Wisconsin Community Based Residential Facilities - Information

Statistics on Assisted Living Facilities

Information for Staff and Management of CBRFs

For persons who seek larger congregate settings, a Community Based Residential Facility (CBRF) is a place where five or more adults reside:

• who are not related to the operator or administrator

• who do not require care above intermediate level nursing care

• who receive care, treatment or services that are above the level of room and board, but includes no more than three hours of nursing care per week per resident.

These facilities are licensed under Chapter DHS 83 (exit DHS), Wisconsin Administrative Code.

CBRFs range in size from 5 to 257 beds.

CBRFs can admit people of advanced age, persons with dementia, developmental disabilities, mental health problems, physical disabilities, traumatic brain injury, AIDS, Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, correctional clients, pregnant women needing counseling and/or the terminally ill.

The minimum age requirement for residing in a CBRF is 18 years.

The licensing process for a CBRF includes submission of a completed application, including a portion of the biennial fee of $389, plus a biennial fee of $50.25 per resident based on the number of residents the facility is licensed to serve.

Once the application is submitted and reviewed, the facility is visited by a licensing specialist. A notification of licensure or denial of license will be issued within 70 days of receipt of the completed application and visit.

All CBRFs must adhere to Chapters DHS 12 and DHS 13 (exit DHS), Wisconsin Administrative Code – Caregiver Background Checks and Allegation Reporting.

State licensing specialists inspect CBRFs every two years via unannounced surveys. However, a facility may be visited between these inspections if there are any complaints received by the department.

Chapter 50, Wis. Stats., (exit DHS) provides penalties for CBRFs that are not in compliance with State laws governing them. These enforcement options include but are not limited to:

• stopping the operation if operating without a license

• terminating the employment of a person who previously had a license revoked

• stopping the violation of Chapter 50 or Chapter DHS 83

• submitting a plan of correction

• implementing/complying with a plan of correction

• accepting no new residents

• providing training

• forfeitures ($10 - $1,000/day)

• suspending the license for 14 days

• refusing a license or revoking a license

• removing a resident

• appointing a monitor

• appointing a receiver

Last Updated: March 15, 2012