In Mississippi, the license families see for assisted living is "Personal Care Home - Assisted Living (PCH-AL)", issued by the Mississippi State Department of Health, Health Facilities Licensure and Certification. A person applying for admission must have a thorough exam by a licensed physician, or a certified nurse practitioner or physician assistant, within 30 days before admission. Mississippi's assisted living rule gives no number of days of notice before an involuntary move-out; it requires written discharge policies and timely word to the resident's responsible party about transfer or discharge.
Key facts
- The median monthly cost of assisted living in Mississippi was $4,369 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $52,425 a year, $1,831 below the national median of $6,200 a month. (CareScout, 2026)
- Mississippi's Assisted Living Waiver can pay for services in a licensed personal care home-assisted living facility that is enrolled with Medicaid, but slots are limited and people referred beyond capacity go on a waiting list. (Mississippi Division of Medicaid, 2025)
- Within 30 days before admission, a new resident needs a TB signs and symptoms assessment by a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner, plus a chest x-ray with a written reading. (Miss. Admin. Code tit. 15, pt. 16, subpt. 1, rule 47.12.3, 2023)
- If a resident cannot take their own prescription medicine, a licensed nurse must be present to administer it, and the home must have a licensed nurse on the premises 8 hours a day. (Miss. Admin. Code tit. 15, pt. 16, subpt. 1, rule 47.11.4, 2023)
- A home may run a separate Alzheimer's disease/dementia unit under extra rules, and the unit is noted on its license. (Miss. Admin. Code tit. 15, subpt. 1, ch. 50, 2012)
Mississippi calls assisted living a Personal Care Home - Assisted Living. The Mississippi State Department of Health licenses it under Miss. Admin. Code Title 15, Part 16, Subpart 1, Chapter 47, and the rule describes an appropriate resident as primarily an aged ambulatory person, which includes someone who can transfer to and move a wheelchair alone or with prompting. Mississippi also licenses Personal Care Home - Residential Living under Chapter 48, and the facts below are for the assisted living license.
Rules change and communities can set stricter policies. Before you sign, confirm the details with the community and the Mississippi State Department of Health, Health Facilities Licensure and Certification. This page is general information, not legal advice.
The rules at a glance
| Medical assessment before move-in | A person applying for admission must have a thorough exam by a licensed physician, or a certified nurse practitioner or physician assistant, within 30 days before admission. The exam must show that admission is appropriate under the home's admission criteria, and it must be updated every year. [4] More on this |
|---|---|
| TB test | Within 30 days before admission, a new resident needs a TB signs and symptoms assessment by a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner, plus a chest x-ray with a written reading. With a normal x-ray and no symptoms, the resident also needs a baseline IGRA blood test or a two-step TST skin test (second step 10 to 21 days later). [5] More on this |
| Notice before a move-out | Mississippi's assisted living rule gives no number of days of notice before an involuntary move-out; it requires written discharge policies and timely word to the resident's responsible party about transfer or discharge. A resident who needs physical restraints, intravenous treatment, gastric feedings, an indwelling urinary catheter or sterile wound care generally cannot stay. [6][7] More on this |
| Who may give medications | If a resident cannot take their own prescription medicine, a licensed nurse must be present to administer it, and the home must have a licensed nurse on the premises 8 hours a day. The rules treat handing a resident an oral medicine with a drink as medication assistance and do not mention insulin or other injections. [8][9] More on this |
| Memory care and dementia | A home may run a separate Alzheimer's disease/dementia unit under extra rules, and the unit is noted on its license. A registered or licensed practical nurse must be present on all shifts, at least two staff must be on the unit at all times, and each resident needs a medical exam and a cognitive, functional and social assessment before admission. [10] |
| Long-term care ombudsman | Mississippi's Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, part of the Department of Human Services, advocates for residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities and personal care homes and can be reached at the statewide help line, 1-888-844-0041. [11][12] Official page More on this |
| Medicaid help | Mississippi's Assisted Living Waiver can pay for services in a licensed personal care home-assisted living facility that is enrolled with Medicaid, but slots are limited and people referred beyond capacity go on a waiting list. It does not pay room and board, which the home's admission agreement must list as a separate charge from personal care. [13][14] Official page More on this |
What assisted living costs in Mississippi
The median monthly cost of assisted living in Mississippi was $4,369 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $52,425 a year, $1,831 below the national median of $6,200 a month. [15]
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 Mississippi
The Department of Health's Health Facilities Directory, a PDF updated October 2026, lists each licensed personal care home with its address, county, bed count, phone and licensee, and marks which homes are licensed for assisted living and which have an Alzheimer's disease/dementia unit. Complaints about a home can be filed online or by phone at 1-800-227-7308. Search Mississippi's records. [2][3]
The licensing agency: Mississippi State Department of Health, Health Facilities Licensure and Certification. [1] Our guide on how to read an inspection report explains what to look for.
Put Mississippi'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 Mississippi?
The median monthly cost of assisted living in Mississippi was $4,369 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $52,425 a year, $1,831 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 Mississippi require before moving into assisted living?
A person applying for admission must have a thorough exam by a licensed physician, or a certified nurse practitioner or physician assistant, within 30 days before admission. The exam must show that admission is appropriate under the home's admission criteria, and it must be updated every year.
Does Mississippi require a TB test for assisted living?
Within 30 days before admission, a new resident needs a TB signs and symptoms assessment by a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner, plus a chest x-ray with a written reading. With a normal x-ray and no symptoms, the resident also needs a baseline IGRA blood test or a two-step TST skin test (second step 10 to 21 days later).
How much notice must an assisted living community in Mississippi give before a move-out?
Mississippi's assisted living rule gives no number of days of notice before an involuntary move-out; it requires written discharge policies and timely word to the resident's responsible party about transfer or discharge. A resident who needs physical restraints, intravenous treatment, gastric feedings, an indwelling urinary catheter or sterile wound care generally cannot stay.
Who can give medications in assisted living in Mississippi?
If a resident cannot take their own prescription medicine, a licensed nurse must be present to administer it, and the home must have a licensed nurse on the premises 8 hours a day. The rules treat handing a resident an oral medicine with a drink as medication assistance and do not mention insulin or other injections.
Who can help with a complaint about assisted living in Mississippi?
Mississippi's Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, part of the Department of Human Services, advocates for residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities and personal care homes and can be reached at the statewide help line, 1-888-844-0041.
Does Medicaid pay for assisted living in Mississippi?
Mississippi's Assisted Living Waiver can pay for services in a licensed personal care home-assisted living facility that is enrolled with Medicaid, but slots are limited and people referred beyond capacity go on a waiting list. It does not pay room and board, which the home's admission agreement must list as a separate charge from personal care.
Sources
- Mississippi State Department of Health: Health and Care Facilities, Health Facilities Licensure and Certification (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Mississippi State Department of Health: Directory of Mississippi Health Facilities, Personal Care Homes section (October 2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Mississippi State Department of Health: Make a Health Facility Complaint (2025) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Miss. Admin. Code tit. 15, pt. 16, subpt. 1, rule 47.12.2, Medical Evaluation (MSDH PDF of Chapter 47, effective October 2023), 2023 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Miss. Admin. Code tit. 15, pt. 16, subpt. 1, rule 47.12.3, Resident Admission Requirements to Rule Out Active Tuberculosis (MSDH PDF of Chapter 47, effective October 2023), 2023 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Miss. Admin. Code tit. 15, pt. 16, subpt. 1, rules 47.11.8 and 47.11.10, Admission Agreement and Licensed Facility Policies (MSDH PDF of Chapter 47, effective October 2023), 2023 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Miss. Admin. Code tit. 15, pt. 16, subpt. 1, rule 47.12.1, Admission and Discharge Criteria (MSDH PDF of Chapter 47, effective October 2023), 2023 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Miss. Admin. Code tit. 15, pt. 16, subpt. 1, rule 47.11.4, Other Personnel (MSDH PDF of Chapter 47, effective October 2023), 2023 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Miss. Admin. Code tit. 15, pt. 16, subpt. 1, rules 47.2.10 and 47.2.11, Medication Administration and Medication Assistance (MSDH PDF of Chapter 47, effective October 2023), 2023 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Miss. Admin. Code tit. 15, subpt. 1, ch. 50, Minimum Standards of Operation for Alzheimer's Disease/Dementia Care Unit, rules 50.1.2, 50.1.3, 50.2.1 and 50.3.1 (MSDH PDF, revised October 2012), 2012 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Mississippi Department of Human Services: Long Term Care Ombudsman Program FFY 2025 Annual Report (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Mississippi Department of Human Services: Long-Term Care Ombudsman (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Mississippi Division of Medicaid: Assisted Living Waiver (Internet Archive copy of 11 December 2025), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Mississippi Division of Medicaid: Assisted Living Waiver MS.0355.R05.00, CMS-approved application, Appendix B-3 and I-5 (Internet Archive copy of the Division's PDF), effective July 1, 2023 (checked October 22, 2026)
- CareScout: Cost of Care Survey 2025, Ranked Median Costs by State (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)