Built around Rule 59A-36, F.A.C.
Florida’s assisted living facility standards (Rule Chapter 59A-36, F.A.C., under Chapter 429, F.S.) are the rulebook every ALF operates by. Marpass is shaped to it section by section. This page maps the parts of the chapter we directly support, defines the regulatory shorthand operators run into daily, and links you to the source documents.
This is operational support, not legal advice. The rule, the statute, and your AHCA field office are always the source of truth.
Coverage map
How Marpass maps to the chapter, section by section.
We focus on the operational rules, medications, resident care, records, surveys, staffing, resident rights, and reporting. Rules about licensure, application, and physical plant are the operator’s responsibility and outside Marpass’s scope.
Medications
Medication practices, the MAR/MOR, and storage
Rule 59A-36.008, F.A.C. governs self-administration, assistance with self-administration, medication administration, the medication record, and storage and disposal in a Florida ALF. Marpass replaces a paper MAR/MOR with a structured, audit-trailed digital record while keeping the licensed/unlicensed staff distinction intact.
Medication practices, overview
The rule distinguishes self-administration, assistance with self-administration by trained unlicensed staff, and administration by licensed staff. Marpass tags each medication with its handling level so the right staff member is prompted for the right action.
Assistance with self-administration
Unlicensed staff may assist only after the training required by statute and rule. Marpass links each staff member’s medication-assistance training record to their ability to record an assist, and surfaces it on their profile.
Medication Observation Record (MOR) / MAR
A record of every medication given, assisted, refused, or held, with date, time, and the staff member responsible. The Marpass eMAR is that record: structured per dose, time-stamped, and exportable for survey on demand.
Medication storage and disposal
Centrally stored medications must be kept secure, separated, and disposed of properly. Marpass tracks storage location per medication and surfaces controlled-substance counts at shift change.
Assistance with self-administration (statute)
Section 429.256, F.S. defines what unlicensed staff may and may not do when assisting residents with medication. Marpass’s med workflow is shaped to those boundaries so staff stay inside their scope.
Resident care
Health assessment, appropriateness, and care standards
Rules 59A-36.006 and 59A-36.007, F.A.C. cover admission, the resident health assessment (AHCA Form 1823), continued residency criteria, and ongoing care standards. Marpass’s resident records are shaped to the exact intake and care topics Florida requires.
Admission & AHCA Form 1823
A health assessment (AHCA Form 1823) completed by a health care provider is required around admission. Marpass stores the 1823 on the resident record, flags missing or expiring assessments, and links it to the care plan.
Continued residency criteria
Residents must continue to meet the criteria for ALF placement. Marpass surfaces change-of-condition events so you can document and review whether continued residency criteria are still met.
Resident care standards
Supervision, daily observation, assistance with ADLs, and arranging health care as needed. Marpass turns these into a structured service record per resident rather than loose notes in a binder.
Service plan / care documentation
Care and services provided to each resident must be documented. Marpass renders a care plan from your assessment data, surfaces missing required fields, and stores acknowledgments with timestamps.
Records
Facility, staff, and resident records
Rule 59A-36.015, F.A.C. governs the facility records, staff records, and resident records every ALF must keep. Marpass keeps each required record live, searchable, and audit-trailed by default.
Resident records, required content
Each resident record must contain the health assessment, care documentation, the medication record, contracts, and rights acknowledgments. Marpass surfaces these as a checklist on the resident profile, missing items are visible at a glance.
Staff records
Required staff records, background screening, training, and Level 2 screening clearance. Marpass keeps these as a single, survey-ready bundle per staff member.
Facility records & retention
Facility records must be maintained and available for review. Marpass maintains records as a living document with retention controls aligned to your state’s requirements, available even after a resident leaves.
Resident contracts
Rule 59A-36.018, F.A.C. requires a written resident contract with specified disclosures. Marpass stores the executed contract on the resident record with signature and date.
Surveys & remediation
AHCA surveys, monitoring, and corrective action
Section 429.34, F.S. authorizes AHCA biennial licensure surveys, plus monitoring and complaint surveys. Marpass keeps your documentation survey-ready so you can respond to findings with the underlying chart data.
Right of entry & biennial survey
AHCA conducts a licensure survey roughly every 24 months, plus complaint and monitoring visits. Marpass’s readiness view shows your documentation completeness at all times so a survey isn’t a scramble.
Licensure & enforcement
Deficiencies can carry fines and conditional licensure. Marpass stores AHCA reports, indexes the cited tags, and links each one to the chart entries that support, or refute, the finding.
Corrective action documentation
When deficiencies are cited, you must document corrective action. Marpass helps you assemble the evidence, the resident, the date, the action, and the staff responsible, from your real records.
Staffing & training
Staffing standards, training, and background screening
Rules 59A-36.010 and 59A-36.011, F.A.C. cover staffing, administrator and staff training, and the Level 2 background screening every ALF employee must clear. Marpass tracks every required check and training to its expiration.
Staffing standards
Minimum staffing, administrator requirements, and in-service hours. Marpass’s scheduling tracks staff hours and surfaces coverage so you can document that staffing standards were met.
Staff training & competency
Core training, assistance-with-self-administration training, and continuing education with specified timelines. Marpass maps each role to its required training and renders a per-staff readiness card.
Level 2 background screening
Staff with resident contact must clear Level 2 screening under Chapter 435, F.S. Marpass tracks screening status and clearance dates, and blocks shift assignment for staff out of compliance.
Personnel records
Required personnel records, qualifications, training, evaluations, screening. Marpass keeps these as a single, survey-ready bundle per staff member.
Resident rights
Resident bill of rights, grievances, and notice
Section 429.28, F.S. sets out the Resident Bill of Rights every ALF must honor and post, including grievance procedures and access to the Long-Term Care Ombudsman. Marpass surfaces these at admission and tracks every required acknowledgment.
Resident bill of rights, posting
The Resident Bill of Rights and ombudsman contact must be posted where residents and families see them. Marpass produces print-ready postings in English and Spanish with current contact info.
Acknowledgment of rights
Each resident or representative should acknowledge receipt of their rights. Marpass includes the acknowledgment in the digital admission packet and stores the signature with a timestamp.
Grievance procedure
A documented grievance procedure must be available to residents and family. Marpass routes grievances to the right person, tracks resolution time, and stores outcomes in the audit trail.
Relocation & discharge
Required notice and process when a resident must relocate or is discharged. Marpass walks you through the notice and tracks delivery to the resident, representative, and case manager.
Reporting
Adverse incidents, elopement, and abuse reporting
Section 429.23, F.S. governs adverse incident and elopement reporting to AHCA, and Chapter 415, F.S. requires reporting of abuse, neglect, and exploitation to the Florida Abuse Hotline. Marpass adds a one-tap reporting flow that produces a complete, dated report.
Adverse incident reports
A 1-business-day preliminary report and a 15-day full report to AHCA for defined adverse incidents. Marpass triggers the report flow from incident type, ensures required fields are populated, and time-stamps each submission.
Resident elopement
Elopement events and the facility’s response must be documented and reported. Marpass logs the event, the response, and the notifications on the resident and home timeline.
Abuse, neglect & exploitation reporting
All staff are mandatory reporters to the Florida Abuse Hotline (1-800-96-ABUSE). Marpass surfaces the reporting policy at login and stores per-staff training acknowledgments.
Glossary
The shorthand operators run into.
Quick definitions of the regulatory acronyms and phrases that appear in Rule 59A-36, on AHCA forms, and during surveys.
ALF
Assisted Living Facility, a Florida-licensed residential facility providing housing, meals, and personal care under Chapter 429, Part I, F.S.
AHCA
Agency for Health Care Administration, the Florida agency that licenses, surveys, and enforces standards for assisted living facilities.
DOEA
Florida Department of Elder Affairs, the agency that adopts the ALF rules in Rule Chapter 59A-36, F.A.C. and the required training curricula.
BAA
Business Associate Agreement, the HIPAA-required contract between a covered entity (your facility) and a vendor (Marpass) handling PHI on your behalf.
ECC
Extended Congregate Care, a specialty license (Rule 59A-36.021, F.A.C.) allowing additional nursing services so residents can age in place.
F.A.C.
Florida Administrative Code, the codified rules of Florida agencies. ALF standards are in Rule Chapter 59A-36.
F.S.
Florida Statutes, the codified laws of Florida. ALF licensure law is in Chapter 429, Part I.
Form 1823
AHCA Form 1823, the Resident Health Assessment for Assisted Living Facilities, completed by a health care provider around admission.
LMH
Limited Mental Health, a specialty license (Rule 59A-36.020, F.A.C.) for facilities serving three or more mental health residents.
LNS
Limited Nursing Services, a specialty license (Rule 59A-36.022, F.A.C.) allowing a limited set of nursing services on site.
MAR / MOR
Medication Administration Record / Medication Observation Record, the document tracking medications administered or assisted for each resident.
OSS
Optional State Supplementation, the Florida program that helps eligible low-income residents pay for ALF room and board.
APS
Adult Protective Services, the Florida DCF unit that investigates reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable adults.
Level 2 Screening
The fingerprint-based background screening required under Chapter 435, F.S. for staff with resident contact.
PHI
Protected Health Information, individually identifiable health information protected under HIPAA.
PRN
pro re nata (Latin: as needed), medications taken only when symptoms call for them, not on a fixed schedule.
Quick guides
Six things every Florida ALF gets right.
Medication scope
Keep self-administration, assistance, and administration in their right lanes. Only trained staff assist; only licensed staff administer.
59A-36.008Form 1823 on time
A current AHCA Form 1823 health assessment belongs on every resident record. Track it and flag it before it expires.
59A-36.006Level 2 screening
Every staff member with resident contact needs current Level 2 background screening. No gaps, no exceptions.
435.04Adverse incident timing
A 1-business-day preliminary and a 15-day full report to AHCA for defined incidents. Start the clock the day it happens.
429.23Training currency
Core training and medication-assistance training have timelines. Keep continuing education current for every staff member.
59A-36.011Rights posted
The Resident Bill of Rights and ombudsman contact must be posted where residents and families see them.
429.28Resources
Source documents we point to.
These are the official references we trust and link to. When the rule and Marpass disagree, the rule wins.
Disclaimer
This page summarizes how Marpass features support compliance with Rule Chapter 59A-36, F.A.C. and Chapter 429, F.S. It is not legal advice and does not replace your independent obligation as a licensed ALF operator. The Florida Administrative Code and Florida Statutes themselves, plus guidance from your AHCA field office, are the authoritative sources for compliance. Marpass does not warrant that use of the product alone will satisfy any regulatory requirement.
Run your facility the way 59A-36 asks.
Marpass shapes itself to Florida’s rules so your team doesn’t have to remember them. Request access and we’ll walk you through it.