Georgia regulates senior care through the Department of Community Health (DCH), Healthcare Facility Regulation Division (HFRD), and knowing the rules helps Atlanta families ask better questions and spot red flags. This hub summarizes how assisted living-style care, memory care, nursing homes, and Medicaid long-term care work in Georgia, and where to verify any facility's license.
Every fact below applies statewide — the same regulator, Medicaid programs, and public license database cover Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, and Cherokee counties.
Who licenses assisted living in Georgia
Georgia licenses two distinct community-care types for assisted-living-style care. A Personal Care Home (PCH) is the lower-acuity option, licensed under Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 111-8-62. An Assisted Living Community (ALC) is the higher-acuity option, created by O.C.G.A. § 31-2-7 and licensed under 111-8-63, offering a higher level of hands-on care than a PCH. You can look up any facility's license, inspection history, and deficiency findings through the Georgia DCH/HFRD facility search (dch.georgia.gov). We only refer families to communities with an active license and no open disciplinary action.
Memory care: the Memory Care Center designation
Georgia does have a distinct designation for dementia care. An ALC (and some PCHs) may be certified as a Memory Care Center under 111-8-63 — this requires a secured environment, enhanced dementia-trained staffing ratios, and disclosure of the specific memory-care programming offered. Always confirm the specific secured unit is covered by the facility's Memory Care Center certification.
Nursing homes
Skilled nursing facilities are licensed by DCH/HFRD under 111-8-56 and CMS certification, and provide 24/7 licensed medical care and post-hospital rehabilitation. You can check ratings and inspection records on Medicare Care Compare in addition to the DCH/HFRD facility search.
Medicaid long-term care: CCSP and SOURCE
Georgia's long-term care Medicaid runs through the Community Care Services Program (CCSP), the state's core Medicaid HCBS waiver for elderly and disabled residents, administered by the Division of Aging Services (DAS) through Area Agencies on Aging, and SOURCE (Service Options Using Resources in a Community Environment), a Medicaid primary-care case-management/HCBS hybrid. These programs can cover personal care and attendant services — including in a participating Personal Care Home or Assisted Living Community setting — for seniors who meet a nursing-facility level of care and Georgia's income and asset limits, though they generally do not cover room and board. Neither CCSP nor SOURCE is administered through managed care organizations for this population — they're delivered directly. PACE availability in metro Atlanta is limited; verify current status before citing it. You apply through DAS, and eligibility includes a medical-necessity / level-of-care assessment.
Free help: Atlanta Regional Commission Area Agency on Aging
The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) Area Agency on Aging serves the 10-county metro-Atlanta region — Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, Cherokee, Clayton, Douglas, Fayette, Henry, and Rockdale. They offer free counseling on long-term care options, benefits screening, and caregiver support. Statewide, the Georgia Division of Aging Services (DAS) oversees the network; GeorgiaCares (the state's SHIP program) offers free Medicare counseling; and the Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) of Georgia connects families to local aging services at 1-866-552-4464 (verify before launch).
Veterans
Metro Atlanta veterans are served by the Atlanta VA Health Care System (Atlanta VA Medical Center in Decatur, plus community-based outpatient clinics). Wartime veterans and surviving spouses may qualify for the VA Aid & Attendance pension toward care costs; the VA Caregiver Support Line is 1-855-260-3274, and the Georgia Department of Veterans Service (GDVS) assists with benefit applications. The Georgia War Veterans Home (Milledgeville, Augusta) serves Georgia veterans directly.
Reporting concerns
The Georgia State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (under DAS) advocates for residents of long-term care facilities. To report suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult, call Georgia DHS Division of Aging Services Adult Protective Services at 1-866-552-4464 (Georgia routes APS intake through the same central Aging Services line as the ADRC; confirm current routing before launch).
Related: Cost of assisted living in Atlanta · Assisted living FAQ · Facility directory
Not sure where to start? A free ATL Senior Advisor advisor will talk it through with you — 15 minutes, no pressure, no fee. Call (404) 555-0100 or send a message.