Adult Family Home Document Checklist for Washington State
Running an Adult Family Home (AFH) in Washington means keeping a lot of paperwork organized — resident agreements, care records, medication logs, staff files, and safety documentation. The exact forms an individual home needs depend on its residents, services, and how it operates.
This is a general checklist of documents AFH operators commonly maintain. It is educational only, not legal advice, and it is not a substitute for the current requirements published by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and the Washington Administrative Code (WAC). Always verify what your home needs against those sources and qualified professionals.
Resident admission & rights
Admission paperwork sets expectations between the home and the resident (or their representative) and is typically among the first documents completed at move-in.
- Resident admission agreement covering services, rates, and house policies
- Resident rights acknowledgment
- Move-in / move-out condition checklist
- Grievance and complaint form
Care planning & assessments
Care documents capture each resident’s needs and how the home plans to meet them, and are usually reviewed on a regular schedule.
- Individual Service Plan (ISP) or negotiated care plan
- Fall-risk and other relevant assessments
- Behavior support documentation where applicable
Medication management
Homes that assist with medications generally keep clear, contemporaneous records of what was given and when.
- Medication Administration Record (MAR)
- Medication transfer / release logs
- HIPAA authorization for sharing health information
Staff & caregiver files
Employee documentation supports hiring, training, and ongoing supervision of caregivers.
- Job descriptions and employment application forms
- Background check authorization
- Orientation checklist and training / competency logs
- Employee handbook and performance reviews
Safety, compliance & operations
Operational records help a home stay organized day to day and demonstrate consistent practices over time.
- Incident and accident reports
- Fire and disaster drill logs
- Infection control policy
- Policy and procedure manual, emergency contacts, and resident face sheets