General requirements for all State home facilities.
38 C.F.R. § 59.130
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01As a condition for receiving a grant and grant funds under this part, States must comply with the requirements of this section.
(a) The physical environment of a State home must be designed, constructed, equipped, and maintained to protect the health and safety of participants, personnel and the public.
(b) A State home must meet the general conditions of the American Institute of Architects, or other general conditions required by the State, for awarding contracts for State home grant projects. Facilities must meet all Federal, State, and local requirements, including the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) (24 CFR part 40, appendix A), during the design and construction of projects subject to this part. If the State or local requirements are different from the Federal requirements, compliance with the most stringent provisions is required. A State must design and construct the project to provide sufficient space and equipment in dining, health services, recreation, and program areas to enable staff to provide residents with needed services as required by this part and as identified in each resident's plan of care.
(c) State homes should be planned to approximate the home atmosphere as closely as possible. The interior and exterior should provide an attractive and home-like environment for elderly residents. The site will be located in a safe, secure, residential-type area that is accessible to acute medical care facilities, community activities and amenities, and transportation facilities typical of the area.
(d)(1) State homes must meet the applicable provisions of NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, except that the NFPA requirement in paragraph 19.3.5.1 for all buildings containing nursing homes to have an automatic sprinkler system is not applicable until February 24, 2016 for “existing buildings” with nursing home facilities as of June 25, 2001 (paragraph 3.3.36.5 in the NFPA 101 defines an “[e]xisting [b]uilding” as “[a] building erected or officially authorized prior to the effective date of the adoption of this edition of the Code by the agency or jurisdiction”), and NFPA 99, Heath Care Facilities Code.
(2) Facilities must also meet the State and local fire codes.
(e) State homes must have an emergency electrical power system to supply power adequate to operate all exit signs and lighting for means of egress, fire and medical gas alarms, and emergency communication systems. The source of power must be an on-site emergency standby generator of sufficient size to serve the connected load or other approved sources.
(f) The nurse's station must be equipped to receive resident calls through a communication system from resident rooms, toilet and bathing facilities, dining areas, and activity areas.
(g) The State home must have one or more rooms designated for resident dining and activities. These rooms must be:
(1) Well lighted;
(2) Well ventilated; and
(3) Adequately furnished.
(h) The facility management must provide a safe, functional, sanitary, and comfortable environment for the residents, staff and the public. The facility must:
(1) Ensure that water is available to essential areas when there is a loss of normal water supply;
(2) Have adequate outside ventilation by means of windows, or mechanical ventilation, or a combination of the two;
(3) Equip corridors with firmly secured handrails on each side; and
(4) Maintain an effective pest control program so that the facility is free of pests and rodents.
(i)(1) Incorporation by reference of these materials was approved by the Director of the Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. These materials, incorporated by reference, are available for inspection at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Regulation Policy and Management (02REG), 810 Vermont Avenue NW., Room 1068, Washington, DC 20420, call 202-461-4902, or at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html.
(2) National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269. (For ordering information, call toll-free 1-800-344-3555.)
(i) NFPA 99, Health Care Facilities Code, Including all Gas & Vacuum System Requirements, (2012 Edition).
(ii) NFPA 101, Life Safety Code (2012 edition).
Source: eCFRURL: https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2024-07-01/title-38.xmlFetched: 7/26/2026