LAC 48:I.5031. Business Location

A. All HCBS providers shall have a business location in the LDH region for which the license is issued. The business location shall be a part of the physical geographic licensed location and shall be where the provider: 1. maintains staff to perform administrative functions; 2. maintains and stores the provider’s personnel records; 3. maintains and stores the provider’s client service records; 4. holds itself out to the public as being a location for receipt of client referrals; and 5. after initial licensure, consistently provides services to at least two clients. EXCEPTION: Adult Day Care shall have 10 or more clients pursuant to R.S. 40:2120.2(4)(e). B. The business location shall have: 1. a separate entrance and exit from any other entity, business or trade; 2. signage that is easily viewable indicating the provider’s legal or trade name, address and days and hours of business operation as stated in the provider’s license application. a. Any planned deviation of the provider’s days and hours of operation shall be reported to the Health Standards Section within five business days. b. Any unplanned deviation of provider’s days and hours of operation shall be reported to the Health Standards Section within two business days. C. The HCBS provider shall operate independently from any other business or entity, and shall not operate office space with any other business or entity. 1. The HCBS provider may share common areas with another business or entity. Common areas include foyers, kitchens, conference rooms, hallways, stairs, elevators or escalators when used to provide access to the provider’s separate entrance. 2. Records or other confidential information shall not be stored in areas deemed to be common areas. D. The business location shall: 1. be commercial office space or, if located in a residential area, be zoned for appropriate commercial use and shall be used solely for the operation of the business; a. the business location shall not be located in an occupied personal residence; 2. have approval for occupancy from the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Office of Public Health if located at the same address as an adult day care center or center-based respite; 3. have a published telephone number which is available and accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays; 4. have a business fax number that is operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; 5. have internet access and a working e-mail address; a. the e-mail address shall be provided to the department as well as any changes to the e-mail address within five working days to assure that the department has current contact information; b. the e-mail address shall be monitored by the provider on an ongoing basis to receive communication from the department; 6. have space for storage of client records either electronically or in paper form or both in an area that is secure, safe from hazards and does not breach confidentiality of protected health information.