Certified Family Homes

Certified Family Home Program - Provider Page

Certified Family Homes (CFH) provide a safe, family-style living environment for adults who need some assistance with the activities of daily living, but do not require a more restrictive institutional setting. Usually there are one or two adult residents in a CFH. Each resident has a tailored care plan designed to meet their individual needs and to ensure they have the opportunity to participate in community activities. The CFH is operated by a provider who has received the appropriate training and demonstrated the knowledge and experience to provide safe and effective services to the residents. There are over 2,500 Certified Family Homes in communities across the state.

Please see our brochure for more information:

Link to Consumer Page

Announcements and Alerts

May 19, 2020

April 29, 2020, 9:45 a.m.

COVID-19 Resource Guide by Region (Idaho and National Resources)

April 14, 2020, 12:21 p.m.

Residents’ Stimulus Payments
Like all adult citizens in the United States, residents receiving services in certified family homes may shortly receive an Economic Impact Payment from the Internal Revenue Service. Certified Family Home (CFH) providers are to follow the same rules regarding these funds as any other income the resident may receive, be it from Social Security, a job, inheritance, gifts, etc. This means continuing to charge the resident for monthly CFH services in the amount agreed to in the resident’s Admission Agreement, honoring the resident’s right to the Basic Needs Allowance (if a Medicaid participant), and, if the provider is deemed to be managing the resident’s funds, following the rules at IDAPA 16.03.19.275.02. As ever, should the CFH provider wish to change the charges to the resident for services, the provider must inform the resident (or the resident’s representative) in writing at least 15 calendar days in advance (or longer, as specified in the Admission Agreement). If the resident (or resident’s representative) does not agree to the change in CFH charges, the parties must decide whether or not to continue the admission. Either party may give the other a 30-day written notice to terminate the Admission Agreement at any time; however, the provider may not violate the resident’s right to be free from manipulation by pressuring the resident to agree to a change in the charges for CFH services or face eviction from the home. Please contact your regional certifying agent with questions regarding compliance with CFH rules in relation to resident funds.

If there are questions about how the stimulus payment may impact the resident’s continued eligibility for Medicaid benefits, please contact Self Reliance at 1-877-456-1233.

UPDATE: American Heart Association CPR Expiration Extension

3/25/2020, 5:00 p.m.
Suspension of Certain IDAPA Rules

By proclamation of Governor Brad Little, certain administrative rules have been suspended during the COVID-19 emergency. Suspended rules affecting the certification of Certified Family Homes are listed in the appendix under "Health & Welfare, Department of," "16.03.19, Certified Family"

3/23/2020, 2:10 p.m.
Idaho’s Response to COVID-19

In Idaho, the state government is maintaining an official website at https://coronavirus.idaho.gov for relaying Idaho-specific information. Additionally, Governor Brad Little has issued a proclamation declaring a state of emergency. The final item in his proclamation authorizes state agencies with licensing/certification responsibilities to “temporarily exercise enforcement discretion, implement temporary rules, and waive licensing and related requirements to maximize access to health care services and provider support in response to COVID-19.” To that end, the Division of Licensing & Certification, Certified Family Home Program, is temporarily taking the following steps to minimize transmission of the infection through the duration of the emergency:

All initial certification, recertification, and investigation survey activity will be by desk review only, except when investigating allegations that pose an imminent danger to residents;
Allow providers and substitute caregivers to let their CPR/First Aid certification lapse to limit group trainings;
Remove the requirement that a certain number of annual ongoing training hours be interactive, allowing providers to fulfil all training requirements through independent study;
Allow providers to limit in-person access to residents on a case-by-case basis, depending on the risk from the visitor and the susceptibility of the residents and others living in the home to major health complications from COVID-19; and
Allow providers to limit the resident’s participation in the community (including services and recreation) on a case-by-case basis, depending on the risk in the specific community setting and the susceptibility of the residents and others living in the home to major health complications from COVID-19.

3/16/2020
COVID-19 Precautions and Information

Communities across the country are taking steps to lessen the impact of COVID-19, an infection from a novel (new) coronavirus that has become a world-wide pandemic. While most people who contract the disease will only experience mild symptoms, or no symptoms at all, it can cause serious health issues for some people. Since this at-risk group includes many who are residents in certified family homes across Idaho, it is important that CFH providers take precautions to prevent this illness from spreading. These precautions are described on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention webpage “How to Protect Yourself.” Please take the time to read and follow the information on this webpage. This website also includes many other webpages relating to the disease.

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