Emergency rules for Assisted Living Facilities COVID-19 Response —Expansion of Reopening of Visitation in 26 TAC, Chapter 553.2003 expired on June 16 and will not be renewed. Effective June 17, providers will no longer need to follow these emergency rules.
Here's where this gets confusing:
ALF's must still follow 26 TAC, Chapter 553.2001, ALF COVID-19 Response emergency rules. That's rules about infection control, COVID response and mitigation, etc.
Essential Caregiver rules are STATUTORY now so IF - that's IF - general visitation is ever stopped in an assisted living facility, PERMANENT ESSENTIAL CAREGIVER RULES are in place. Not temporary rules. Not emergency rules. These are permanent rules that you and I helped put in place under SB25 to make sure that residents would never wholly and completely be isolated ever again.
The web, for some odd reason, will not allow us to link to the Chapter 570 of the Texas Administrative Code on the Secretary of State page. This is a web issue, not a legislative or administrative one.
Here is Chapter 570 elsewhere: Chapter 570 - LONG-TERM CARE PROVIDER RULES DURING A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY OR DISASTER https://casetext.com/.../chapter-570-long-term-care...
If you are still confused about visitation rules, have questions, or have concerns, you can email questions to HHSC at LTCR Policy
