This week, RALNA – through representation by Michelle Pinkowski – is participating in the Facility Guidelines Institute’s 2022 Health Guidelines Revision Committee Conference. This is the final conference before publication of the 2022 version of the Residential Design Guidelines.
The FGI Residential Design Guidelines are coordinated standards for the design of residential healthcare facilities – including assisted living. The FGI is a national standards body that produces guidelines that states can adopt (like the International Building Code, but for design). If the Guidelines are adopted by states, then the standards become mandatory. Currently, states like Colorado and Minnesota have applied these Guidelines to RALs and other states, like Oklahoma, ae considering doing so.
Because of RALNA’s advocacy, the draft 2022 version of the Residential Guidelines better reflects the needs of the RAL community and does not treat all assisted living the same. RALs are recognized as a type all their own (the “residential model”), which is different from the “household model” or “apartment style model”. Recognizing the differences in classification allowed changes to be made throughout the Guidelines so that requirements could be applied differently to the different models or, in some cases, not applied at all to RALs.
RALNA, of course, is always concerned about the comfort, health and safety of RAL residents. However, a “one-size-fits-all” standard simply doesn’t work and creates barriers that reduce access to quality care.
RALNA is pleased to help give residential assisted living providers a voice at the national level.
