Care-facility inspections
How nursing homes and care facilities in Maine are inspected, licensed, and held to account.
8 laws · 4 enforcement actions · 3 guides · 2 court decisions
See the details
The laws 8
- 22 M.R.S. §1811, Title 22 (Health and Welfare), Subtitle 2, Part 4, Chapter 405 (Licensing of Hospitals and Institutions) — license required to establish, conduct or maintain a hospital, sanatorium, convalescent home, rest home, nursing hom… legislature.maine.gov
- 22 M.R.S. §1812-A, Chapter 405 — the statutory definition of "nursing home"/"nursing facility": a facility providing skilled nursing care and related medical services for not less than 24 hours per day to individuals requiring such care legislature.maine.gov
- 22 M.R.S. §1817, Chapter 405 — Issuance of licenses: authorizes temporary licenses (up to 90 days) and conditional licenses when a facility fails inspection, voids a temporary/conditional license on failure to meet conditions, and authorize… legislature.maine.gov
- 22 M.R.S. §1820-A, Chapter 405 — Right of entry and inspection of nursing homes and boarding homes: the department's statutory right to enter and inspect any licensed nursing home (and any premises suspected of unlicensed operation) at any… legislature.maine.gov
- 22 M.R.S. §7801, Title 22, Subtitle 6 (Facilities for Children and Adults), Chapter 1663 (Licenses) — license or approval required to operate a residential care facility or an assisted housing facility providing personal-care assistance, me… legislature.maine.gov
- 22 M.R.S. §7943, Chapter 1666-B (Intermediate Sanctions and Incentives for Improving the Quality of Care in Long-Term Care Facilities) — defines violations by long-term care facilities: operating without a license, interfering with enforcem… legislature.maine.gov
- 22 M.R.S. §7944, Chapter 1666-B — Intermediate sanctions: authorizes the department to halt admissions, order corrective action, transfer residents in an emergency, and impose civil penalties on long-term care facilities (minimum $500/day f… legislature.maine.gov
- 22 M.R.S. §7931, Chapter 1666-A (Appointment of Receivers) — the policy section establishing receivership as a remedy of last resort to protect residents of long-term care facilities, home health/personal care agency clients, hospitals, amb… legislature.maine.gov
Know your rights 3
- DLC "Nursing Facilities" licensing/certification guidance page — explains the dual State Licensure Process (under 22 M.R.S. maine.gov
- DLC "Important Notice for Assisted Housing Providers" compliance guidance (2025) — walks Chapter 113 Part A/B licensees through the transition timeline and milestones for coming into compliance with the updated Assisted Housing Programs Lic… maine.gov
- Maine Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, "Long-Term Care Information" consumer guidance — advises families on how to choose and evaluate a nursing home, residential care facility or assisted living facility (visiting settings, observing atmo… maineombudsman.org
Enforcement actions
None on file yet — the federal backstop still applies.
Orders & settlements 4
- 10-144 C.M.R. Chapter 110, "Regulations Governing the Licensing and Functioning of Skilled Nursing Facilities and Nursing Facilities" (Effective August 1, 2020) — Maine's own administrative rule for nursing-facility licensing: application/i… maine.gov
- 10-144 C.M.R. Chapter 113, Part A, "Assisted Housing Programs Licensing Rule: Assisted Living Facilities" (Effective September 18, 2025) — DLC's current licensing rule for assisted living facilities: licensure types (provisional/conditional… maine.gov
- 10-144 C.M.R. Chapter 113, Part B, "Assisted Housing Programs Licensing Rule: Residential Care Facilities" (Effective September 18, 2025) — DLC's current licensing rule for residential care facilities, parallel in structure to Part A (licen… maine.gov
- 10-144 C.M.R. Chapter 108, "Home and Community Support Service Agencies Licensing Rule" (Effective December 3, 2025) — DLC's current licensing rule for home-and-community-support-service agencies (residential services, home support, communi… maine.gov
Court decisions 2
- Drake v. Smith, 390 A.2d 541 (Me. 1978) — Maine Supreme Judicial Court decision captioned Kenneth L. Drake d/b/a Machias Valley Nursing Home, Inc., et al. v. David E. courtlistener.com
- Catir v. Commissioner of the Department of Human Services, 543 A.2d 356 (Me. 1988) — Maine Supreme Judicial Court decision captioned Christine Catir, et al. v. courtlistener.com
Official notices 2
- DLC Sentinel Event Newsletter, Issue 45 (June 2026) — the Division's quarterly provider bulletin on patient-safety issues identified in Maine's covered facilities (hospitals and facilities under their license, ambulatory surgical centers, e… maine.gov
- DLC/Office of Aging and Disability Services provider memo, "Home and Community Support Service Agencies Licensing Rule" (September 3, 2025) — notified currently Chapter-113-licensed residential ("waiver home") providers that they must trans… maine.gov