Stamford Senior AdvisorWhat laws govern senior care in Fairfield County, Connecticut?
State law does: the Department of Public Health licenses assisted living services agencies under Regs. Conn. State Agencies 19-13-D105, nursing homes and residential care homes under the 19-13-D regulations and the General Statutes, and CMS adds federal rules for certified nursing homes.
Last verified: October 2026Fairfield County has had no county government since 1960, so nothing is licensed at the county level, and the 23 towns regulate only zoning and fire safety for the buildings. The license that matters is the state's.
What makes Connecticut's assisted living rules unusual?
Connecticut licenses the care agency rather than the building: a managed residential community provides the apartment and core services, and a separately licensed assisted living services agency provides the hands-on care, so two agreements and two sets of rules apply.
State auditors called Connecticut the only state that does not fully license assisted living facilities. In 2026 the legislature asked DPH to study whether managed residential communities themselves should be licensed, with a report due February 1, 2027.
Where do Fairfield County families report problems?
Facility complaints go to DPH's Facility Licensing and Investigations Section through its online complaint form or 860-509-7400; suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of someone 60 or older goes to DSS Protective Services for the Elderly at 1-888-385-4225; and residents can get free advocacy from the Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 1-866-388-1888.
Call 911 first if someone is in immediate danger. The guides below explain each step.
Connecticut Rules guides
How Connecticut licenses assisted living in Fairfield County
Connecticut licenses assisted living services agencies (ALSAs), not buildings. How the ALSA and managed residential community split works, staffing rules and what DPH publishes.
Read →What a managed residential community must provide in Connecticut
What Connecticut requires of managed residential communities (MRCs): core services, the on-site service coordinator, the ban on providing health services without an ALSA, and the 2026 licensing study.
Read →How Connecticut regulates memory care in assisted living
How Connecticut regulates dementia special care units in assisted living: DPH staffing plans, annual dementia training, residency agreement disclosure, and why no public list exists.
Read →What a residential care home is in Connecticut
Connecticut residential care homes: what the DPH license covers, how they differ from assisted living, how many are licensed in Fairfield County and how to check one.
Read →How nursing homes are licensed and inspected in Connecticut
How Connecticut licenses chronic and convalescent nursing homes and rest homes with nursing supervision, how CMS inspections work, and what DPH's Nursing Facility Registry publishes.
Read →How to check a senior care provider's license in Connecticut
Step-by-step: verify an ALSA, nursing home, residential care home or home health license in Connecticut's eLicense system, read CMS data, and know what to ask for when nothing is published.
Read →Where Fairfield County families report problems and abuse
How to file a DPH complaint about an assisted living agency, nursing home or residential care home in Connecticut, report elder abuse to Protective Services, and get help from the Long-Term Care Ombudsman.
Read →Residents' rights and fee rules in Connecticut assisted living
Connecticut's managed residential community bill of rights, ALSA and MRC fee-increase notice rules, the 2024 fee-disclosure law and the 2026 hearing requirement for increases above 10%.
Read →At a glance
| Connecticut's rules do | Connecticut's rules do not | |
|---|---|---|
| Assisted living | Require a DPH license for the agency that delivers care | License the apartment building itself |
| Staffing | Require an RN supervisor and a nurse on call 24 hours | Set a staff-to-resident ratio |
| Fees | Require 60 to 90 days' notice of increases | Cap what a community may charge |
| Public records | Publish license status and dates in bulk | Publish ALSA inspection reports online |
