Last verified: October 2026
What must an Arizona assisted living residency agreement include?
Under A.A.C. R9-10-807 the agreement must list the services included and the services available for an extra fee, the policy for refunding fees, charges and deposits, how the resident can end residency, how the facility can end residency, the complaint process, and, for an assisted living home, whether the manager or a caregiver is awake at night.
It also records the date of occupancy and the responsibilities of the resident and the facility. Keep a signed copy; the facility must keep the original in the resident's record.
Sources: A.A.C. R9-10-807.
How much notice must an Arizona assisted living facility give before discharge?
A facility may end residency without notice only if the resident's behavior is an immediate threat to health and safety; it must give 14 calendar days' written notice for nonpayment or for needs it cannot meet under the rule, and 30 calendar days' written notice for any other reason.
The written notice must give the date, the reason, the refund policy, what happens to the resident's fees and deposits, and contact information for the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman. In Pima County the ombudsman program is run by Pima Council on Aging.
Sources: A.A.C. R9-10-807(G)-(H).
What documents does a Tucson facility need before admission?
Before or at acceptance the facility needs documentation dated within 90 days, signed by a physician, nurse practitioner, registered nurse or physician assistant, stating whether the person needs continuous medical services, continuous or intermittent nursing services, or restraints.
A resident must also provide evidence of freedom from infectious tuberculosis within seven days of moving in. Ask the facility for its admission packet early; hospital discharges are often delayed by missing paperwork rather than by bed availability.
Which clauses deserve a second look?
Read the refund policy, the list of extra-fee services, the rules for rate increases and level-of-care changes, and the facility's own discharge policy, because those four clauses decide most disputes.
Ask how much notice the facility gives before a rate increase and whether a move from personal to directed care changes the rate. If anything is verbal only, ask for it in writing as an addendum.
What can a family do if they disagree with a discharge notice?
Call the long-term care ombudsman first, because ombudsmen advocate for residents in disputes with facilities; if the notice skips the required period or content, you can also file a complaint with ADHS.
Pima Council on Aging's ombudsman program is at (520) 790-7262 or LTCO@pcoa.org. If the dispute involves suspected abuse or exploitation, Adult Protective Services takes reports at 1-877-SOS-ADULT (1-877-767-2385).
Arizona discharge notice: what the rule requires and does not
| Required | Not required | |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate threat | no notice | a waiting period |
| Nonpayment or unmet needs | 14 calendar days, in writing | 30 days |
| Any other reason | 30 calendar days, in writing | a court order |
| Notice content | reason, refund policy, ombudsman contact | a new placement |
