In Louisiana, the license families see for assisted living is "Adult Residential Care Provider (ARCP)", issued by the Louisiana Department of Health, Health Standards Section. Before the residency agreement is signed, the provider must complete and date a pre-residency screening of the person's physical and mental status, fall risk, care needs and ability to evacuate. A move-out needs written notice at least 30 calendar days ahead, or 15 days for nonpayment, to the resident, their representative and the long-term care ombudsman.
Key facts
- The median monthly cost of assisted living in Louisiana was $5,162 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $61,950 a year, $1,038 below the national median of $6,200 a month. (CareScout, 2026)
- Louisiana Medicaid does not pay for ongoing assisted living (ARCP) services: the Adult Residential Care Waiver was repealed in 2022, and the Community Choices Waiver (CCW) covers assisted living only for short respite stays, generally limited to 29 overnight stays a year. (La. Admin. Code tit. 50, pt. XXI, § 30101, 2022)
- Louisiana's adult residential care rules name no TB test for new residents, but a provider may not enter into a residency agreement with a person who has active communicable tuberculosis. (La. Admin. Code tit. 48, pt. I, § 6833, 2021)
- ARCP staff who are not licensed nurses or medical personnel may not give insulin or any other injection, and a certified medication attendant (MAC) may not use the subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous or intradermal routes. (La. Admin. Code tit. 48, pt. I, § 6843, 2023)
- A provider that advertises a specialized dementia care program must give the public a written disclosure covering its care approach, inclusion criteria, staffing, training, fees and safety policies, and give residents and families its guidelines for inclusion. (La. Admin. Code tit. 48, pt. I, § 6851, 2015)
Louisiana licenses assisted living as adult residential care providers (ARCPs). The Louisiana Department of Health, Health Standards Section, licenses them under R.S. 40:2166.1 to 2166.8 and LAC 48:I Chapter 68 at four levels: Level 1 (personal care homes, 2 to 8 residents), Level 2 (shelter care homes, 9 to 16), Level 3 (assisted living facilities, 17 or more residents in apartments with kitchenettes) and Level 4 (like Level 3, plus intermittent nursing). The facts below apply to all four levels, including Level 3, which the rule names assisted living.
Rules change and communities can set stricter policies. Before you sign, confirm the details with the community and the Louisiana Department of Health, Health Standards Section. This page is general information, not legal advice.
The rules at a glance
| Medical assessment before move-in | Before the residency agreement is signed, the provider must complete and date a pre-residency screening of the person's physical and mental status, fall risk, care needs and ability to evacuate. A service-needs assessment must be finished within 7 days after move-in, and LAC 48:I Chapter 68 names no physician exam or state form. [5][6] More on this |
|---|---|
| TB test | Louisiana's adult residential care rules name no TB test for new residents, but a provider may not enter into a residency agreement with a person who has active communicable tuberculosis. Ask the provider what TB screening it requires before move-in. [5][4] More on this |
| Notice before a move-out | A move-out needs written notice at least 30 calendar days ahead, or 15 days for nonpayment, to the resident, their representative and the long-term care ombudsman. Reasons are limited to care needs beyond the allowed or agreed services, danger to others' safety or health, nonpayment, or closure, and the resident may appeal to the Division of Administrative Law. [7] More on this |
| Who may give medications | ARCP staff who are not licensed nurses or medical personnel may not give insulin or any other injection, and a certified medication attendant (MAC) may not use the subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous or intradermal routes. Other unlicensed staff may only help residents take their own medicine, such as reminders, opening containers and bringing oral doses. [8][9] More on this |
| Memory care and dementia | A provider that advertises a specialized dementia care program must give the public a written disclosure covering its care approach, inclusion criteria, staffing, training, fees and safety policies, and give residents and families its guidelines for inclusion. Direct-care employees in the program need 8 hours of dementia training within 90 days of hire and 8 hours each year. [10][11] |
| Long-term care ombudsman | Louisiana's State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Office, part of the Governor's Office of Elderly Affairs, resolves complaints for residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities and personal care homes at no cost and can be reached at (866) 632-0922. [12] Official page More on this |
| Medicaid help | Louisiana Medicaid does not pay for ongoing assisted living (ARCP) services: the Adult Residential Care Waiver was repealed in 2022, and the Community Choices Waiver (CCW) covers assisted living only for short respite stays, generally limited to 29 overnight stays a year. Federal Medicaid funds do not cover room and board except during those respite stays. [13][14] Official page More on this |
What assisted living costs in Louisiana
The median monthly cost of assisted living in Louisiana was $5,162 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $61,950 a year, $1,038 below the national median of $6,200 a month. [16]
A median is the middle of the rates communities reported, so many charge more or less. Rates differ between regions and by the care a resident needs, so ask each community for its full fee list in writing. More: assisted living costs in every state, a monthly budget and the costs that aren't in the base rate.
How to check a community in Louisiana
The Health Standards Section posts a monthly Excel directory of licensed providers, including adult residential care, with license numbers and expiration dates. Complaints about an adult residential care provider can be made at 225-342-0138, option 7. Search Louisiana's records. [2][3]
The licensing agency: Louisiana Department of Health, Health Standards Section. [1][15] Our guide on how to read an inspection report explains what to look for.
Put Louisiana's paperwork on a date
Parent Move Plan counts every task back from the move-in day, including the medical assessment and TB screening the community will ask for, so nothing lands in the last week.
Get your first 3 days freeFrequently asked questions
How much does assisted living cost in Louisiana?
The median monthly cost of assisted living in Louisiana was $5,162 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $61,950 a year, $1,038 below the national median of $6,200 a month. A median is the middle of the rates communities reported, so many charge more or less, and rates differ between regions and by the care a resident needs.
What medical assessment does Louisiana require before moving into assisted living?
Before the residency agreement is signed, the provider must complete and date a pre-residency screening of the person's physical and mental status, fall risk, care needs and ability to evacuate. A service-needs assessment must be finished within 7 days after move-in, and LAC 48:I Chapter 68 names no physician exam or state form.
Does Louisiana require a TB test for assisted living?
Louisiana's adult residential care rules name no TB test for new residents, but a provider may not enter into a residency agreement with a person who has active communicable tuberculosis. Ask the provider what TB screening it requires before move-in.
How much notice must an assisted living community in Louisiana give before a move-out?
A move-out needs written notice at least 30 calendar days ahead, or 15 days for nonpayment, to the resident, their representative and the long-term care ombudsman. Reasons are limited to care needs beyond the allowed or agreed services, danger to others' safety or health, nonpayment, or closure, and the resident may appeal to the Division of Administrative Law.
Who can give medications in assisted living in Louisiana?
ARCP staff who are not licensed nurses or medical personnel may not give insulin or any other injection, and a certified medication attendant (MAC) may not use the subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous or intradermal routes. Other unlicensed staff may only help residents take their own medicine, such as reminders, opening containers and bringing oral doses.
Who can help with a complaint about assisted living in Louisiana?
Louisiana's State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Office, part of the Governor's Office of Elderly Affairs, resolves complaints for residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities and personal care homes at no cost and can be reached at (866) 632-0922.
Does Medicaid pay for assisted living in Louisiana?
Louisiana Medicaid does not pay for ongoing assisted living (ARCP) services: the Adult Residential Care Waiver was repealed in 2022, and the Community Choices Waiver (CCW) covers assisted living only for short respite stays, generally limited to 29 overnight stays a year. Federal Medicaid funds do not cover room and board except during those respite stays.
Sources
- Louisiana Department of Health, Health Standards Section: Adult Residential Care Provider (ARCP) program page (2025) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Louisiana Department of Health, Health Standards Section: Program Provider Directory Spreadsheet (2025) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Louisiana Department of Health, Health Standards Section: Complaints, with complaint numbers by program (2025) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Louisiana Department of Health: Louisiana Administrative Code Title 48, Part I, Chapter 68, Adult Residential Care Providers, compiled rule text (April 2024) (checked October 22, 2026)
- La. Admin. Code tit. 48, pt. I, § 6833, Pre-Residency and Continued Residency (via Cornell LII), 2021 (checked October 22, 2026)
- La. Admin. Code tit. 48, pt. I, § 6835, Person-Centered Service Plan (via Cornell LII), 2021 (checked October 22, 2026)
- La. Admin. Code tit. 48, pt. I, § 6837, Termination of Residency Agreements (via Cornell LII), 2018 (checked October 22, 2026)
- La. Admin. Code tit. 48, pt. I, § 6843, Medication Administration (via Cornell LII), 2023 (checked October 22, 2026)
- La. Admin. Code tit. 48, pt. I, § 10088, Prohibited Duties of a Medication Attendant Certified (via Cornell LII), 2023 (checked October 22, 2026)
- La. Admin. Code tit. 48, pt. I, § 6851, Specialized Dementia Care Programs (via Cornell LII), 2015 (checked October 22, 2026)
- La. Admin. Code tit. 48, pt. I, § 6867, Staff Training (via Cornell LII), 2021 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Governor's Office of Elderly Affairs: Louisiana Ombudsman Program (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- La. Admin. Code tit. 50, pt. XXI, § 30101, Adult Residential Care Waiver, Introduction [Repealed] (via Cornell LII), 2022 (checked October 22, 2026)
- La. Admin. Code tit. 50, pt. XXI, § 8313, Community Choices Waiver, Caregiver Temporary Support Services (via Cornell LII), 2024 (checked October 22, 2026)
- La. Admin. Code tit. 48, pt. I, § 6801, Adult Residential Care Providers, Introduction and levels of care (via Cornell LII), 2021 (checked October 22, 2026)
- CareScout: Cost of Care Survey 2025, Ranked Median Costs by State (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)