6060 Placement in Licensed Long-Term Care Facilities | PUBLIC-GUARDIANSHIP-5800-MANUAL
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Georgia Division of Aging Services |
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Chapter: |
6050 Residence and Placement |
Effective Date: |
08/01/2022 |
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Section Title: |
Placement in Licensed Long-Term Care Facilities |
Reviewed or Updated in: |
MT 2023-01 |
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Section Number: |
6060 |
Previous Update: |
MT 2022-02 |
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Policy Statement
Public Guardianship Office (PGO) staff shall ensure that long-term care facilities (LTCF) are licensed by the appropriate licensing body before the placement of a person under guardianship.
Legal Basis and Requirements
Sections 29-4-23(a) and 29-4-22(a) of the Official Code of Georgia:
Section 29-4-23
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Unless inconsistent with the terms of any court order relating to the guardianship, a guardian may:
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… [E]stablish the … place of dwelling [of the person under guardianship] …”
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Section 29-4-22
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A guardian shall at all times act as a fiduciary in the … best interest [of the person under guardianship] and exercise reasonable care, diligence, and prudence.
Basic Considerations
The guardian has a duty to act in the best interest of the person under guardianship. If the court order allows, the guardian makes placement decisions regarding where the person will live and what health care they may receive.
If placement into a LTCF is in the best interest of the person under guardianship, the guardian shall place a person only in a licensed care facility. To the extent possible, the wishes of the person under guardianship will be considered in making this decision.
For the purposes of this policy, care facilities include:
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Assisted Living Communities
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Community Living Arrangements
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Nursing Homes
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Personal Care Homes
Procedures
When considering placement into a LTCF in Georgia, access the following website to verify licensure: gamap2care.info/. GaMap2care can also be accessed using the Georgia Department of Community Health site by clicking on the Healthcare Facility Regulation (HFR) link and then locating and clicking on the GaMap2Care link on the page.
Click on the “Verify License” tab and perform a search for the facility. If the facility is licensed, it will be listed on this website. Check to ensure that the facility name and the facility address match and are accurate to the name and location where the person under guardianship is to be located.
Documentation
Once the facility has been located on the website, the information on licensure status should be entered into the person’s file on the Division of Aging Services’ database system by “cutting and pasting” from the website into the database.
Licensure checks must be conducted and documented monthly for facilities housing persons under guardianship to monitor compliance and review citations. All citations must be brought to the attention of the supervisor, district manager, or section manager to determine if placement relocation is needed.