• Adult home care companies or residences often serve the elderly or people with disabilities.senior person image by Peter Baxter from Fotolia.com
  
  Whether you're trying to get a job in adult home care or you're thinking about opening an adult home care facility, every state has guidelines and requirements you must follow to start or work in the adult home care profession or an adult home. Requirements vary by state. Some states are stricter and expect more than others.
  
  

Licensure

• Every state requires adult home care agencies or facilities to obtain a license to operate through the state. License requirements and fees vary by state, and a single license can take over a year to obtain, depending on the strictness of your state's requirements. Licensing usually requires at least an initial application, inspection and safety report from the fire department or a building safety agency. Home care licenses are typically distributed through the Department of Health and Human Services.
  
  

Certification

• Home care facilities in most states have to have at least one nurse on duty at all times in case of an emergency or to dispense medication. The greater the number of people who live in the home, the more nurses are required. In some states, all home care workers, from nurses to orderlies, must obtain certification from the state to work in a home health care environment before getting a job in the field.
  
  

Inspections

• Every state requires at least one initial inspection of a home health care facility and periodic inspections of the premises. Inspections typically review cleanliness, overall care of the patients and safety issues, like the number of available fire extinguishers in a given area, among other things. Additional points of inspection vary by state and may include things like a review of staff and background checks on any questionable staffing selections.