Built around Chapter 388-76 WAC.
Washington’s Adult Family Home Minimum Licensing Requirements (Chapter 388-76 WAC) is the rulebook every AFH 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 WAC and your DSHS licensor are always the source of truth.
Coverage map
How Marpass maps to the chapter, section by section.
We focus on the operational sections, medications, care plans, records, inspections, staffing, resident rights, and reporting. Sections about licensure, application, and physical plant are the operator’s responsibility and outside Marpass’s scope.
Medications
Medication system, administration, and log
WAC 388-76-10430 through 10490 cover how an AFH must store, administer, document, and dispose of medications. Marpass replaces a paper MAR with a structured, audit-trailed digital record while keeping operator authority intact.
Medication system
A written system covering ordering, receiving, storage, administration, documentation, and disposal. Marpass produces a printable, dated medication policy bundle from your home configuration.
Medication, Administration
Right resident, right medication, right dose, right route, right time, right documentation. Each pass in Marpass walks staff through these checkpoints in order before allowing a sign-off.
Medication, Log
A record of every dose given, refused, or held, with reason, date, time, and initials. The Marpass eMAR is the log itself: hash-chained per event, exportable as a PDF on demand.
Medication, Psychopharmacologic
Heightened tracking, consent, and review for psychotropic medications. Marpass flags psychotropics on intake, prompts for documented consent, and maintains the recurring review cadence the WAC requires.
Medication storage
Locked, separated by resident, temperature-appropriate. Marpass tracks storage location per medication and surfaces controlled-substance counts at every shift change.
Medication disposal, written policy
Required written policy covering safe disposal of expired, discontinued, or remaining medications. Marpass ships a default-compliant policy template you customize and sign once per home.
Care planning
Resident assessment and the negotiated care plan
WAC 388-76-10330 through 10385 govern the resident assessment, the negotiated care plan, and how often it must be reviewed. Marpass's care-plan templates are shaped to the exact assessment topics required by Washington.
Resident assessment topics
The required topics, cognition, ADLs, communication, behavior, medical conditions, and more, are pre-loaded as a structured intake form. No more printed checklists.
Negotiated care plan
A plan negotiated with the resident or their representative covering preferences, services, and goals. Marpass renders the NCP from your assessment data, surfaces missing required fields, and stores signatures with timestamps.
NCP, Timing of reviews and revisions
NCPs require periodic and event-triggered review. Marpass schedules reviews automatically and routes change-of-condition events to the right team member to update the plan.
NCP, Copy to department case manager
For Medicaid residents, a copy of the NCP must be sent to the case manager. Marpass tracks delivery status per resident so the requirement never slips through the cracks.
Records
Resident records, incident log, and roster
WAC 388-76-10220, 10221, 10315 through 10325, and 10231 govern the records every AFH must keep. Marpass keeps every required record live, searchable, and audit-trailed by default.
Incident log
Required log of falls, injuries, medication errors, behavior incidents, and emergencies. Marpass's incident reports map directly to the WAC categories and produce body-map annotated entries on demand.
Resident roster, requirements
A current roster with required identifying and care information. Marpass's roster updates the moment an admission, transfer, or discharge happens, no parallel spreadsheet to maintain.
Resident record, required
A complete record per resident. Marpass maintains the record as a living document with retention controls aligned to Washington's minimum 3-year post-discharge requirement.
Resident record, content
The required contents, assessment, NCP, MAR, contact info, rights acknowledgment, etc., are surfaced as a checklist on the resident profile. Missing items are visible at a glance.
Inspections & remediation
Practice inspections, monitoring, and Plan of Correction
WAC 388-76-10910 through 10930 cover department inspections, complaint investigations, and the Plan of Correction process. Marpass includes a practice-inspection wizard that surfaces likely citations before DSHS does.
Inspections, general
Annual, unannounced inspections by DSHS. Marpass's readiness dashboard shows your live posture against the 2024–2026 inspection priority areas at all times.
Inspection timelines
Specific timelines for entrance, exit, and report delivery. Marpass tracks inspection events on your home timeline so you have a defensible record of every interaction.
Inspection and investigation reports
You're entitled to copies of department reports. Marpass stores them, indexes the deficiency cites, and links each one to the chart entries that support, or refute, the finding.
Plan of Correction (POC), required
When deficiencies are cited, you must submit a POC. Marpass's POC drafter pre-fills the form with your real data, the cited regulation, and a draft remediation aligned with DCAT methodology. You edit and sign before submission.
Staff qualifications
Background checks and personnel records
WAC 388-76-10160 through 10181 cover the background checks every AFH employee, contractor, and household member must clear. Marpass tracks every required check to its expiration and prevents shift assignments for staff out of compliance.
Background checks, who is required to have
Caregivers, providers, contractors, and household members 16+ all need a background check. Marpass's personnel module maps each role to its required checks and renders a per-staff readiness card.
Validity periods
WA name + DOB checks valid 2 years; national fingerprint check valid indefinitely with continuous monitoring. Marpass tracks both and warns you 60 days before any required renewal.
Disqualifying information
Categorical disqualifiers must remove a person from caregiving access. Marpass blocks shift assignment for any staff member whose background check status falls out of compliance.
Personnel records
Required personnel records, qualifications, training, evaluations, background checks. Marpass keeps these as a single, audit-ready bundle per staff member.
Resident rights
Resident rights, grievances, and notice
WAC 388-76-10510 through 10617 set out the basic rights every resident has, including notice requirements, grievance procedures, and transfer/discharge rules. Marpass surfaces these at admission and tracks every required acknowledgment.
Resident rights, postings
Required postings of rights and ombudsman contact. Marpass produces print-ready posters in English and Spanish at 11×17 with the current contact info baked in.
Resident rights, notice of rights and services
A signed acknowledgment from each resident or representative. Marpass includes the acknowledgment in the digital admission packet and stores the signature with timestamp.
Resident rights, grievances
A documented grievance procedure available to residents and family. Marpass routes grievances to the right person, tracks resolution time against the WAC deadline, and stores outcomes in the audit trail.
Transfer and discharge
Required notice and rights when transferring or discharging a resident. Marpass walks you through the notice template and tracks delivery to the resident, representative, and case manager.
Reporting
Mandated reporting and abuse prevention
WAC 388-76-10225 and 10670 through 10680 govern mandated reporting of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Marpass adds a one-tap reporting flow that produces a complete, dated, hash-chained report for DSHS and APS.
Reporting requirement
Specific events must be reported to DSHS within tight timelines. Marpass triggers the report flow from incident type, ensures all required fields are populated, and timestamps submission.
Abuse and neglect, mandated reporting
All staff are mandated reporters. Marpass surfaces the reporting policy at every login and stores per-staff training acknowledgments.
Prevention of abuse
Required policies and training. Marpass ships a policy template, tracks completion of the orientation module per staff member, and renders a current training compliance roster on demand.
Glossary
The shorthand operators run into.
Quick definitions of the regulatory acronyms and phrases that appear in WAC 388-76, on DSHS forms, and during inspections.
AFH
Adult Family Home, a Washington-licensed residential facility providing care for up to six (or eight, with extended capacity) unrelated residents.
ALTSA
Aging and Long-Term Support Administration, the DSHS division that licenses and inspects AFHs in Washington.
APS
Adult Protective Services, the DSHS unit that investigates reports of abuse, neglect, abandonment, and financial exploitation of vulnerable adults.
BAA
Business Associate Agreement, the HIPAA-required contract between a covered entity (your AFH) and a vendor (Marpass) handling PHI on your behalf.
CMP
Civil Monetary Penalty, a fine imposed by DSHS for noncompliance with the WAC. See WAC 388-76-10975 and the civil fine grid in 388-76-10976.
DCAT
Deficiency Citation Authority Template, the structured methodology DSHS surveyors use to write Statements of Deficiency.
DSHS
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, the state agency that oversees AFH licensing.
eMAR
Electronic Medication Administration Record, the digital equivalent of a paper MAR. The Marpass eMAR satisfies the medication log requirement of WAC 388-76-10475.
IDR
Informal Dispute Resolution, the process for contesting deficiencies before they become final. See WAC 388-76-10990.
MAR
Medication Administration Record, the document that tracks every medication given to every resident.
NCP
Negotiated Care Plan, the plan developed with the resident or their representative after assessment. Required by WAC 388-76-10355.
NSA
Notice of Services and Acknowledgment, the disclosure of services and rights residents must receive on admission.
POC
Plan of Correction, the operator's required written response to a Statement of Deficiency, identifying remediation steps and target dates.
PRN
pro re nata (Latin: as needed), medications administered only when symptoms call for them, not on a fixed schedule.
PHI
Protected Health Information, individually identifiable health information protected under HIPAA.
RCS
Residential Care Services, the DSHS division that conducts AFH inspections and complaint investigations.
SOD
Statement of Deficiency, the formal document DSHS issues citing specific WAC violations after an inspection or investigation.
WAC
Washington Administrative Code, the codified rules adopted by Washington state agencies. AFH licensing rules are in Chapter 388-76.
Quick guides
Six things every WA AFH gets right.
Med pass discipline
Right resident, right med, right dose, right time, right route, right documentation. Run it the same way every shift.
388-76-10455NCP review cadence
Review the negotiated care plan on schedule and on every change of condition. Document the review.
388-76-10380Background check renewal
WA name + DOB checks expire every 2 years. Renew 60 days before expiration so no gap appears.
388-76-10165Incident logging
Log every fall, injury, med error, and behavior incident the day it happens. Body-map annotated entries beat narrative paragraphs.
388-76-10220POC quality
A Plan of Correction is judged on specificity. Cite the resident, the date, the action, and the staff responsible.
388-76-10930Notice and posting
Resident rights, ombudsman contact, and license must be posted where residents and family see them. Refresh annually.
388-76-10525Resources
Source documents we point to.
These are the official references we trust and link to. When the WAC and Marpass disagree, the WAC wins.
Disclaimer
This page summarizes how Marpass features support compliance with WAC 388-76. It is not legal advice and does not replace your independent obligation as a licensed AFH operator. The Washington Administrative Code itself, plus guidance from your DSHS licensor, are the authoritative sources for compliance. Marpass does not warrant that use of the product alone will satisfy any regulatory requirement.
Run your home the way the WAC asks.
Marpass shapes itself to Washington’s rules so your team doesn’t have to remember them. Request access and we’ll walk you through it.