A new small Type A assisted living facility must
not utilize both this paragraph and subsection (a)(3) of this section
to reduce both the minimum square footage otherwise required for its
common social-diversional or dining areas and the minimum square footage
of usable floor space otherwise required in bedrooms housing multiple
residents within a living unit.
(h) Storage areas. A new small Type A assisted living
facility must provide sufficient separate storage spaces or areas
for at least:
(1) administrative records, office supplies, and other
storage needs related to administration;
(2) medications and medical supplies;
(3) equipment supplied by the facility for resident
needs, including wheelchairs, walkers, beds, and mattresses;
Cont'd... |
