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​Residential Healthcare Facility Plan Review Program

The Residential HealthCare Facility (RHCF) Plan Review Program was introduced as a result of laws passed by the Florida State Legislature, requiring certain health care facilities to prepare and annually update a comprehensive emergency management plan.  These facilities include:

  • Adult Day Care Centers (ADC)
  • Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASC)
  • Assisted Living Facilities (ALF)
  • Hospitals
  • Intermediate Care Facilities (ICF)
  • Residential Treatment Centers (RTC)
  • Skilled Nursing Facilities/Nursing Homes (SNF)

State law requires that the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) develop and adopt minimum criteria for the CEMP.  The law also requires that the CEMP be reviewed and approved annually by the Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management (DEM)

Emergency Plan Regulations And Review.pdf

The AHCA has a local office here in Palm Beach County.  The agency's contact information is as follows:
          5150 Linton Boulevard, Suite 500
          Delray Beach, Florida  33484 
          Telephone number 561-381-5840

Information on Submitting a CEMP

Effective January 7, 2024, Initial Review hardcopy submissions for CEMPs and EECPs will no longer be accepted. Revision Review hardcopy submissions will no longer be accepted beginning March 7, 2024.

Submitting a new plan or revision is easy. Documents are provided in the sidebar to assist with the development and submission of new Comprehensive Emergency Management Plans, Emergency Environmental Control Plans, and the annual updates to these plans. These Include:
  1. A Healthcare Facility Plan Submission Checklist to aid in preparing your submission.
  2. A Generator Information Template to document facility generators.
  3. Facility license specific crosswalks to ensure compliance with AHCA Criteria when developing and submitting your plan

Use the checklist and crosswalk to ensure your submission is organized and complete.

AHCA Criteria Cross-Walk 

The crosswalk documents identify the minimum criteria to be used when developing a CEMP for residential health care facilities.  The crosswalk serves as the required plan format for the CEMP, and will also serve as the compliance review document for Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management upon submission for review and approval pursuant to Chapter 252, Florida Statutes (F.S.).  These criteria satisfy the basic emergency management requirements of 400, Part II, Florida Statutes, but are not designed to provide specific emergency medical planning guidance.

Review Fee

Effective 1 October 2015 the Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management charges $62.50 for two hours of review time for all healthcare CEMPs.  Emergency Environmental Control Plans are charged $31.25 for one hour of review (FL Ch. 27P-20).  This change is necessitated to fully cover the time spent on CEMPs including, but not limited to: administrative and data entry work, database and technology support, binder and update packet processing, training and consulting to facilities that occurs beyond time spent reviewing plans.

New to CEMPs?

Please review our online trainings in the sidebar and consider scheduling a telephone meeting to discuss your needs.

New Facility?

Facilities are encouraged to review all FL Statues and Administrative Codes applicable to their license type before making a plan submission. ALF and SNF/NH seeking initial licensure will need to complete an Emergency Environmental Control Plan prior to development and submission of their CEMP.

Community Based Provider?

Home Health Agencies, Nurse Registries, Hospices, and Home Medical Equipment Providers should follow the instructions provided by the Florida Department of Health here.