The Division of Health Facilities Licensure and Certification is the Mississippi regulatory agency responsible for licensing hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, hospices, ambulatory surgical facilities, birthing centers, community mental health centers, end stage renal disease facilities (ESRD), psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTF), rural health facilities, personal care homes (PCH), assisted living (AL) facilities, intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF-IID), comprehensive outpatient rehab facilities, outpatient physical therapy facilities, prescribed pediatric extended care facilities (PPEC) and pediatric skilled nursing facilities.
CLIA laboratory certifications and Fire Safety and Construction inspections on health facilities is also done.
This division is also responsible for certifying health care facilities for participation in Medicare and Medicaid programs. Since the division requires health facilities to be in compliance with state and federal standards, the level of care delivered is continually reviewed and upgraded so that patients and residents can be better protected from abuse and neglect.
Surveillance
Routine surveys are conducted in all licensed or certified health facilities. Follow-up visits and survey reviews are made for any cited deficiencies in order to verify that needed corrective action has been made. Staff surveyors also monitor complaints and facility-reported incidents.
Health Facilities Licensure and Certification activities include on-site visits, state agency enforcement compliance letters, and annual educational seminars conducted throughout the state for providers. Staff also collect, evaluate and report facility utilization statistics. Health facility directories describing facilities and their provided services are prepared and available online through the MSDH website.
Fire Safety
Our Fire Safety and Construction staff experts review architectural plans for new construction and renovation of all health care facilities in Mississippi to ensure that the physical plants comply with federal, state and local laws and ordinances. They perform onsite compliance surveys and also provide plan consultation and regulations training as needed.
Laboratories
Under the Clinical Laboratories Improvement Amendment (CLIA) of 1988, inspections are completed to certify the state's laboratories who perform moderate/high complexity testing. More than 3,500 laboratories are regulated by CLIA.
Division activities are supported by federal funds from a contract with the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, through an interagency agreement with the MS Division of Medicaid, and by state licensing fees received.
